Bill Crowley is our resident golf swing expert, former PGA Teaching pro, and all around good guy.
Having trouble with your golf swing? Need a tip on strategy? How to practice? Just ask Bill!
Bill will do his best to post his solution to your problem right here in this forum. As always, try to visit the archives below to see if your question may have already been answered. But since this is a new web site with a brand new ASK B.C. page, you might as well just go ahead and ask!
Click here to submit your question to Bill Crowley.
Bill Crowley
Hybrid clubs for older golfer?
Great at range, inconsistent on course
Buy Blades or Cavity Back Irons?
Trouble with early release and scooping
Crowley's Corner Tips
(April 08)
Hey Bill, I miss more than my share of "gimmie" short putts. Any suggestions on how I can get my confidence back? I'm an overall decent putter, but I must miss at least one or two 2 footers a round. (10hdcp)...Joe, Texas.
Joe, you should not have confidence issues on 2 footers if you are a decent putter and hold a 10 hdcp. Before you next round bang in 20 in a row on the practice green and take that feel to the course. Nerves can cause the big muscles (arms & shoulders) to slow down and the small muscles (hands & wrists) to speed up. The best cure for nerves is practice and the confidence success during practice brings to your game on the course.
(May 08)
Bill, I hit the ball around 260 off the tee. I normally hit it pretty straight but if I do miss hit it's usually a hook. I'm playing stiff shafts now, but I'm considering buying new clubs and want your opinion whether I should get stiff or regular shafts. Thanks. Jim, Sunny California.
Hi Jim, congratulations, 260 of the tee works just fine! Stick with the stiff shafts. If you have a tight hole with trouble on the left you might want to consider hitting your 3 wood just to be safe. A good player (260 off the tee), whose hooks get out of control typically needs to address a swing path that might be coming from too far inside. The better player has the talent to turn the hands at impact to try and square the club to compensate for the inside-out swing path. So it will either work (hit it straight) or be overdone(hook).
It is usually the set-up and back swing path that dictates your downswing path. Look at that first. Try bringing the club back on a straight line from the ball on your back swing for the first 18". This will get you on the proper, more upright swing plane going back, which should continue into your downswing.
Hybrids for Older Player?, or Everyone?
(May 08)
Bill,
I am a 70 year old golfer and use a load of FW metals 1,3,5,7, and 9. I usually keep the driver at home and hit the #3 off the tee. Question is: are FW metals or hybrids best for the older player. I've never used a hybrid and would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks, Dick
Hi Dick, Thanks for the good question. The hybrids, or utility clubs as they are sometimes called are finding their way into a lot of players bags, even the pro's! (David Toms used a hybrid for his hole in one in the final round of the PGA championship!) These clubs are basically a cross between a fairway "wood" and a long iron. The center of gravity has been moved back and to the bottom of the club, something you can't do with a "regular" long iron. The face on most of these clubs is "flat", rather than rounded, or having that "bulge" that your usual fairway wood has. This causes the ball to climb higher with a higher spin rate than with a fairway wood. You might even want to consider a "hybrid set", where the clubs are matched but the low irons are actually hybrids to give you that added forgiveness that you wouldn't get with a standard iron. (usually the 3 and 4 iron in these sets are hybrids, sometimes the 5 as well.)
So after all that!.. Yes, I think a hybrid set would be a good choice, especially if you use a lot of fairway metal clubs now. The one "drawback" to these clubs is finding one that appeals to you, as they sure look a little "odd" if you're not used to them. But since you're already hitting a 9 wood, you should slide right into 'em like butter!
These clubs are certainly not just for an older player or the ladies either. They're solid clubs that are being used by players such as Ernie Ells, Stuart Appleby, Steve Flesh, and Retief Goosen to name a few. They're also great for chipping around the green, and they even seem to fly farther when you throw them after a bad shot!
Good luck!
(June 08)
Hi Bill,
Thanks for taking my question. I can’t get rid of my slice. Once in a while I can manage a long fade, but usually I’m playing from the other fairway. I also hit a few balloon shots off the tee from time to time. I don’t hit it that long, maybe 250-275 on a good poke. I’ve tried everything. Any suggestions? I’m 58 years old, have been playing for about 10 years. If I could lose this slice it would be a lot more fun!
Tom
Tampa Florida
Hi Tom,
First of all you must be some strong dude. 58 years old and fairly new to the game with a big slice that gets you 250-275 yards off the tee. I'd like to know who's in your 4-some if you don't consider that long. With that club head speed a 3-wood off the tee would work on 90% of the holes. Slices and balloon shots are caused by a steep approach from the outside on the downswing rather than a shallower approach from the inside. Funny enough the way to address this flaw is in an improved setup and/or back swing. There could be numerous causes but 2 of the more common reasons are the grip and the arms disconnecting from the body on the back swing. Re grip a backup 6 iron and driver with a those special grips that force your hands into the right position on the handle. Work thru the awkwardness of how it feels with practice and try to trust it on the course. A great drill for the 2nd issue(one piece swing) is putting a towel under your left armpit(righties) and hit balls making sure it doesn't fall out on the back swing.
Bill
(July '08)
Hi Bill,
Do you have any tips for playing in the wind?
Karen
Hello Karen,
Besides the tip of not spitting into the wind(It's a guy thing), just take one extra club to compensate for the yardage change, (ball won't fly as far into the wind with your normal swing),then take one more club,(total of "2 clubs more")so you can swing more smoothly and balanced. The ball will stay lower with less backspin.(won't upshoot) If hit solidly this shot will make it through even the toughest of winds.
To recap and be clear, you're looking at taking a 5 iron instead of say a 7 iron into a strong wind and swinging very smoothly. This will keep the flight down with a more roll and you'll be sure to get it there with optimum control. Got it? Good Luck!
Bill
(July 08)
Bill,
I'm new to golf and i have a really bad slice with me driver no matter what i do when i swing my driver the ball will slice in to the other fairway and it will only go about 175 yards if I'm lucky. I have tried a stronger grip and a weaker grip but nothing will make it fly in the same fairway and the harder i swing the more it will slice now I'm not looking for a 300 yard drive but i would like to try to keep the ball in the same fairway would make me happy. My friends tell me i stand crooked and sometime i swing the club like a bat i know the problem is in my swing/stance/grip but they can't help me and i don't have a clue on what to do. Can you help?
Thanks for your time,
Scott
Hi Scott
If you had been playing for 10 years or so I would tell you that you’re a mess. However, you are new to the game and haven’t consulted with a PGA Professional. As a past PGA Professional I can tell you that some are better than others, with no bad ones, and as a whole an extremely qualified group with lots of patience. Find one you like and trust and take the first step to an improved technique. If he or she has video capabilities, make sure you take advantage of them. And going forward let all advice from your friends go in one ear and out the other. They may notice something unusual (which is not necessarily bad), but are not trained to find the root cause(s) of the flaw. You’ll soon be better then them anyway.
Good Luck!
Bill
(August 08)
Hi Bill,
My problem is almost complete loss of power. On the range preseason, I hit my 7 iron 150 yards, now I'm pulling it out for 130. Also, my warm-up swings seems smooth and effortless, but set up to the ball and I tense up and more often than not hit behind the ball. Don't know if these are two problems, but fixing either one would be a big help!
Thanks, Don
Hello Don,
You need to find a swing that is reliable and can find the center of the club face when it counts! Practice swings and even the range game is a whole different animal. When you are on the course playing for keeps it is normal for tension(pressure) to creep in and tighten up the technique. Garcia and Harrington had to deal with it over the last 9 holes in the PGA. Take a series of lessons with a PGA Pro to sure up your form (and confidence) and when the normal pressure appears in a round you will be better able to deal with it. Jack Nicklaus used to say if he wasn't nervous and feeling pressure on the 1st tee there was a problem. He always shot lower scores when it really counted. Nerves & pressure are good things and expected so don't be afraid to welcome them.
Good Luck,
Bill
(August 08)
Hello,
I am a lefty, and my drives go straight for about 100 to 150 yards then take a left turn. My irons are straight, my 3 and 5 woods are also going left after a so many yards but not near as drastically an the ball does from the driver. I have tried everything that I can think of or the golf instructor had suggested and nothing seems to work. Although when I go take the driver back s-l-o-w-l-y and bring it through the ball does seem to not slice as bad. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Bob Peterson
Hello Bob...........If a golfer puts the exact same slice move on a driver and a 7 iron the driver will always slice more for 2 reasons. The more relevant one is that the 7 iron has much more backspin(because of the loft) to offset the side spin than the driver does. The 2nd reason is that since a driver travels farther there is more time for the slice to continue. A common cause for the slice is the hands and arms going out and across(over the top) on the downswing. This common disconnection from the body going down all too often starts in the back swing. A slower start to the swing is giving you a better chance for a connected(one piece) takeaway and thus a better position at impact. If no progress is being made with your teacher it may be time to call another PGA professional.
Bill
(August 08)
Hi Bill,
Just looking at the I Suck At Golf web site, what a great idea! Just a quick question I was hoping you could shed some light on and maybe offer a few helpful tips.
I've been taking lessons for about 8 weeks which have gone well and the teaching pro is happy with my progress. I hit the ball fantastic at the range, usually with a slight draw. However come Saturday at my local club I'm very inconsistent. I can go from a run of pars and the odd birdie to playing like a hacker and spraying the ball everywhere and making stupid scores which ruin a potentially good round.
My teaching pro doesn't really understand saying i should be playing to a 10-12 handicap, but my official handicap is 20. Any tips would be massively helpful as its starting to make me go crazy and very frustrated.
Paul K.
Hi Paul,
If you haven't been playing long(less than 5 years) I think you are following a natural progression(it can be frustrating, though) of taking it from the range to the course. As your technique improves the pressure of playing for real will effect the swing negatively less and less. However, If you are a seasoned golfer and this is happening give yourself some more time(8 weeks is really not that long for a consistent change in the fundamentals). At some point if your technique is not improving enough to be more consistent when it matters, it might be time for a new PGA pro to get involved. Till then when it's falling apart on the links out think your flaws: Fairways off the tee(even if its a 5-iron), know yardages to traps and hazards and choose a club that can't put you in them, have a "go to shot"(any club and any swing) that keeps you in play, and improve your putting and chipping. For now enjoy the challenge that a "bad swing day" offers. You'll drive your opponents crazy with your new found craftiness.
Good Luck!
BIll
(Sept 08)
Dear Bill,
Should anyone be playing blades these days? I’m a 3 handicap and am looking for new clubs. I’m playing old Pings now. Will I get more control and distance with blades, or am I just making things unnecessarily difficult for myself?
Thanks
T.D.
T. D,
Blades! Smades!.....Always go with cavity back irons. They give you much more room for error with minimal distance reduction if miss hit. The reasons some top professionals use blades are feel & feedback, familiarity(if they have been playing them since they were kids) and less rough interference because of the smaller size.
Bill
(Oct 08)
Hi Bill,
I have had many lessons and had my swing videoed on three separate occasions over a five year period. Early video showed very very early release/scoop.
Over time I have worked very hard on swing fundamentals and tried to minimize this problem and yet latest video shows early release with attendant distance loss ,HIGH SEMI CIRCLE TYPE BALL FLIGHT and obviously never a divot. I am told take away top of back swing and start of down swing is very acceptable. Do you have any swing keys /practice drills that will deal with this issue
I do feel personally that to make sure I have no lateral left hip movement I do not snap my left knee which appears to accentuate the early release problem. I notice that my 5 iron finishes at 45 degrees to the ground at swing completion .Professionals seem to have their club horizontal to the ground. When I practice in front of a MIRROR WITHOUT HITTING BALLS and focus on snapping the left knee, it appears to bring the club horizontal to the ground at finish. Am I on the right track? I would appreciate any comment that you can make to ease this frustrating impediment.
Kind regards
David
Hi David,
I suggest hitting balls with a SW and place a head cover approx 10" behind ball and hit some 10 yard pitch shots, avoiding the head cover on downswing. This drill will help increase lag almost immediately. You should focus on keeping the RIGHT WRIST BENT BACK PAST IMPACT.
Loss of lag occurs for many reasons: usually a steep; out to in downswing is most common. Another common cause is the dreaded reverse pivot which in turn almost always causes the early release because the hands and arms start to pull down as a result the improper body rotation (Always causes the out to in steep downswing except in extremely athletic golfers). With a proper body rotation there has to be some lateral movement or else the weight would never shift. It should be subtle but it is there. Snapping the left knee (Tiger’s power move that led to his injury & surgery) and no lateral movement through impact to your left side is not a good idea. It will leave you hanging back on the right(reverse pivot).
Bill
OVERSIZED GRIPS
(OCT 08)
Hi Bill,
I have #7 size Winn grips on my clubs. Being oversized, will that affect my game any?
Thanks,
Richard A.
Hi Richard………Grip size is best judged by taking a proper grip with your top hand (in the fingers and under the heel pad) and making sure the fingers wrap around to just touch skin again. If Winn#7 is oversized for you, as you say, the grip will slide too much into the palm and reduce the efficiency of the release (more slicing). Another thought concerning Winn grips. They are so light that the swing weight increases 3-4 as opposed to standard grips. An oversized Winn #7 may limit this a little. I like the feel of the head at the top with higher swing weights. So as long as it does’t feel too heavy go for it.
Bill
(NOV 08)
My question is - all the books i read , says to place the golf club ( iron or driver ) flat on the ground .
I see pro's and most players with the toe of the club up and the club on more of an angle .
With the flat , the club is still on an angle but not with the club toe up .
Which is correct ? The club toe up or the club flat ?
With the toe up, you don't have the hole face to hit with
With the club flat you have the hole face to hit with but
it doesn't feel right .
Thanking you in advance for your help
James Boulding
Hi James,
The toe should be up slightly(a credit card or two) with an iron at address because the shaft will bend down during the swing. At impact you will then have the flat club that is desired. I wouldn't worry as much about the driver because it's teed up. Remember the toe will be slightly up on an iron as a result of proper clubfitting not any hand manipulation on the player's part.
Bill
BENDS LEFT ARM TOO MUCH? HOW ABOUT HEEL TOO HIGH?
(Dec 08)
Bill,
Thanks for taking my question. I wanted to know if it is ok to bend my left arm slightly at the top of my backswing if I straighten it back out on the downswing. Also I tend to lift my left heel pretty high sometimes on the top of the backswing. (2” or more) I’m not real flexable and if I don’t bend the arm a bit and lift the heel I can’t make the full turn. It doesn’t seem to bother my game, but sometimes my playing partners mention it. Any tips on increasing my flexibility?
Thank you,
Ric
Hi Ric,
A slight bend of the left arm is ok as we age and get less flexible. However, make sure it is not caused by over swinging. You would be surprised how short the swing can be and still have a solid turn (Alan Doyle, Dana Quigley, etc….). Avoid lifting the heel because that frees up the hips to turn, not the shoulders. The bigger the gap between a full shoulder turn and a minimal hip turn creates increased power (The X factor) ….. As far as increasing flexibility: STRETCHING, STRETCHING, and more STRETCHING each day, not just days you play. It doesn't’t take long, but make sure your program is effective. Confer with a knowledgeable source regarding this. Additionally, as long as you are taking your partners money at the end of day, let all advice go in one ear and out the other.
Bill
(DEC 08)
Bill,
I’m sky-ing my tee shots and fairway woods several times a round. What causes this and any suggestions? It happens more off the tee but also off the grass.
Thanks,
Bill B.
Hi Bill........Popping the woods up is caused by a steep "out to in" downswing. Review my catalogue of previous answers and you'll find many reasons and corrections(almost always setup and backswing issues) for this deadly move. One quick fix is to move the ball forward in your stance as your more apt to catch the ball at the level bottom of your swing.
Good Luck
Bill
ISAG Bonus Tip: Hey Bill B., see also Best Tip Ever! It will help you get in the "slot" and prevent that over the top move of yours.
