California
"Dear James - This is a very common syndrome and mechanically
means you are bending your wrists in an incorrect manner making
the clubface face the sky at impact instead of the target. The
real key here is to make sure the handle leads the club head at
impact. Practice making chip shots first until you get the feel
and understanding of this move. Or, focus 1/4" behind the
ball and hit the ground first. If on a tee, try to knock the tee
out from under the ball all the while swinging to a balanced
finish on your forward foot with your back knee touching your
front one balanced on your back toe. This will insure the handle
(or hands) lead the clubface. If you cannot hit the tee, put some
bits of grass behind the tee and hit them while finishing
properly. Good Golfing." - Kati
Biszantz, Teaching Professional |
California
"What is wrong with taking a big divot? Have you ever
heard of Lee Trevino? His divots are the size of a top sirloin
steaks. The best way is to just take practice swings. When you
take your practice swings, practice hitting smaller divots. When
you feel confident enough then go back to hitting golf balls. One
comment I would like to add is that I respect those golfers who
take very little to no divots at all. Those types are great
strikers of the golf ball and the bottom line is that they have
more control."
- David
Ruvolo, Teaching Professional |
California
"Dear
James: Swing the club with just your right hand on the club. Be
sure the toe of the club is pointed up at hip high on the back
swing and hip high on the forward swing. It is like the top spin
shot in ping-pong. Same speed both ways. Be happy."
- John
DeSantis, Teaching Professional |
Colorado
"I would suggest that you learn to hit down and through
with your sand wedge. Start by practicing in the sand. Put a line
midway between your feet and turn your lower body to the target so
you will hit the line and stay in the sand for about 6 more
inches. The lowest point of the swing is after impact. This is the
best drill I found for learning to not scoop." - Paula
Adelman, Teaching Professional |
Florida
"James: The first thing that comes to my mind is a
reverse pivot on the back swing and the normal action of the
downswing, which is to work the shoulders in the opposite
direction- backwards. If your torso is not working from behind the
ball on the back swing and towards the target on the follow
through, you are most likely going to do the opposite. Assuming
this is going in the right direction, there are several drills
that will help. 1) Try tilting your spine to the right (or
rear) before beginning the swing-this will encourage you to turn
on the back leg. 2) Place a club from your right (or rear)
foot and a club on your shoulders. Turn the torso so the club on
your shoulders is over the club placed out from the foot. 3)
Look at yourself swing in a mirror to see if your shoulder is
getting behind the ball on your backswing. 4) Stand so your
shadow (on a sunny day) shows how your body tends to move in the
swing." - Tony
Simpson, Teaching Professional |
Florida
"A divot is not a conscious effort but a
reaction of the motion. How's the pivot?"
- Mike
Calbot, Teaching Professional |
Florida
"As the club comes into the impact zone it should
contact the ball first and then bottom out making a divot. Thus,
the divot is made in front of the ball. If you don't take a divot,
the club is making impact too high on the ball. Your swing is most
likely bottoming out too early. Make several practice swings to
find where your swing is bottoming out. (contacting the grass).
Your ball should be positioned just behind that point so the club
can make clean contact with the ball first."
- Andrea
Drake, Teaching Professional |
Massachusetts
"Hi James. So, you scoop the ball? Sounds like your body
has stopped rotating near impact which forces your hands to take
over. Focus on getting your body to rotate fully. Your body
rotation should look like a pitcher in baseball. Throw a ball and
notice how your body moves. Now transfer that motion to your golf
swing. Practice impact position as well. At impact your shaft is
behind the ball. Rehearse the impact by making sure the
shaft is ahead of the ball. Hitting shots from fairway bunkers may
help as well." - Phil
Fecteau, Teaching Professional |
Missouri
"First, check your ball
position at set-up. If you're scooping the ball, relax your
right hand grip through the swing. Next be sure to turn your
hands over at impact. Your right hand should roll over your left
through impact." - David
Mulso, Teaching Professional
|
New York
"James: If you "scoop" the ball, your hands are
not leading the handle of the club through the impact area. If you
were to take a chip shot and were to freeze at the end of your
stroke, I'll bet an angle was created by your left wrist and the
shaft (if your a right-handed player); or your right wrist is
"flat" and the palm of your right hand faces
more upward towards the sky. The shaft and left arm don't finish
in a straight line. What I would like for you to try is to
practice some chip shots, and concentrate on finishing your stroke
with your right wrist slightly bent INWARD, or the palm of
your right hand faces the target. If your right wrist is
bent inward, this means your left wrist is flat, and ahead of the
clubface. This promotes the hands leading the handle through the
impact area. You must also do this when you are taking your full
swing. In general, the chip shot is the "infancy"
of the full swing, meaning what you are doing with your hands in
the chip shot has to also be done in the full swing. Give this a
shot. Good luck!" - Sean
Kennedy, Teaching Professional |
North Carolina
"The best way to work on creating a better
impact position and taking a better divots is to practice hitting
punch shots. You'll know if the club head passes your hands and
creates a scooping motion. Another way is to purchase an impact
bag and work on returning the whole shaft back to the bag not just
the club head." - Ben
Hynson, Teaching Professional
|
Rhode Island
"First
have someone check your ball position for your irons. It should be
placed just a couple of inches inside the left heel. Try hitting
range balls off a tee that is barely higher than the ground get
the tee out on every shot or at least break it. Also visualize the
club hitting the ground after the ball. Last but not least work on
hitting knockdown shots to feel the left wrist staying firm thru
the golf ball at impact."
- Susan
Bond, Teaching Professional
|
Texas
"Scooping is a result of bad balance and lateral movement. If
you "slide" forward laterally, your upper body will then
tilt thus causing you to hit the ball thin or on the upswing. Make
sure you are coiling to the back foot on the back swing and then
simply practice what a good practice swing finish feels like.
Repeat until you can do it over a ball." - Kim
J. Brown, Teaching Professional
|
Texas
"Start practicing with the ball on a tee slightly off the
ground. Make practice swings where you can just clip the top of
the tee then hit ball trying not to hit the ground. Then move ball
to the ground and see if you can still just barely clip the
grass." - Fred
Collins, Teaching Professional
|
Texas
"James: If you are not taking a divot with your iron
first check your ball position. If it's too far forward you will
scoop. Wedges should be played in the center of the stance and
longer clubs should be played progressively forward relative to
the length of the club. If this doesn't improve it, we need to get
the club swinging on a path more down the target line. Good
luck." - Dave
Baron, Teaching Professional
|
