JohnHayesGolf Newsletter Golf Tip – April 2015
For your golf game: I wish all other sports would try to play out in nature as does the game of golf. Wouldn’t you like to see a football, baseball or soccer game played with hills, trees, bunkers and creeks? When you get an uneven lie on the golf course you must make some adjustments in your set up to be successful. If you have what most people call an UPHILL LIE, where the ball rests on a slope that is rising to the left of a right-handed golfer, then you must adjust your weight at address where the majority of the weight shifts to the downhill foot (right foot for a right-hander) and you move the ball closer to the uphill foot (left foot). You tilt yourself this way so you can swing the club in the upward direction of the slope. When you swing this way the trajectory of the shot will be much higher than normal and you will also lose some distance for the club being used. The shot will also have a tendency to go to the left of the target because the ball is a bit more forward than normal so you will want to adjust your alignment to account for this.
There is an option B for the uphill lie when you are close to the green. You can have the ball in a normal place just slightly ahead of the golfer’s center (the midpoint between the shoulders) with the club square as if you were not on a slope and then you can make the swing in a level, back and forth motion, so the clubface strikes the ball and then runs into the slope almost like it runs into a wall. Using option B you will hit the ball lower like the normal trajectory for the club being used and you will not send the ball so high in the air. So, if you want a more running pitch/chip shot, then use option B. If you want a high pitch shot that stops quickly then use the weight-on-the-downhill-foot, ball-by-the-uphill-foot set up adjustment for the uphill lie and swing the club with the uphill slope.
Upcoming clinics and events: My next LADIES-ONLY GOLF CLINIC will be held on 2 consecutive Weekends – April 18, 19, 25 and 26 from NOON to 1:00 p.m. on all four days (Sat., Sun., Sat. & Sun.) Cost is only $40 total for all 4 sessions! It is good for beginners or newly dedicated golfers.
My next specialty clinic will be a SHORT GAME BOOT CAMP for 2 hours held on Saturday, May 2nd from Noon to 2:00 p.m. I will cover pitching/chipping, bunker play, wedges 30 yards plus, putting, and how to practice effectively! Men or Ladies welcome. This is NOT for new beginners. There is a limit of only 4 students so call or email to sign up. Total cost is only $40.
I will conduct my next GET GOLF READY LADIES BOOT CAMP on Thur., May 7 through Sun., May 10. There will be 4 hours of golf clinics (Thur. & Fri. from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Sat. from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.) and then we will finish on the golf course on Sun. from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This is perfect for beginners who want to feel comfortable on the golf course in a short time. Total cost is only $99 and includes everything!
Please call (727) 692-4679 or email, jh@johnhayesgolf.com, to sign up as space is limited for all clinics. Go to www.johnhayesgolf.com for more details.
As always, please contact me with any questions or comments and I hope to see you soon on the lesson tee at the Chi Chi Golf Range & Family Sports Complex in beautiful Clearwater near Tampa, FL.