JohnHayesGolf Newsletter – June 2014
For your golf game: Where do I place the ball in my stance? I think the best answer to this is that you should place the ball directly in front of the clubface. A better question would be – where should I place the club in my stance? Manuel de la Torre has a simple answer for this but it is often considered one of his most controversial ideas. You should place the club in THE CENTER FOR ALL CLUBS! Manuel would define your center as the midpoint between the shoulders and you should see where a vertical line from this midpoint hits the ground to find the center where the club should be placed at address. So go ahead and set up by placing the club in your center. It is very easy for you to get yourself square to the clubface and to be in perfect balance. Now place the clubhead several inches forward in your stance – what change happens to the alignment of your shoulders? Answer – they now open up and aim to the left (for a right-hander). This address position will also tend to have the clubhead swing back outside the target line.
Now place the clubhead several inches back in your stance – now what happens to the alignment of your shoulders? Answer – they become closed and aiming to the right of the target. This will tend to have the clubhead swing back too far inside the target line! How do these changes in club/ball position, which golfer are often taught to do, fit with being consistent from shot to shot?
This idea of placing the club in the center for all clubs applies to normal shots. If you have uneven lies or you want to play low or high shots with a particular club then you can move the club/ball position around to get those different shots but it makes a lot of sense for consistency to just place the club in the center for all normal shots.
A final question, so you have a clear picture – when you place the club in the center, which foot is the ball closer to? Answer – it is closer to the front foot. The club is in the center and the ball is then slightly forward of center on normal shots for all clubs.
Upcoming clinics and events: I will have my LADIES-ONLY GOLF CLINIC on 4 consecutive Sunday afternoons – June 22, 29, July 6 and 13 from NOON to 1:00 p.m. Total cost is $40 and is good for beginners or newly dedicated golfers. I will be conducting a new ADULT GOLF SCHOOL on Tuesday evening June 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. where a limited number of golfers will go through a full swing station, a short game station and an on-course station with me, Dave Pedersen – PGA, and Dustin Snay – PGA Apprentice, at the Chi Chi Rodriguez Golf Club. This intense one-day school will leave you with some good plans for improving plus a lot of giveaways and a coupon for golf, all for only $59.99! I will have my TWO-DAY GOLF SCHOOL for experienced golfers on Sat., July 12 (3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and Sun., July 13 (8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.) Limit of only 3 golfers and total cost of $99.
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, FL.