I live in: Indianapolis, IN
My_name_is: Jeremy Perry
comments: What is the easiest way to hit a short putt?
Kim Brown: With a short backswing, accelerating through the ball, with the stroke back and through maintained at the same speed.
I live in: Tallahassee, Florida
My_name_is: Rodney West
comments: I am left-handed, with a horrible slice. Can you suggest any books for left-handed golfers? Everything I find is for righties.
Kim Brown: Rotate your shoulders to the left, turn your shoulders as much as you can on the backswing while maintaining balance, and then feel like your elbows pinch together at impact, swing to a full finish and hold that position for a 2 count.
I live in: Phoenix, Arizona
My_name_is: Thomas Dittmeyer
comments: My backswing has always been fast. Do you have any tips on how I can slow my backswing short of making a conscious effort to do so?
Kim Brown: Yes, usually our backswing gets too fast when we take the club back mostly with our hands and arms. Try to keep your hands and arms very relaxed and turn the upper body more and do not pick up the club with the hands as much.
I live in: Mt. Laurel, NJ USA
My_name_is: Dennis Lewis
comments: What criteria is used to select the proper clubs (both woods & irons)? I am 50 yrs. old, 6FT tall, 220lbs. and wish to buy a Pro-line set, and would like to feel somewhat knowledgeable in which line of clubs better suited for each individual? ie. Ping for older, higher handicappers, Titleist for younger, lower handicappers? Taylor Made for all those inbetween? Or do you just have to I don’t think “brand” has as much to do with it as being properly fitted.
Kim Brown: Both Titleist and Ping have excellent fitting programs . I would suggest buying clubs at a pro shop where the PGA Professional is advertising a fitting system. Ping or DCI Titleist are both great choices. You should ask to be fit “dynamically”.
I live in: College Station, TX
My_name_is: David Dickey
comments: Do you know of any set routines, i.e. practice sessions, that pros use on a weekly basis?
Kim Brown: See instructional programs in “Golf Web”, or “I Golf”. Professionals have a variety of routines but most all of them work on physical flexibility and strength in addition to working directly on their golf games. I also know that they spend about 40% of their time on short game, which most amateurs do not.
I live in: Hartsel, Colo.
My_name_is: Roy Peters
comments: I am an 8 handicap player and tend to hit all shots very high. I beleive it is due to an early wrist break prior to reaching the bottom of my swing. How do I keep from loosing the right wrist concave angle too soon?
Kim Brown: Try taking a full shoulder turn on the backswing. Also, a gimmick that helps is to practice with a spare golf glove under the left arm while you hit iron shorts. This maintains your “connection” which is the key to “maintaining your angle” througout the downswing (at least until just prior to contact).
I live in: Edmonton, Alberta CANADA
My_name_is: dom ruggieri
comments: Hi Kim! I am a 6 handicap player with a smooth and balanced swing. My biggest source of lost strokes comes from a lack of confidence in my driver. As such, I tend to hit a lot of long iro When I do connect with my driver, I hit it well and fairly long (250+). My most consitent shot pattern in a slight fade but this too robs me of extra distance. My question then is, what can you suggest to allow me to develop confidence in using my driver and produce a slight right to left shot pattern. I currently use a 9.5 degree Big Bertha type driver. Would switching to a larger titanium headed club with a lighter shaft make any appreciable differnce?
Kim Brown: I can’t tell you how much difference a club can make, but my experience as well as many, many others I have talked to indicates that the larger titanium heads are the best thing since sliced bread. You might see if some one will let you use theirs or go try a demo. If you already hit the ball 250+, I would suggest staying with a natural shot. If that is a fade, then play it. Look at Bruce Lietzke, he has done pretty well over the years with a monster fade.
The “key” is to have your mind set on each hole to block off one side or the other. On a given day, you should plan to either hit it straight or fade to the right, not allowing the suprise double cross hook. On another day, it might be straight or a draw, blocking of the right side of the course. Have a professional check your shoulder alignment at address to see if your shoulders are square, feet, hips, clubface, etc. Good luck.
I live in: Slaton TX 79364
My_name_is: Chad Wilson
comments: I’m 13 and in the eight grade. I have been playing golf for about 8 months with my dad and friends. I recently visited a golf store in Lubbock TX in search for my first set of golf clubs. any suggestions on a good set of clubs in a price range between $200-$300.
Kim Brown: I would suggest buying name brand, professional brand, used clubs. For a whole set at $200-$300 you are just not going to get real good quality. Also, for example, a used set of ping clubs would be worth more to resell when you grow out of them. Good luck, Chad and stick with it!
I live in: Manchester, NH USA
My_name_is: John Gimas
comments: For most good amateur players, do you feel that the best putting stroke is a straight back straight through style or an inside, square, inside type of stroke?
Kim Brown: You allude to a “feel” when you say straight back and through. No one can keep it totally straight. I prefer the putter to stay on the target line as long as possible but the important thing is that the putter face be pointing at the target at impact and be moving down the target path at impact. Anything other than that is just to promote those two fundamentals.
I live in: Santa Ynez, California USA
My_name_is: K “Susie” Morey
comments: I’m an 7 0r 8 handicap player, who doesn’t play enough. My problem is that I either hit my woods well or my irons well. If mishit the irons the shots are thin. I’m trying to change from a reverse C swing to the more modern one. Any suggestions for helping me be more consistent with irons?
Kim Brown: Have a professional check to see if your posture remains the same with woods and irons. You should always set up the same, either way. I agree that the woods and irons “feel” different, but the approach should be basically the same with the exception that the woods “feel” more like a sweeping motion while the irons “feel” like a steeper angle of attack and take a slight divot. A lot of times a mistake in the setup (like open shoulders) , is overcome by a swing re routing that works with either the woods or irons, but not with the other so I would suggest taking a lesson focused primarily on setup.
I live in: Massachusetts
My_name_is: Mark
My question is: I really tense up when I hit more than one bad shot (causing my whole game to go into a downward spiral). My wrists get tight, not allowing the club head to release properly, resulting in almost every club being 30-50 yards short. Do you know of any good “keys,” tips, or training aids I can use to relax my wrists (unfortunately, a brain transplant is not possible at this time!). This tension changes my whole swing, causing me to swing with my shoulders and arms (I lose confidence that my lower body and the club can do the work).
Kim Brown: Breathing exercises like they teach in natural child birth are absolutely the best approach. You must also make a conscious effort to relax the right side prior to the swing (assuming you are right handed).
