Jason Whitehill, PGA
Q. What club do most of the PGA Tour players use when chipping near the green?
A. Most basic chip or pitch shots are hit with a sand or lob wedge. Vijay Singh for example uses his 60-degree wedge most of the time as he can hit a low, checking shot with it or lob a soft one too. It is, however, in the best interest of the average golfer to get the ball on the ground rolling as soon as possible so unless you are really comfortable with your high-lofted clubs, a pitching wedge or an 8 or 7-iron is a good choice.
Q. I continue to “come over the top” in my swing which results in a pulled shot or a big slice. How can I overcome this move?
A. For those who have this problem (which is many) Jim Furyk’s swing comes into mind. It is important to realize that the forward swing is on a different path than the one the club travels in your back swing. The “second circle” is always inside your back swing plane; therefore, it is slightly closer to you. Watching Furyk’s looping motion at the top of his swing is a great way to see this move exaggerated and is a great drill to capture the feel of dropping the club into the second circle. Hit some balls and feel the club looping in and your “over the top” problem will be gone.
Q. Should I wear a glove and if so, should it be synthetic or leather?
A. If you are new to the game, I suggest you start by not using a glove for a couple of months. This break-in period will allow you to get used to the hand placement and will help strengthen your top hand. Once you are familiar with your golf swing you can graduate to a glove, which is used not for protection, but for increased control of the club. There are some very good synthetic gloves on the market that feel like leather and work quite well; however, they usually wear out faster than a good quality leather glove. Leather is preferred by the game’s best players because of its feel and tackiness and it is interesting to note that the better the glove, the thinner the leather which is fine for a player who places his or her hands on the club properly. Any golfer who has a bad grip will go through a fine thin leather glove in a matter of a few games so don’t be attempting to return it to the golf shop if the palm has worn out in the spot where the end of the club rests. That is a cause of loose fingers on the top hand or a bad hand position. Try to improve your grip and if you can’t bear a few bad games while you adjust to the new but proper feeling, purchase an inexpensive glove.