• Driver Technology
• TEE TIME PRO: MICHAEL WOLSLEY Turning bad technique into good
• TEE TIME PRO: BOB E. SMITH Think balance when facing uneven lies

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS

Greetings! 

Fall is upon us and that means plenty of great games to watch in the stands and on TV. But that's no reason to let your golf game suffer. Tee Time is open from early morning until dusk every day but Monday (when we open at 10), so there's no excuse not to grab your clubs and come out to the range. In this issue, we give you some valuable tips about getting the most out of your swing from two of our pros, and tips on optimizing your driver from one of our custom club fitters. Happy reading!
 
Practice hard,
Blake Johnson
Owner

DRIVER TECHNOLOGY
The USGA has put limits on driver volume at 460cc and driver face COR (spring face) at .830. These restrictions limit any technological changes to the head that would lead to more distance. New face designs in the future may expand the hitting area sweet spot a little, about a 3/4 inch diameter circle, instead of the present pencil point, to give golfers a little better distance from off center hits. So, what's left to enhance driver distance?

There are two remaining ways to get more distance today: (1) change to a shaft that fits you better than the current one in the club; and/or (2) get your driver optimized.

When a tour player is in search of a new wood, he goes to the OEM and tests many shafts until he finds the one that he likes. Most people do not have this advantage when searching for a new driver.

So, what can you do to get the right shaft?  At Pro-Fitted Golf Clubs, we have a computer
program that can find several shafts, from a data base of over 200, that match your swing. Stop by Tee Time's custom fitting shop for a demonstration.

CLUB FITTING HOURS
Tuesday-Friday: 12:30 - 5pm    Saturday & Sunday:10am - 4:30pm    Closed Monday

TEE TIME PRO: MICHAEL WOLSELEY
TURNING BAD TECHNIQUE INTO GOOD

The game of golf sounds easy and it looks easy when performed by good golfers. However, if you stand at one end of the range and watch golfers practice as I often do, you will see that in reality, it is not easy at all. I see golfers every day putting too much effort into swings which don't hit the ball anywhere. The reason? Bad technique: making the wrong moves through wrong positions made by inappropriate parts of the body.

Simply defined, good technique is achieved by making the right moves through the right positions with the parts of the body, resulting in effortless power. Note, that the only quality any golfer must have in order to achieve effortless power is the ability to be able to tell the difference between a push and a pull.

Here's a summary of the moves that lead to good technique.

1. From the top of a correctly coiled backswing, begin with a transfer of weight from the back foot to the front foot, this is a gentle push.
2. Pull on the shaft with the right arm as if you are pulling on a string. Do not push with the right hand and do not push with the right shoulder.
3. As the pulling proceeds past the right pocket, the hips begin to clear. At this point, the right shoulder must not tilt backwards nor the pelvis push forwards. Your buttocks must stay back and your right shoulder must be free to follow the right arm.
4. Maintain the pull until the right arm has passed the left pocket and the right shoulder has followed it around to its final position over the left toe. Any tension in the torso will reduce the right arms ability to pull effectively and any pulling with the left arm through impact will severely reduce club head speed. Now go and hit it miles...effortlessly!

This article is an edited excerpt from "The Reasons Why Golfers Don't Get Better" by Michael Wolseley.

TEE TIME PRO: BOB E. SMITH
THINK BALANCE WHEN FACING UNEVEN LIES
Balance is very important-not only in the fairway, but when you are confronted with uneven lies. On uphill and downhill lies, it's important to start by turning your low foot. On an uphill lie, your right foot is the low foot. If you address the ball normally your weight will move to the outside of your right foot, causing you to be off center. The solution? Turn your foot out at least 45 degrees from the target line. From this position you will be more over your right foot on the backswing, leaving you more in balance.
 
To eliminate fat or thin shots, move the right shoulder lower so your shoulders are parallel to the ground. As for club selection, remember that with uphill lies the ball will shoot up higher and not carry as far. I suggest you take at least two clubs more than needed, allowing you to swing easy and allowing you to stay in better balance.
 
When you have a downhill lie and your foot turned out, the club has less loft. What is normally 7 iron distance may now be an 8 or 9 iron from this position. Using these techniques will allow you to be more comfortable on the golf course. More comfort equals better balance and more solid contact.