ASK DIANA D'ALESSIO
(LPGA Tour Star!)
(you can ask Diana a question, watch her LPGA interview,(funny!) and read past answers at the end of this intro. or by clicking here!)
Hello "I Suck at Golf" fans!!!
My name is Diana D'Alessio and I am your new touring professional. Please feel free to ask me questions or make comments. I will do my best to reply in my monthly column.
Anyway, I've been on the LPGA Tour for 8 years and enjoying my 9th season. I'm originally from Flanders, NJ and now reside in Florida. Had to move south for the nice warm weather. Right now, I'm up in New Jersey preparing for the Sybase Classic at Upper Montclair Country Club, and the weather couldn't be worse!!! It seems that crap weather follows the LPGA from state to state. We have nicknamed the tour the Ladies Precipitation Golf Association. Cause if you have a drought, host a tournament, we'll bring rain!!!
I'm currently in my fifth week of eight straight tournaments. So needless to say, I'm absolutely exhausted. I'm not sure how many of you play competitively, but it is very tiring especially when you play in crap weather. Which unfortunately is all we've played in the last four weeks. I started my stretch in Orlando ...windy!!! Then went to Miami....more wind!!! Then to Tulsa....30 mile per hour wind...and last week we were in Williamsburg, VA where we got to add rain to the wind. Not very much fun. I'm really looking forward to a nice 80 degree day without any blowing, but I don't see that in my future for a quite a while.
| Dee's Commercial | Smooth as butter! |
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So far this year, I've been doing pretty well. I have had some good starts to tournaments, but haven't been playing particularly well on the weekend. I'm having trouble pin pointing why I play well the first two days, and not the last two days, but I'm hoping that is something I will figure out with my coach tomorrow. I work with David Glenz, and he's been coaching me since I was 15. We've had a great working relationship, and he pretty much knows what makes me tick so hopefully he'll be able to shed some light on my crappy play on Saturday and Sunday. For some reason, I can think my way around the golf course the first two rounds, and then I get very tentative on Saturday and Sunday. One would think it would be the opposite, but we'll figure it out.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed the brief introduction of ME!!! Please email your golf questions to me by clicking here!, and I will answer them. I love questions. So ask away!!!
Thanks and keep in the short stuff!!!
Diana
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(Video used with permission of the LPGA)
VISIT DIANA'S WEBSITE! Click here!
Play or Practice & What's in the bag?
Top 8 LPGA pros you'd like to play with?
What do you do in the off season?
Do you have an exercise routine for golf?
What do you do in off-season to come back ready?
Slices and pushes and pop ups! Oh my!
Different stances for diferent clubs
Does brand new golfer need her own set of clubs to start?
How to increase clubhead speed for more distance?
Recovery from rotator cuff surgery
Hitting out of a fairway bunker.
Should square grooves be lega and how to get more backspin.
Playing better on "The Weekend"
(May 08 )
ISAG note: Hi Cindy, thanks for the question to Diana! We're thrilled that she's taking the time to answer questions for us and our readers, especially with her very busy tournament schedule the last 2 months.
Just to put things in context, Diana had been struggling a bit on the weekends when she started writing for us only 3 weeks ago, and in her first column above she mentioned recognizing the need to address her play on the weekend. Which is a bold thing to do in itself, as that can add even more pressure if you can't deliver! Diana shot better rounds on the weekend than she did on Friday and Saturday for the last two tournaments after writing that column, firing back to back 68's last weekend to keep herself in contention throughout the final round! The rest of us who may "suckatgolf" may want to take note on how isolating a problem in your game and working on that rather than just beating balls at the range til exhaustion can reap great rewards. Nice job Diana!
...and nice job to her swing coach David Glenz as well!
Play or practice & what's in the bag?
(JUNE '08)
Hi Diana,
I watched your video on ISUCKATGOLF.net, very funny that you signed that fans butt! You seem very nice. I’ve been playing golf for about 5 years. Can you tell me what clubs you play now and if you ever switch drivers or putters if you’re not hitting them well? I’d also like to know what shaft flex you use, what ball, etc. Also how often you practice vs. play, especially if you’re not playing in a tournament the next week or in the off season. I want to improve my game as I have the summer off, but I don’t know where to focus my efforts and if I’m playing with the right equipment etc. (I shoot around 90 right now, but I’ve gone lower!)
Thanks so much for taking my question!
Susan T.
Edison N. J.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for your questions. I do try and accommodate fan's requests, so if the butt is what they wanted signed so be it.
As for the clubs in my bag, I have quite a mix. Here is what I use:
Driver - Callaway FT-5 9.5 (New Tour head) Shaft- Diamana Stiff
3 Wood- Callaway X 15 degrees Shaft- Diamana Stiff
3,4,5 Taylor Made Rescues, Shaft Fujikura YS-6 Regular Irons 4-PW Srixon 706, Shaft Nippon 1050 Regular Steel
58 and 52 Wedges, Srixon Dynamic Gold Stiff Putter - Scotty Cameron Newport Fastback, center shafted
Ball- Titleist Pro V-1
Glove- Footjoy
Shoe - Footjoy
I do change equipment when something isn't performing the way I would like it to. But for the most part, if I find something I like I stick with it. Your best bet would be to go to a demo day and try everything out. Because there's nothing worse then buying something bringing it home and you don't like it. So I would try everything out there.
That's it for my equipment. As for practicing vs playing ...During the season, I usually don't practice too much. The season can be quite long and you can burn out quickly, so if I know I have a long stretch of tournaments coming I usually have this kind of schedule. Monday, travel day (day off). Tuesday, practice round. So I usually spend most of time that day practicing on the course. Wednesday, pro am day. So once again, I'm on the course and then I'll do a bit of practice after. Thursday-Sunday tournament rounds. So during the season, my weeks are pretty chock full of playing. Off season, I usually work with my coach a few times a week, and that generally means we hit balls and work on certain things in my swing. But we also play quite a bit too. I'm the type of person who actually gets more out of playing than practicing. I like to be on the course
trying different things and trying to get myself in competition mode.
But it just depends what kind of person you are. For example, Karrie Webb is a big practicer. She likes to be out on the range hitting balls and preparing that way. The more balls I hit on the range, the more I mess up my timing. So you sort of have to pinpoint how you think you can improve on your game whether it's a lot of practice or a lot more playing or both.
My suggestion for improving your game, would be to find a teacher/ coach that you trust. They can figure out what kind of equipment would be best for you, what exercises would be best to help you achieve certain things in your golf swing, etc. So it depends on how serious you want to be. All of us on tour have teachers that we work
with. That's the only way to get better. I work with David Glenz.
He owns the David Glenz Golf Academy in Hamburg, NJ. I've worked with him since I was 15, so I trust him and what he has to say about my game.
I hope I helped answer your questions. Feel free to ask me more.
Good luck this summer!!!
Diana
Diana D'Alessio's top 8 pros to play with:
(Aug 08)
Hi Diana,
If you had to pick the top 8-10 ladies on tour that you would like to play with who would they be and why? (they can be one’s you’ve already played with or one’s that you haven’t but would like to.)
Thanks!
Ray C.
New York
Hey Ray C,
I'm sorry it's taking me so long to respond to your question. I've been busy playing really crappy first rounds of golf tournaments. Therefore, I've had to practice a lot more than usual to try and get my game back in shape.
Top 8 Ladies....Hmmm....Good question! I know it was top 10 ladies, but I didn't have two more. These are not ranked, just listed!
Girls I've played with:
1. Annika Sorenstam - My first experience playing with Annika came this year at the McDonald's LPGA Championship in June. I had never been paired with her and I was psyched that I would be able to tee it up with her since she will be retiring at the end of the year. She is a pleasure to play with. Very professional, very courteous. And she hits it so freakin' straight, it's ridiculous.
2. Rosie Jones - I know Rosie is retired, but when she was on tour every time I was paired with her I would shoot in the 60s. I need her back out here. Plus, Rosie is just a fun person to be around. She's a very scrappy player and can turn a so-so round into a great round because she never gives up and has so much determination.
3. Becky Morgan - Haven't been paired with Becky for a while, but we play a lot of practice rounds together and she's a lot of fun. Most people think that the Welsh Wonder is very shy, but she's actually quite out-going and funny. She makes me laugh!! And she hits it ridiculously straight too.
4. Becky Lucidi - I had the pleasure of playing with Becky in Kingsmill the first two rounds this year. We were doing a little side betting and we just had a great time. Laughing, giggling...it was refreshing to actually joke around during a competitive round.
5. Ai Miyazato - I absolutely love playing with Ai. She has incredible rhythm in her swing. It's unbelievable.
6. Natalie Gulbis - Last year I seemed to get paired with Natalie a lot. Another really great girl. Super nice. And usually she has quite a crowd of people following her, which I like playing in front of people so that works too.
Girls I would like to play with:
1. Lorena Ochoa - Unfortunately, I've never been paired with Lorena. It's probably a good and bad thing cause I think I'd be really nervous. Even though, she is by far the nicest person on tour. She's an amazing champion, but what I love about Lorena is that she is so humble. I would really like to see her hit it cause she hits it so freakin' far.
2. Paula Creamer - I think eventually I'll have the opportunity to play with her. I think it would be good fun. She's a lot of fun in the locker room and fitness trailer. Plus, I want to see her play in person when she gets that putter going. Cause as we've seen, she can go scary low.
Thanks for the question. Once again, sorry it took so long to get back you, but I really had to think about it.
Good luck!!
Diana
What do you do in the off season?
(Sept 08)
Hi Diana,
Big fan of yours!
Thanks for taking my question!
I enjoyed your answer about the other LPGA players. It’s fun to get an inside look at who’s who? What do you do in the off season?
Do you play less? Do you take any time off, away from golf? What do you like to do when you ‘re not golfing?
Cindy,
Miami, Florida
Hey Cindy,
Thank you for your question. Usually in the off season, I do take some time off. It's right about this time in the season, when I'm absolutely exhausted and can use some time off. The tour ends in mid- November. So I usually take about a month off (pick a wonderful resort and spend a week laying in the sun), and then I head home to New Jersey for the Holidays and catch up with the family. And one of the benefits of going home for the Holidays besides seeing my family is that my coach, David Glenz, is based there from April through December so I do some good practice with him. After the Holidays, I
go back down to Florida and start gearing up for the season again.
Fortunately, David makes the trip to Florida - he teaches down there in the winter. To prepare for the upcoming season, I hit the gym about 5 days a week, practice and play quite a bit. I also throw in sunbathing time and some down time on the couch. The LPGA schedule starts up in February so if my schedule permits I like to hit the slopes in January for a little skiing, but I made a trip to Australia for two warm up events and I will probably do that again.
That's about it..but one of my favorite things that I like to do in the winter is cook. That's something that I miss with traveling so much, just the taste of home-cooking.
Thank you again Cindy. Take care.
Diana
(NOV 08)
Hi Diana,
Do you have any exercise routine that you do to keep in shape and help your golf game? I’m trying to maximize a very small frame and get some extra distance out of all of my shots. I don’t know if I should be working just at the range, or in the weight room, or running! I’m 32, in pretty good shape but only 5’1” and petite. Any suggestions? Thanks so much!
Karen
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Hey Karen,
Thanks for the question and it’s a good one. Fitness is obviously very important to golf. Ever since Tiger hit the scene, so many tour players have hit the gym trying to gain distance and overall strength. I do have a workout routine that I follow. Winter is the time that I hit the gym hard and do a lot of golf specific exercises. My coach believes that many swing flaws stem from different weaknesses in the body. For example, I have a tendency to come up and out of full shots because my core and glutes are weak. I work with a trainer/physical therapist, who is certified with the Titleist Performance Institute. And last winter I went through a series of tests and she evaluated the results. Then she plugged all that info into the TPI website and it actually created a whole exercise program that I can follow on the web.
My exercise program in the winter usually entails a lot of leg, glutes, core, and back exercises. And I try and do quite a bit of cardio. I usually do the TPI workout 3 times a week and run or the elliptical trainer the other 3 days. During the season I usually start out very strong, hitting the trailer and the gym 4 to 5 times a week. But by August, I get a little lazy and sometimes can’t find the trailer :) Every year I say I’m going to change that, still working on that.
The advice I have for you, would be to definitely keep working out. As for hitting it further, there are many exercises that you could do that would probably make you hit it further. As well as fitness, there might be things in your swing that you could do to gain some extra distance. I obviously don’t know what your swing looks like and I don’t know if you take lessons, but that would be something that I would encourage as well. If you are interested in finding a teacher that is certified in the TPI training, you can go to the website, www.mytpi.com, and there is a section called “find a fitness pro.” I think you are from Florida, if so there are a ton all over the state. And then there is the golf club. I don’t know what you are currently using, but finding the right head and shaft combination is key. I would recommend going to a demo day and try a bunch of different drivers and see which one you like.
Hope that helps. Please let me know how it goes.
Good Luck!
Dee
HOW COME BACK SHARP AFTER OFF-SEASON
(Feb 2009)
Hi Diana,
This is so cool that people can write to you and you’ll answer for free! My question was do you play year round and if not what do you do to in the off season to keep your golfing muscles in shape so you start off strong next golf season……..or do you need to let your body rest to be ready for the next season? I want to start doing something to get ready, maybe more with my legs. But you know how it is, it’s hard to get motivated, especially when you’re not sure what to work on or if you’re doing the right things. Thanks!
Good luck this year!
Thanks
Carol C
Hi Carol C!
Thanks for the question. I do enjoy relaxing on the couch a bit in the off season, but during the off season I try and hit the gym a few days a week. During the winter, I really focus on golf specific exercises. I have a woman, Wendy Ferrara, that I work with in New Jersey and she is certified with the Titleist Performance Institute, so she gives me lots of exercises that work on the various weaknesses in body. A lot of swing flaws stem from not having enough strength and flexibility. So she does a variety of tests to see where those weaknesses are and then we work on strengthening them.
My advice would be to maybe discuss with your professional where you might have some weakness in your swing and try and strengthen as well as lengthen those areas. If you don't have a professional, you can go to www.mytpi.com and find a trainer in your area that could help you.
I know it's tough to stay motivated. I'm the same way. But nowadays, fitness is very important in golf. Tiger and Annika have definitely shown us that.
Hope that helps. Look forward to any more questions you might have!
Take care,
Diana
(Feb 2009)
Diana:
I read with interest your message concerning the problems after the 1st two rounds in tournament competition. Senior amateur competition is usually no more than two rounds but maintaining concentration can be difficult so you have plenty of empathy here. If you ever find the secret to maintaining concentration, please let me know. It’s an eternal struggle!
I am a right-sided swinger with Gary Edwin golf. I am concerned about consistency in making solid contact with the ball on iron shots and fairway woods. I have read and witnessed the theories behind stack and tilt with the basic emphasis of hitting the ball way before the ground. My problem is that when I do that the trajectory is a lot lower than normal using the right sided swing method but…….. I do hit the ball first. What do you do to hit the ball solid with irons and fairway woods (I do know how to use the sole plate – skidding - for fairway woods). I am a 6.0 GHIN and am a very in shape 61 year old male (don’t hold that against me, please) who works out very regularly. I love the competition!
Thanks.
Jack
Hi Jack!
Thanks for your question...it's a good one. I wish I could give you a great answer on how to hit it solid, but that's what everyone struggles with. I don't know much about the stack and tilt, but I sort of have an idea of the concept. What I do to hit it solid, is really work on my rotation back and through the ball. For me, I try and pretend that my arms are just an extension of my body. Most of my un solid, offline shots come from using too much arms in my swing. If I start the club back with just my arms, then I usually go in a downward spiral with the rest of my swing. I really try and feel like I bring the club back with my big muscles, and then on the way down really try and screw myself into the ground and rotate around my left leg starting the downswing with my lower body instead of my arms.
As for the height of your shots ...perhaps you might need a different shaft with your fairway woods. But I would practice hitting knock down/punch shots. When I'm not hitting the ball that solid, I really hit a lot of those because I have to stay down and through the ball better to keep it lower. And then to hit it higher, I try and feel the knock down swing but continue to a full follow-through. I would try that to start.
Let me know how it goes!
Thanks,
Diana
SLICES AND PUSHES AND POP UPS, OH MY!
(April 09)
Hi Diana,
I just started playing. I’m in my late 20’s, female, in shape but not real athletic. Any tips on anything I should concentrate on in particular just starting off. And also any tips on how to stop hitting to the right and popping the ball up in the air off the tee!
Thanks!
Cindy
Az.
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for the question. It’s kind of a tough one, since I’ve never seen you swing but I’ll do my best.
You are probably hitting it right and high from staying back on your right side at impact. Since you are new to the game, you should concentrate on feeling the rhythm of the swing. Example 1-2-3 backswing and 4-5-6 downswing, trying to keep it even and flowing. And then focus on your balance. Moving right to left, finishing with your hips, shoulders and right knee facing the target at finish. Also, it would be good to practice 1/2 swings ( in rhythm and balance). So you would use your pitching wedge and make half swings and try and finish with your hips, shoulders and knee facing the target.
I’m not sure if you take lessons, but if you are in the Phoenix area you could look up Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott. They are at the Legacy Resort (I believe) and they could probably help you. If you are not in the Phoenix area, you can go on lpga.com and click on the Teaching section and find a pro.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Thanks,
Diana
(MAY 09)
Hello Diana!
Leaving for Kelowna BC this weekend I work for the Edmonton oilers scouting staff we will be staying at Predator Ridge. My question is everything in my bag is solid! With an exception of the driver. Then I hit that an all is lost is there anything I can do to hit consistent drives. Petrified when I go up to the tee.
Mike P.
\
First of all, GO DEVILS! Just kidding.
Thanks for the question. The driver is typically the club most people struggle with, that's due to the length of it. Because it's the longest club in the bag, many swing flaws are magnified. And because it's the longest club in the bag most people try to hit the crap out of it; therefore, creating an array of shots that range from right down the middle to off the planet. My suggestion to you is to try and swing 70 percent with your driver. It could be that you have it in your head that you're not going to hit it solid, so you probably tense up. And just that little bit of tension can cause shots to be unsolid and offline. So give it a try on the range ...instead of going for that 110 percent swing, try 70 percent - smooth and rhythmic.
Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes!
Good luck!
Diana
DIFFERENT STANCES FOR DIFFERENT CLUBS?
(June 09)
Hi,
I am having a problem with my weight shift when hitting the ball. Are there different stances for different clubs? I feel that I may not be shifting enough to my right foot in my back swing!!!!!!
Thanks
Pat
Hey Pat!
Thanks for the question. I would say there are a variety of stances. As the clubs get longer through the bag the ball position and width of stance change, but I don't want to make this too complicated. This is what I do:
Wedges, 9, 8 and 7 I generally have in the middle of my stance with my weight slightly more on my left foot. Width of stance varies between just shy of shoulder width to shoulder width apart.
6, 5 and 4 iron I have positioned slightly forward of center with my weight evenly distributed. Width of stance is just slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
3 wood and hybrids I have slightly forward of center as well, but weight a bit more on my right side. Width of stance is just slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
Driver is teed up even with my left heel and weight is set more on my right side. Width of stance is just slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
Since you are having issues with your weight transfer, a drill you can do is... Without a club cross your arms over your chest, get in golf posture and practice rotating into your right side and then rotating to the target. Making sure you have a full uncoil to the target and your weight is transferred to the left side. After you do that, see if you feel a difference between your weight transfer without a club versus your weight transfer with a club.
Also check to see how wide your stance is. One thing I notice when I play with amateurs is that their stance tends to be too narrow. They cannot make a good weight transfer behind the ball, and therefore cannot transfer their weight through the ball. I like the width of my stance to be slightly wider than shoulder width apart. That might help with your weight transfer.
If that doesn't work, perhaps give your local PGA or LPGA teaching professional a call. I'm sure he or she could fix you quick!
Good luck!
Thanks,
Dee
(July 09)
Diana,
I was wondering what has happened to my golf swing.
I was driving the ball around 260-270 yards. Not consistently, but I still could do it pretty regularly.
Now all of a sudden I cant even get the ball in the air, it just blades the ground, and I cant seem to figure out what I have changed. Can you please help me??
Bob kYe
Hey Bob!
Thanks for the question. It’s tough one cause I don’t know what your swing looks like, but if I had to make a suggestion: I would think that if you are used to the ball consistently going 260 to 270 yards, and then it’s all of sudden not doing what you’re used to seeing you are probably really tense with your arms and upper body. When the upper body gets tight, the rest of your body doesn't’t flow as well as it should.What is most likely happening is your arms are probably taking over.
Next time you go out to practice or play, when you are in your pre shot routine (the routine that I hope you have when you stand behind the ball and see the shot that you want to play) tense up your whole body for a few seconds then relax your body and see if you see the difference between being really tense and being fully relaxed. Then my next suggestion would be to try and hit drivers on the range where you are trying to only hit your driver 150 yards. So if that means you are swinging your driver at 50% of your capability, then that’s what you do. And then you build from there...60%, 70%, 80%, 90%. Hopefully that will get some rhythm back in your swing. For me when my driver starts going awry, I try and swing about 75% of my max till it starts working itself out. Because usually when I’m trying to hit it hard, my arms start working too hard.
Hope that helps. If not, perhaps take a quick lesson with a teaching pro and see if he or she picks up on anything.
Thanks,
Diana
ISAG Comment:Not that Diana needs any kudos from us!...but we really liked this answer! With not much to really go on this was a really solid place to start. See also "Tension"
Does a 13 year old new golfer need her own set right away?
(August 09)
Hi Diana,
I’m 13 years old and just started hitting golf balls for the first time. I really like it and can hit pretty well with my dad’s clubs, but we’ve only hit in the back yard with whiffle balls and have been to the range once. I’d like to get my own set of clubs, as the ones I’ve seen at the pro shop are so much lighter than my dads. My dad wants to see if I stick with it first. My questions are do you think I can learn if I like the game using a men’s set? And if/when I do get my own any suggestions on what brand or style to get? My dad says I’m too new at the game to get fitted. I’m average size pretty much, but maybe a little tall for my age and pretty strong.
Thank you!
K.
Hey K!
Thanks for the question! First of all, I'm happy you have an interest in golf. I started playing when I was 13. That was the year I watched my first LPGA event on TV and knew that golf was what I wanted to do!
I know you are just starting, but if you are very interested in the game then I would suggest you get your own set of clubs. I say that because you are only 13 and men's clubs might be too long and too heavy. When I started playing, I played with women's clubs. Many driving ranges have demo clubs that you can try. There are also demo days that you could probably google online where many of the top golf manufacturers have all their equipment for you to try. I play Titleist clubs, but there are tons of different brands. It really depends on what you like. And the only way to figure out what you like is to try 'em out.
If you're not sure that golf is for you, you could join an LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Club and take some lessons and clinics. They usually have equipment for you to use as well as some valuable advice. Then if you decide you really want to continue to play, you can get your own set. You can go on lpga.com to see if there is a Girls Golf Club in your area. Also, at the range you've been to they might have some junior clinics you can get involved in.
Hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anything else. Golf is a great game. I've been lucky enough to do it for a living which has granted me the opportunity to travel to fantastic places and meet a lot of people!
Good luck!
Dee
*See European tour pro Sophie Sandolo's answer and Cactus Tour pro Christina Lecuyer's answers to this same question from this ambitious young golfer by clicking the links above.
How to increase clubhead speed?
(Nov 09)
Hi Diana,
Thanks so much for taking my question. I’ve been playing for about 3 years and shoot around 100 from the red tees. I’m not very strong, and I can only manage about 140 yards or so off the tee! :0(
Can you give me any advice on how to increase my club head speed, or any particular ball or clubs I should play to maximize my distance? They say “straight is great”, but I think they only say that to keep your spirits up!
It’s very nice of you to answer questions like this.
Hi Susan!
Thank you for your question. I do agree that “straight is great.” It’s a lot easier to hit approach shots into greens from the middle of the fairway, but I understand your need to gain more distance.
For starters do you like the ball and driver you have? You probably would want to play a ball with a firm outside cover such as the Titleist NXT Extreme. This would give you maximum distance but also some control around the greens. Secondly, you would like a driver that you feel comfortable with that allows you to swing within yourself (not swinging out of your shoes), but also has a good flight off the face. I don’t know if you have a teaching professional that you see, but they are always helpful in picking a driver that matches your swing.
Next to gain distance, you could probably incorporate a workout routine into your golf. If you go to mytpi.com (Titleist Performance Institute), you can see if there is someone certified in golf specific exercises to help you formulate a program. The great thing about My TPI is that they look at your swing and do an evaluation to see if there are any physical limitations in your swing. And then they will give you a program to help you swing efficiently and powerfully.
Most of the exercises I do revolve around my core, legs and back. So My TPI program encompasses a lot of balance activities that also incorporate flexibility exercises. Because you not only want to strengthen but you want to lengthen. Golf is a sport that you need to be strong, but also maintain flexibility.
Hope this advice helps. Please feel free to ask some more questions. Let me know how it goes.
Thanks,
Diana
Recovery From Rotator Cuff Surgery
(Dec 09)
Diana,
I just had a nasty rotator cuff surgery. at this point ,i'm almost
finished with my therapy. any guidelines on how i should ease back
into swinging the golf clubs? thanks,
Dave B.
Hey Dave!
Sorry to hear you had to have surgery. It's a bummer to have to deal with shoulder injuries because most of the exercises are so tedious, but really have to be done diligently to stop any more injury. I have had issues with both of my shoulders and do notice that when I do my exercises, my shoulders feel great and my golf swing improves.
The exercises I do require 1 - 2 pound weights and a stretchy band. The first exercise I take the 2 pound weight and with my thumbs in the air, stretch arms straight out to the side and do a small movement up and down.
And the second exercise is to extend your arms in front of you and do the same small movement up and down with your thumbs in the air. I do 3 sets of 20 reps. Really boring, so I do them in front of the TV :)
The next exercise I do is with a theraband. And I attach it to a door handle and do internal and external rotation. I'm sure this is something you are very familiar with in your rehab. 3 sets/ 15-20 reps.
I would try and do this 3 -4 times per week. They are really helpful.
As for getting back in the swing of things...you have to start small and work up. I just had 2 injections in my left shoulder and my doctor recommended that I start slow, so as not to aggravate the shoulder. So for the first week, putt and chip. Then the second week, chip and hit short pitches. Third week, move to your short irons. Fourth week, move to mid and long irons. Fifth week continue through the rest of your bag.
Obviously, you have to see how your pain feels. If it hurts as you move through the bag, then take it slow. I stayed on short pitches 20 - 60 yards for 2 weeks. But the good thing about taking it slow is that your scores will go down because you have worked so hard on your short game. Which we all know is the key to lower scores.
Hope this helps. Good Luck!!
Happy Holidays!
Dee
(Dec 09)
Diana,
What determines in your opinion when it’s time to upgrade your clubs? I’ve had people tell me since I’m hitting my clubs well that I should stick with them. But I’m sure Nicklaus was hitting his first or second set well and upgraded at some point. I mean at some point your clubs have to hold you back. I mean can’t a well coordinated player adjust his swing in order to hit say a regular shaft when he really could play better with a stiff shaft? Hope that makes sense and you can shed some light. I don’t want to just go to the club fitter’s blindly as I know they just want me to buy something no matter what. I don’t really have a pro or such that I really trust as I just moved here.
Thanks!
Justin
Hey Justin!
Thanks for the question. I’m from the school of if you like what you use and you hit it well, then don’t bother changing. For the most part, the technology of irons is not going to change so dramatically that you would have to change every time a manufacturer comes out with something new. Until this year, I played my Srixon irons for 3 years. I decided to change because I tried a set of Titleist and really loved how they felt. Technology with drivers changes quite a bit, but I really don’t think I hit my current driver any further than I hit the driver I played with since 2006 till the beginning of 2009. So to me, clubs are all about preference.
I do recommend that players get fitted for clubs. There is a ton of technology that will help you use the clubs that are right for your swing and your game. And then again, it comes down to what you prefer. If you are happy with what you have, and you hit everything well then I wouldn’t worry about changing. If you want to try something new, a lot of courses have demo days. That’s when most of your large manufacturers (Ping, Taylor Made, Callaway, Titleist, Nike) bring all of their equipment to the course for a day, and you can try everything under the sun. Obviously, I’m lucky because if I want to try a club, I just walk over to the rep and grab it. So I would recommend a demo day, if you are wanting to try something new. But please don’t feel pressure to change. If ain’t broke, don’t fix it :)
Hope this helps. Feel free to follow – up, if that didn’t help!
Happy Holidays!
Diana
See also Top 50 Teaching Pro Barry Goldsteins' response.
Hitting Out of a Fairway Bunker
(Jan '10)
Diana,
Any tips on hitting out of a fairway bunker? Especially if you need a wood to reach the green?
Thanks,
Dale
Hey Dale!
Thanks for the question. Fairway bunker shots should be easy, but I think we like to make them more difficult than they need to be. To start, one thing that I generally do for a basic fairway bunker shot is take one more club than I would if I were in the fairway. (By basic, I mean a relatively good lie, even stance, and a lip of the bunker that will not interfere with your shot). If I was hitting a 7 iron out of the fairway, then I would use a 6 out of the bunker. The sand is going add some resistance to the striking of the ball, so I always take more club. Secondly, I grip down on the club about an inch. I feel that that gives me more control of the club and my chances of catching it heavy will be reduced. Thirdly, when I address the ball I usually position the ball just back of middle in my stance, just to insure that I catch the ball first than the sand. The key to fairway bunker shots is not to go down and try and help the ball out, cause then you will catch it fat or heavy and you won't reach the green. You want to hit a fairway bunker shot, just as you would a fairway shot - nice and relaxed upper body, solid lower body, and a smooth even tempo.
There are some different situations that you will encounter in fairway bunkers. You said what do you do if you need to hit a wood to reach the green. I do the same thing with a wood that I do with my mid to long irons. I grip down an inch, place in the middle to just back of middle of my stance and make a smooth swing. But I emphasize a nice smooth swing. I think we all have a tendency of swinging quickly in the bunker because there is an element of tension and uncomfortableness, so you really want to feel even tempo in the swing.
Now when you hit it in a fairway bunker, the first thing you should do is assess the lie. There could be times that you will be 170 yards to the green but the bunker has a large lip that is not going to allow you to hit a low lofted club. So sometimes you just have to take your medicine. Say you can only advance it 70 yards, well then you only have a 100 yards to the green - which you can get up and down.
My suggestion is to find a practice facility that has a fairway bunker at the range. And test different clubs out. Start with your pitching wedge, and work through your bag. You will find certain clubs that you are more comfortable with out of fairway bunkers, than others. I fully admit, that my best shot is not a wood out of a fairway bunker. So I try and play to my strengths when I encounter that shot. Hit it out to a comfortable yardage and then work like hell to get it up and down. But there is nothing worse than compounding your mistake in a fairway bunker by leaving it in the bunker because you were trying to hit a shot you weren't comfortable with.
Don't know if that helped. Please feel free to ask any follow up questions that I didn't address.
Good Luck!
Diana
(Feb 2010)
Diana,
What do you think about players on Tour playing the old square groove wedges? Fair or not? Do square grooves really make that much of a difference? Do you know of any tricks
to get more spin out of my clubs? I read something about scuffing up the face and/or letting them rust a bit. Looking for any edge I can get out there.
Thanks
bill
Hey Bill!
Thanks for the question. You have asked about an issue that has a bit of controversy right now. I'm not really an expert on this subject, only because I believe that the new rule really only affects the professional and low handicapped men. There are a few women who spin the ball enough to see the difference, but for me the only difference I see is the 20 to 60 yard pitch out of the rough. The new wedges are not getting that first check that the old wedges had. As for the square grooves, I'm sure they make a difference for some one like Phil Mickelson, but I haven't used those clubs in such a long time that I really can't remember how the ball reacted off the club face. In my opinion, they probably should have made the square groove clubs illegal; therefore, everyone would have to change to the new groove.
As for you getting more spin....Do you play in tournaments that you will have to change to new wedges? If not, then I suggest getting wedges that have the old grooves, such as the Titleist Vokey Spin Milled wedges. Those create a lot of spin. Also, when is the last time you changed your wedges? Are the faces worn down? But the way to create spin with your wedges is to make sure that you hit down on the ball, so that it's creating backspin on the ball as you hit it. A lot of people try and swing up on wedges in effort to hit the ball higher, but wedges are designed to hit down on the ball and then the ball will go up. I don't really know about scuffing or letting the face rust. I've never tried it, so I'm sorry but I can't help you with that. My suggestion would be to experiment with your wedges and see how you can create spin with them. So for a full shot that you want to see take one bounce and stop, hit some knockdowns where you are hitting more down on the ball and see if it sits faster. If that gives you more spin, then you can incorporate that feel into your full swing.
For shots around the green, that's a bit more difficult to explain without being able to show you. But being able to create spin on chips and short pitches really depends on the lie in the rough. If you are in the fairway, for the most part you should be able to spin the ball because the lie isn't going to dictate what kind of shot you have to play. When you are hitting a chip in the fairway, you will create spin by hitting the chip with clean crisp contact. You can actually hear the contact of the ball, club and grass and hopefully you can feel the contact that creates spin. As I said out of the rough is more difficult. If the ball is sitting down, it's going to be very difficult to create spin. You just have to see where the best miss will be. If the pin is on the back of the green and you have a lot of green to work with then you just need to pick a spot to land it and let it release to the hole. If the pin is cut tight to the edge of the green and you don't have much green to work with, obviously you want to get the ball on the green so you will pick a spot on the green between you and the pin and do your best to land it there but it might run by a bit. But you have played the high percentage shot there and given yourself a chance to save par. If the ball is sitting up in the rough, then you should be able to put spin on it. For me, if I have short sided myself and the ball is sitting up in the rough. I like to slightly open the face of my 58 degree wedge and hit a shot called the hinge and hold. What that means, is I break my wrists on the way back and then on the way through hold the club face open so it doesn't shut down. This will create a medium to high lofted shot that sits softly. And one key is to not strangle the club when you hit this shot. A nice relaxed grip is helpful. Phil Mickelson's short game DVD shows you this shot in detail. I would recommend getting this DVD because he explains a bunch of different shots you can hit and how to create spin. Very helpful.
Hope I gave you some insight. Feel free to ask some more questions.
Thanks,
Dee
(March '10)
Hi Diana,
I am an Avid player and shoot between 80 &85. How can I play
better in the Wind. I have the distance but inconsistently straight. Alot of wasted shots. Thank you for your time . sincerely,
Birdy
Hi Birdy!
Thanks for the question.
Wind is tough to play in so the first key is to be patient. The second key is when it's breezy swing easy! When it's windy most players feel like they have to swing really hard. When it's blowing in your face, make sure you take a couple extra clubs and make a 75% swing.The harder you try and hit it in the wind the more offline it's going to go. You can also work on a knock down or punch shot.The way I like to play the knock down is to take one or two extra clubs, put the ball back in my stance, more weight on my front foot, make a 3/4 swing and abbreviate the follow through. So for example if I have 135 yards to the pin on a calm perfect day, I would hit 8 iron. But if the wind is blowing in my face (depending on the strength of the wind), I might hit a knock down 7 or 6 iron. When you play in the wind a lot, you will get a feel for how much to add on.
For me to figure out the wind, I usually see what the actual yardage is so 135 then throw up grass to see how strong it is. I then say to myself, well i have 135 yards but I'm going to allow for 15 yards of wind, so now I'm looking at hitting a 150 shot. I then pick the appropriate club.
Practice the knock down on the range and see if you see a difference in the ball flight. You can even use the knock down down wind. Sometimes it's hard to figure out how much the wind is going to carry the ball when you are down wind. So sometimes i like to take the guess work out of it, and hit a knock down and keep it out of the wind.
Good luck and hope this helps!
Thanks,
Diana
(March 2010)
Hi Dee!,
I need a good putting drill, any suggestions?
Ken
Ken,
First thing I concentrate on is to make sure I'm in a good athletic posture. So just like in the full swing I make sure that my stance is about shoulder width apart and I have a slight bend in the knee. That ensures that my shoulders can rotate back and through the ball. Most of my drills consists of working on my tempo. So that can be counting such as 1 and 2, 1 and 2. Saying those numbers to myself. I also have a little putting track that can be found on scottycameron.com. They look like little rails that you put the putter between to make sure you are bringing it straight back and through for short putts. With longer putts, the putter will track more on an arc but for the first few inches back and through should be straight. That's about it.
Diana
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