The Quarry One Minute Clinic #9

Fore Right!!!

Tips for taming that slice from Quarry Head Golf Pro Sean Etheredge

Sean Etheredge, Quarry Golf Club Head Golf Professional

Does your ball fly to the right of the target each time? Does it start right of your target and curve even further off to the right? Chances are—you suffer from a common ball flight problem called a “slice.” This means you are sacrificing both accuracy and distance in your quest to swing for the fences and outdrive your friends…Review the tips below to help banish that banana ball for good!

It is important to realize what causes the slice before we address how to fix it. This way, you can begin to understand everything you do with your grip and set-up impacts your swing, and therefore, your ball flight. Balls that slice by starting and curving right are caused by an open clubface and a path that crosses the target line.

Grip:

The first step is to check and make sure the grip is in a neutral to strong position. This means the creases formed between your thumb and index finger are pointing towards your right shoulder or just outside of it slightly. Check this in a mirror from the face-on position to be sure!

Set-Up:

In a standard alignment, you want to have the feet, hips and shoulders parallel to your intended target line. However, if you are already struggling with a slice, you need a bit more help with the path. The best way to start out feeling this is to set-up with your body lines pointed slightly right of the target. Start out by setting up parallel, then pulling your right foot, hip and shoulder about 6-8 inches away from the target line. Now when you swing along your stance line, it is aimed more from the inside to help the path, as opposed to across the target line.

The Release:

For slicers, the feeling needs to be more of letting the club head release or rotate through your downswing and into your follow through.  This means that the toe of the club must pass the heel, allowing the clubface to “square up” to hit the ball.  My favorite way to judge this is to feel like the right palm is in control. Imagine a card dealer who wipes his hand around the table laying out cards. The dealer’s palm is always facing down at the ground and rotating away from him. This is a great way to feel the rotation needed to square up the club and get those shots back on line. 

Visualization and Understanding the Concept:

To put this all together, it is sometimes easier to understand why things must happen and why they feel so different.  Well, I believe it is because most golfers try to swing “up and down a target line” instead of swinging around their bodies. When you go out to try these tips, try to imagine swinging around your body. Let the shoulders turn, let the arms swing and try to make that ball turn to the left!

The Quarry One Minute Clinic #7: Decoding Golf Lingo

Golf Terms for Newbies: How to de-code the lingo!

Ok, so after having some conversations over the past few weeks with friends new to the game, I am realizing there are many golf terms the casual golfer may not be aware of. Sure, you have the basics down, right? You know to hit the ball, seek it out, hit it again and hopefully it ends up in the hole.

Nonetheless, golf like any other sports has its own lingo and the more you know the easier it seems.



Putting Green & Hole



• Putting Green: (also "green, putting surface, dance floor") the most closely-mown and smooth--hopefully--area on the course, which is specifically prepared for putting and on which the hole is placed
• Bunker: a depression in the ground usually--but not always--filled with sand
• Fairway: the closely-mown area between the tee and green
• Divots: a portion of turf ripped out of the ground by your club
• Ball marks: (also "pitch mark") the depression a ball makes when it strikes the ground. Usually, but not always, associated with the putting green
• Foursome: four players playing together in a group  
• Chip: (also "chip and run, chip and roll, bump and run") a shot designed to roll (run) farther than it flies (usually, but not always, from near the green)
• Grip: 1. the handle of a golf club (usually covered with rubber, leather, etc.)  2. the holding, or method of holding, a golf club
• Club head: the most massive part of the club at the bottom end (opposite the grip or handle) of the shaft (ideally the part of the club that makes contact with the ball)
• Shaft: the part of the club extending from the grip (actually all the way to the top of the club inside the grip) to the club head
• Sandbagger: (euphemism for "liar, cheater") a golfer who lies about their ability in order to gain an advantage in a match or wager, or posts (submits/enters/turns-in) artificially high scores in order to inflate their handicap
• Sand trap: (also "trap, bunker, sand bunker") another commonly used term for a sand-filled bunker -a depression in the ground filled with a prepared surface of sand or similar
• Sand save: (also "sandy, sandie") getting the ball in the hole in just two shots from a green side bunker (usually assumes making par or better)

Club Head

These definitions and more can be found at http://www.pgaprofessional.com/golf_glossary. This website was created and maintained by PGA Professional Mark Blakemore.

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This One Minute Clinic provided kindly by Sean Etheredge, former Quarry Golf Club Head Golf Pro. If you would like to see a specific topic addressed, e-mail your idea to clewis@quarrygolf.com

The Quarry One Minute Clinic #5

Fall fashion golf apparel tips: Keeping your game cool…or warm…or cool again!

Ahhh, fall in Southern Texas—the temperature can be 95 or 65 and every degree in between. Much like the saying goes, "If you don’t like the weather in Texas, just wait about 10 minutes and it’ll change!" So, how do you prepare for a great round of golf with ever-changing weather?!?

First, do your research. Check the weather online. If you have a smart phone, log on to the app store from your cell phone provider and pick up The Weather Channel or weather bug app. These apps can prove invaluable in giving you some quick info about what to expect, as well as streaming radar from upcoming storm events or changes in the current conditions. What time was that storm rolling in? Winds pick up to 35 mph at what time you say? Now you know.

Next, pack in layers. If you are one of those golfers who packs all of the golf balls you own in EVERY pocket of your bag, help yourself (and the bag boys) out and ditch some of that dead weight!

Throw in a base layer (like FootJoy’s Performance Base) which can be worn under just about anything and keeps you warm while providing UV protection and wicking sweat.

Then, consider a micro fleece or merino wool blend sweater or vest. Vests are gaining popularity once again and earning their place in more golfers’ bags by providing warmth to their cores while keeping their arms mobile and unrestricted.

Last, for the really rough stuff, you need to be prepared. If a couple of inches of rain won’t stop you from playing, consider investing in rain gear. Yes, the material might remind you of a fancy camping tent; but they do make trendy pieces like FootJoy’s DryJoy pants or tops.

Even if wearing rain gear doesn’t sound so appealing now, the fashion trade-off is definitely worth staying dry for. Plus, if you’re dry, you are more likely to be allowed back in the house when you return home from your four hour adventure!

Also, a word to the wise, wet weather gloves and towels are irreplaceable and made for a reason: they work! Hang the extra towel from the inside supports of your umbrella and leave the wrap on as much as possible during the round.  Then, next thing you know—Boom! Dry towel when you need it!

Good luck out there this fall, whatever might come your way.

Thanks Sean Etheredge, Quarry Head Golf Pro, for this advice!

The Quarry One Minute Clinic #3

Putt your best on rolled greens

Fall Greens Conditions are back at The Quarry!

The much anticipated crispness of fall weather is rolling in and The Quarry Golf Course conditions begin to shine! As the weather gets cooler, we are once again able to return to lower mowing heights and our regular greens rolling schedule. But what does this mean for you?

Basically, “rolling the greens” is a great playability perk we have at The Quarry. After the mowers go out, the rollers may follow, which allow the putting surface to be smoothed over once (or sometimes twice!) again. This provides for maximum green speed and improves the uniformity of the surface. This process also smoothes out the spike marks left by those lazy guys who drug their spikes yesterday. Tisk, tisk.

Tips for putting your best on “rolled” greens:

Monitor the length and pace of your stroke—this is the best way to control your speed.

Allow for adequate “break” in your chosen line. Faster rolling balls can take fewer breaks, but balls that miss the hole can travel much further by the cup, leaving a much more difficult second putt.

Good luck and play well!

Thanks Sean Etheredge for this insight!