| Golf Tips: Avoid "Chunking" Shots |
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Question: What causes me to "chunk" my shots? Nothing is more frustrating than hitting a great drive and then hitting the next shot 80 yards. What causes it and how can I prevent it from happening? Is it the weight shift? The hands? I don't know, but it drives me crazy! -- J.N., Naples, Fla. Answer: By "chunking" you mean you're hitting the ground behind the ball. This will really kill a shot. I like to think of my golf swing as beginning the backswing from the top of my body and beginning the downswing from the bottom. What that means is that I initiate my backswing by making a full shoulder turn. The result is that my hips will automatically turn, because my bones are hooked together, and my weight will shift to my right side. After a slight pause at the top, I initiate my downswing by driving my left hip toward the target. This will automatically engage my shoulders, arms, hands, and eventually, the club head. The result will be solid contact. When you hit behind the ball, it's because you start your downswing with your hands and arms before you shift your left hip toward the target. By the time your club head reaches the bottom of your swing, your weight has not fully shifted to your left side. Your club head will bottom out slightly behind the ball causing you to "chunk" the shot, as you say. Start back with the shoulders and down with the hips, and that should take care of the problem. Question: I know there are many players on the PGA Tour that are "range rats," and some that don't practice as much. My question is, what is included in a typical day of practice for a tour player? Is it all spent on the range and putting green? How much time do they spend with instructors? Do they tee it up in practice with other players and play individual games like us weekend guys? -- D.M., Westpark, Ohio. Answer: Typically, Monday is a travel day. They get to the next tournament site, check into a hotel, and get situated. Tuesday is a practice day. Most will hit balls and putt for an hour or two and then play 18 holes, checking out the course and taking notes. They'll probably hit a few more balls when they're done just to work out any flaws they might have in their swings. A few might have side games, but not many. It's all business with most of them. Wednesday is pro-am day. If they have an early tee time, they'll warm up on the range for about 30 minutes, putt for about 10 or 15 minutes and play their pro-am round. When they're done, they'll spend a couple more hours hitting balls and putting. If they have a late tee time, they'll do the bulk of their practicing in the morning. This is the same routine they use on Thursday through Sunday. Most players will work with an instructor three or four times throughout the year, whenever they can find the time. With the amount of money they're playing for, they don't want to take much time off! (Golf professional Jon Ebert writes for the Naples Daily News in Florida.)
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