My golf course sends out a nice little newsletter to members every month. This month, there was a little section called “Myths of Golf”. I thought it would be nice to touch on the myth that was listed in the newsletter (the first one down below) as well as some other ones that came to mind.

Golf is no different than anything else. There is always some degree of misinformation out there that spreads through foursomes, grill rooms, across the web and even through printed material like books and magazines.

These myths start for a variety of reasons and perpetuate because we don’t always bother to take the time to find out the truth (or don’t realize that there’s a “truth” to bother to find out).

I’m going to try and kill some of these right here.

Myth: Keep the Left Arm Straight

This is the one that was listed in my club newsletter and it’s a big one. I think mostly because there’s a little truth in it, but it’s often misunderstood.

Creating maximum width in the swing is crucial for power. That means keeping the butt end of the club as far out as possible when swinging. Obviously a straight left arm is the way to do that. Keeping the elbow locked is not the answer, though. As the newsletter points out, the left arm rotates during the backswing, and keeping it tense will inhibit that movement.

The more extension you can get, the better, but not at the expense of tension in the arms and shoulders. If the arm flexes a bit at the top of the backswing, that’s fine.

Myth: There is a “Correct” Swing

There is a misconception that if you don’t imitate a certain set of fundamentals then you’re doing something “wrong”. Watching the PGA Tour should dispel that myth, but it doesn’t seem to. Part of the problem is the number of younger players like Tiger Woods and Adam Scott with “text book” swings.

At the same time, there are excellent players like Jim Furyk who do it differently. And look at some of the great players of all time: many of them had swings that are so distinct that you could identify them without being able to see their faces.

What most, if not all, great players share is a similar impact position, but there’s some room for individuality in the rest of the swing. That individuality comes from things like body type, habits that developed early, and instruction.

Some of the best players ever learned to hit the ball with a tree branch and rocks or with a single club in the back yard. Getting wrapped up in trying to develop the “perfect” swing is probably a futile effort without an enormous amount of work. Find the swing that works for you, work to remove obvious flaws, and embrace your own uniqueness.

Myth: Golf Ball Compression is a Primary Factor in Distance

When a club strikes a golf ball, the ball squishes and wobbles a bit. A golf ball’s compression rating is the measure of how much the ball deforms, or to put it another way, how hard or soft it is.

There is a misconception that this is a factor in distance. The actual primary factor in distance is club head speed.

In general, a faster swing will do better with a high-compression ball because the ball will deform less, and thus wobble less. But compression is of so little importance anymore that many manufacturers have stopped publicizing it.

Myth: Hitting “Up” on Drives Produces Top Spin and Increases Distance

In general, when hitting a driver, it is optimal to strike the ball with a level or slightly ascending blow. However, this does not produce top spin on the ball. In fact, it simply produces less backspin which is what leads to more distance.

The only way to produce actual top spin is by striking the ball above its equator. That’s why we call it “topping” the ball. Those shots are no fun and hit the dirt almost immediately after impact.

Myth: Players in a Group All Play on to the Green Before Anyone Putts

Rule 10 tells us that the order of play is determined by distance from the hole. The player furthest from the hole plays first. That means if your opponent is in a green side bunker 5 yards from the pin and you’re on the far side of the green facing a 100-foot putt, you play first.

In stroke play, there’s no penalty for playing out of order unless The Committee deems that it was done to gain an advantage, so it’s not really a violation of the rules if all the players play up to the green. However, in match play, if someone plays out of turn, his opponent may require him to cancel and replay the stroke.

Myth: Expensive Equipment is “Better”

The “best” equipment is that which is the closest match to your game. Spending $500 for a driver or buying tour-quality forged irons won’t iron out your swing flaws.

I once hit a 340 yard drive with a $50 driver. Certainly quality equipment often costs more, but sometimes I wonder if a low-end driver would sell if they put it in a nice display and slapped a $400 price tag on it. We golfers are too often guilty of trying to solve the problem by just throwing money at it. That plan won’t normally work unless you accidentally buy expensive equipment that happens to fit your game better than what you currently have.

Look for quality. If it costs more, fine, but don’t turn a blind eye to it because it seems too inexpensive.

Myth: The Head Stays Still During the Swing

This one gets a lot of people. Consciously trying to keep the head “still” is not good. The head is attached to the spine and can’t do anything on its own.

It’s normal for there to be a slight amount of lateral movement in the swing, so the head has no choice but to move a bit. Also, it’s not uncommon for there to be some movement of the head up and down. Check out this video of Tiger Woods swinging. Look at the amount of lateral and vertical head movement he has.

The key is that there should be no conscious head movement. But trying to restrict it is not a good idea.

One other important point is that while lateral and vertical head movement happens, movement toward or away from the ball should not happen during the swing. That leads to a problem that is the subject of the final myth:

Myth: The Shanks Come From an Extremely Open Club Face

I covered this previously in a post dedicated to the shanks. The shanks are caused when the ball is struck on the hosel of the club. This happens when your weight gets out on your toes during the swing, changing your swing plane.

Too often, when a player starts shanking, the reaction is to try and do a better job of squaring the club face at impact. Unfortunately for that player, that has nothing to do with the problem. Not only will the shanks continue, but who knows what kind of problems will be introduced by overemphasizing the action of squaring the club face.

One aspect of putting that is misunderstood by some is the importance of tempo.

Tempo is an important element in music. Musicians often use a metronome to set the tempo. It gives them an audible cue to help them get the feel for a certain number of beats per minute. Tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock. Depending on the tempo of the piece, the tick-tocks will be faster or slower.

What many don’t realize is that putting should have a tempo too. What even more people don’t realize is that the tempo is the same for every putt.

Unless you’ve studied the science of pendulums (certainly you’ve heard putting referred to as a “pendulum” action), it might not seem logical that the stroke for a 3-foot putt should have the same tempo as the stroke for a 50-foot putt. Clearly the 50-footer requires a longer stroke. That’s right, but it’s also a faster stroke.

If you have access to a metronome, get it and head to the putting green. I’ve seen ones that are specifically geared toward golf. Either type will be fine.

If you don’t have access to one, then you’ll have to make due with tick-tocking in your head. Just make sure you don’t subconsciously speed up and slow down the tick-tocking. It should remain constant.

Set up the metronome to beat at what seems like a decent pace for putting (there is no exact “correct” tempo) or start tick-tocking in your head, where the tick is the end of the backswing and the tock is the end of the follow through.

Start making practice strokes to the beat.

You should notice that for any length stroke, the tempo is exactly the same. The backswing finishes on the tick and the follow through ends on the tock. This is true for any length swing.

You should also notice that the backswing and follow through should be the same length. Taking a short backswing and long follow through leads to a stroke where you have to give it some “oomph” to get the ball there on longer putts. That will lead to inconsistency. Taking a longer backswing with a shorter follow through means you’ll need to decelerate, a killer for any kind of golf shot.

If your backswing takes the putter back three inches from the ball for a particular length putt, then the follow through should go three inches past the ball.

Keep practicing different length strokes with the metronome (or while tick-tocking in your head) and really get the feel for getting to the tick at the end of the back swing and the tock at the end of the follow through. Also, be sure your backswing and follow through are the same lengths.

After you feel like your tempo is solid, start stroking some actual putts to the same beat. Putt short ones and long ones and really get the feeling of how the length of the swing changes for distance, but that the tempo is exactly the same.

What tempo should you use?

There is no correct answer to that question. Some people are just “fast”. Everything about them is quick. Walking, talking, thinking, and their golf swings are all fast. Other people do those things at a slower pace. People fall everywhere in between.

In general, I think you want to try and keep your swing at a tempo that suits you. If you’re a fast person, then you might try a fast tempo. If you’re slower, then try a slower tempo. Experiment until you find a tempo that works for you. As I said, there is no correct tempo.

One other note: tempo doesn’t just apply to putting. It matters in the full swing. Next time you’re at the driving range, do some mental tick-tocks with your full swing to build an even tempo. It will help promote a smooth backswing, downswing, and follow through that will keep your body working within its natural rhythm.

That’s a great way to build consistency. A nice tempo will also promote a better transition from backswing to down swing. Many times, players take a smooth backswing, then feel like they need to accelerate and build power, so they jerk their hands down and get everything moving out of sequence and throw off the tempo.

Concentrate on tempo during practice and you will definitely see an improvement in your game.

Certainly golf is much different now than what players from centuries past would recognize. Well, maybe the late 20th century, but other than that, the game has seriously evolved over time.

Some of the changes over time have been slow and minor while other evolutions were revolutions.

Here’s my list of nine of the most important advancements in golf history.

Dimples on golf balls

The golf ball has really changed over time. From leather-covered “featheries” to wooden balls, to gutta-percha balls, few advancements rival the addition of dimples to the ball in the early 20th century. Prior to that, balls were smooth. Eventually players realized that as gutta-percha balls got nicked up they actually traveled further.

In 1908 William Taylor patented a dimpled golf ball in England. The patent was captured in the United States in 1918 and dimpled balls were manufactured by Spalding.

The dimple patterns on balls reduce drag for more distance. Since the first intentionally dimpled balls, the the concept has become a serious science with ball manufacturers putting a lot of effort into development of dimple patterns that provide the most distance, accuracy, and control.

Codified Rules of Golf

In the beginning there was chaos. Rules varied from place to place, like the virtually infinite variation of play in home poker games. That started to change with the first written rules in 1744.

The United States Golf Association (USGA) formed in 1894 and began issuing rulings on various topics. In 1897 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) formed its first rules committee.

It all came together in 1952 when the USGA and R&A came together to issue the first world-wide set of rules of golf. This meant that the game of golf would then be uniform all over the world. A player from any part of the world can play anywhere else and have a complete understanding of the game. Since 1952, the USGA and R&A convene every four years for the purpose of updating the rules and keeping them uniform all over the world.

Steel shafts

Prior to steel, club shafts were made of hickory. The wooden shafts were notoriously brittle and they would commonly break. Steel shafts meant that players could really start swinging hard when they needed to, without fear that their hickory shafts would blow apart. Also, steel shafts could be manufactured to very tight specifications, meaning clubs would react very similarly.

In 1924, the USGA approved the use of steel shafts in clubs and in 1927, American Fork and Hoe, which would later become True Temper, perfected and patented the stepped steel shaft, which is still widely used today.

Graphite Shafts

Steel was a big leap from hickory and graphite was nearly as big a jump from steel.

Jim Flood is credited with developing early graphite shafts from carbon fiber he saw being applied in other industries. In 1972, he founded Aldila.

Today, drivers are shafted almost exclusively with graphite composites because their light weight compared with steel helps players generate the maximum club head speed, which directly correlates to distance. Being both light and strong is a big advantage.

Though less common, graphite shafts in irons are popular among players who may lack the strength to maximize club head speed in heavier steel-shafted irons.

Metal Woods

Metal headed woods were used sporadically prior to 1979, but that’s when the revolution occurred. That year, Gary Adams founded Taylor Made and unveiled his new metal 1-wood at the PGA Merchandise Show. It quickly gained popularity and when Jim Simons won the 1982 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am using a Taylor Made metal driver, there was no going back. The days of the persimmon woods were numbered.

Metal heads have continued to evolve, eventually into titanium and more recently into exotic composites, most likely the next revolution in club head materials.

The Modern Sand Wedge

Gene Sarazen was credited with its invention in 1930 after a flying lesson with Howard Hughes. He noticed how the plane’s rudder flowed through the air and realized that a heavy club with a wide flange and extra bounce would skid through the sand without digging.

Prior to that, there were sand clubs with concave faces that resembled spoons and let players scoop the balls out of the sand. Most were not allowed by the USGA and clubs with concave faces were finally banned in 1931, making way for Sarazen’s invention. His wedge ushered in a whole new era of control from the sand.

Computerized Launch Analysis

Launch analysis was previously reserved for the game’s elite. Now it’s available for the average player. It allows a player’s swing to be measured in every conceivable way and have equipment fitted that perfectly matches the individual’s swing characteristics. Things like shaft flex, shaft weighting, length, lie, loft, and other characteristics can be tuned like never before, allowing a player to milk every bit of control, distance, and forgiveness out of his clubs.

The days of mismatched equipment are over. At least they can be for most players.

Golf on Television

The first televised golf tournament was the 1947 U.S. Open, shown on a local broadcast. The first national telecast followed shortly thereafter in 1953 when the Tam O’Shanter World Championship was shown on ABC.

In the 1950’s, Arnold Palmer became a household name through the publicity that televised broadcasts provided. That trend continued through the 20th century that eventually culminated with the launch of a fledgling television network dedicated exclusively to Golf. Now, after about ten years, The Golf Channel is available in some 75 million homes.

That was right around the time that the Tiger Woods era started and his fame extended well beyond regular golf fans. Woods became well known all over the world and helped to grow the game more than ever before.

Without television, professional golf would likely exist for most people as a section on the sports page of their local newspaper. With the evolution of televised golf, more people are watching and playing the game.

Modern Turf Science

In the beginning, golf was played in pastures. Eventually, tracts of land would be designated as golf courses and work would begin to carve them out of the landscape.

In the United States, maintenance staffs have taken golf course manicuring to almost an unbelievable level. With advancements in construction, irrigation, equipment, and techniques, course maintenance is more refined than ever before.

Consider that some of the legends of the game played on greens that were bumpy and long. Have a look at film and newsreels from the early 20th century. Virtually all the players used some degree of wrist break in their putting strokes because it was necessary given the conditions of the time. Now, even weekend players play on greens that are so smooth and roll so true that players from previous eras in golf who didn’t live to see the change might not even believe it.

Fairways are like carpets, rough is more uniform in height and consistency, bunkers are meticulously raked. Obviously that attention to detail varies among courses, but compared to a century ago, most players of today experience better conditions than their counterparts from the past.

In some ways these advancements have made conditions more difficult. Ridiculous green speeds come to mind. At the same time, conditions have become very consistent making low scores more routine.

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Golf is constantly evolving. decades from now, some of these will just be insignificant blips on the radar. But now, they’re major advancements that have shaped the game of today.

What are some of your favorite advancements that have shaped the game of golf?

The Rules of Golf are littered with references to “The Committee”. I know I’ve wondered about this mythical committee and wondered who they think they are to tell me what to do. Well, I eventually took the time to find out so let’s take a look.

The Rules define the committee:

The “Committee’’ is the committee in charge of the competition or, if the matter does not arise in a competition, the committee in charge of the course.

The word “committee” gives the impression that things are organized and official, but this isn’t always the case. It’s more so in formalized competition and on courses where there is an established greens committee. But at many courses and during many competitions, the Committee just consists of whomever the decision makers are.

The Committee has numerous obligations spelled out in the Rules of Golf. Rule 33 spells out its purpose.

The Committee:

• Establishes the conditions of competition. (Rule 33-1)
• Sets up the course. This includes defining bounds, margins, areas of ground under repair, and obstructions (as well as integral parts of the course - i.e. man made things that are not obstructions). In addtion, the Committee handles hole locations, establishment of the practice ground and makes the decision as to whether the course is unplayable. (Rule 33-2)
• Sets the groups and the starting times. (Rule 33-3)
• Publishes the handicap stroke table. (Rule 33-4)
• Determination of what happens in the case of a tie (i.e. the playoff format, date, and time). (Rule 33-5)
• Has the right to waive or impose a disqualification penalty. (Rule 33-6)
• Establishes “local rules”. (Rule 33-7)

A couple of interesting Committee factoids:

• According to Rule 33-1, the Committee may not waive any rule. So, those of us who play in leagues where they allow clubs to be grounded and lies improved in bunkers or don’t enforce stroke and distance for lost balls or shots hit out of bounds (among other things) are playing in opposition to the Rules of Golf.
• The Committee is responsible for defining the margins of hazards but suppose it doesn’t do it. Does that mean an unmarked hazard gets you off on a technicality? Unfortunately, no. Decision 26/3 establishes that. So while it is the responsibility of the Committee, there is no punishment for neglected duties and no undue benefit to the players.

That’s all there is to it. Now, when you read your copy of the Rules of Golf each night before bed, it should make just a little more sense when the Committee is referenced.

On a serious note, next time you play in a tournament and the course is set up well, the obligations in Rule 33 are all met, and the operation is run smoothly, don’t be afraid to drop by and let the Committee know you appreciate its hard work. Operating a competitive tournament is no small matter.

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Further Reading:

The Rules of Golf (United States Golf Association)
The Rules of Golf (R&A)
More on the Rules (Life in the Rough)

Golf is one of those sports that almost anyone can take up and take great enjoyment from. At the same time, while the point of the game is simple, the implementation is extremely complex. It’s easy to pick up a club and whack a ball. But getting it where you want it to go in the fewest strokes is a skill that few ever master.

There are plenty of pitfalls for a new player taking up golf. These are eight things that come to mind.

1. Not understanding that to get the ball up in the air with an iron, you need to hit down on it. This is one of the most fundamental techniques to good ball striking. But it’s not intuitive for a beginner to understand that hitting iron shots with a descending blow will get the ball up in the air. Consequently, it’s easy to try to help the ball in the air and end up “scooping”, or trying to hit it on the upswing, causing thin contact (or fat contact depending on where and how severely the swing bottoms out).
2. Not taking lessons. It can be expensive, but when a golfer first picks up a club and fires away, habits are developed that can last a lifetime. Even a few lessons can get a player on the right path early and in a much better position to play well later on.
3. Playing with unsuitable equipment. I’m not suggesting that a new player needs expensive clubs. However, a new player probably won’t understand how to select clubs with the correct shaft flex, length, and lie angles. Getting decent results with the wrong equipment can lead to swing compensations that will cause problems down the road.
4. Failing to understand the importance of the short game. When you’re standing on the tee of a long par five, looking at the flag waaaaaaaay in the distance, it’s hard to tell a new golfer not to worry about the first 450 yards, because the last 100 are what really matters. It’s true, though. I can’t stress enough that scoring happens within 100 yards.
5. Ineffective practice. It’s natural for a new golfer to want to get on the range and start to improve. Practice needs to have a purpose, though. Simply beating balls downrange will become ineffective after a new player develops enough hand-eye coordination to start making good contact. After that, mindless practice will usually be worthless. It’s important to plan each shot, develop a pre-shot routine, and execute each shot, while making sure to learn from the results, whether good or bad.
6. Hitting driver off the tee when the player struggles with that club. If a new player hits the driver well, then by all means, hit it. But many beginners struggle with the driver. Standing on the tee, there’s no reason to gamble with a driver. Hit the longest club that you feel comfortable hitting. Suppose you’re playing a 400 yard par-4. If the best club in your bag is a 7-iron, then hit it off the tee. If you can hit it 150 yards down the fairway, hit it off the tee and then hit it once more. From there, you’ll have 100 yards in and can make two putts for bogey. There’s no reason to spray your driver into trouble off the tee because it seems like the thing to do.
7. Letting the wrists break during putting. On modern greens that roll quickly and smoothly, there’s no reason to break the wrists when putting. The wrists should stay firm throughout the stroke. The putting stroke is a pendulum action, originating in the shoulders. Often, beginners feel they need to help the ball get to the hole on long putts and break those wrists down. This leads to inconsistent contact and distance control. Keep the wrists firm and let the stroke work like a pendulum.
8. Under-clubbing. This is one plagues most high-handicappers, not just beginners. When selecting a club, the tendency is to pick the club that would be correct if the next shot will be perfectly struck. The problem is that high-handicappers rarely strike the ball perfectly. Even Ben Hogan remarked that he only struck a few shots perfectly each round. And his misses were probably a lot better than those that the rest of us have. Beginners should get into the habit of realizing that hitting the perfect distance is rare and almost every shot will be short by some degree, whether it’s by a little or a lot.

There are a ton of gotchas waiting to punish new players. What are some that come to mind for you? Or even better, which ones got you when you were first learning the game?

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Further Reading:

Practicing With a Purpose (Life in the Rough)