Q&A with Golf Digest Readers

It was certainly an honor to be able to work with Golf Digest writer, Pete McDaniel, on the distance article we shot in April of 2011 (the first story on putting was released in the July 2011 issue). Since then, I've had some very fun emails and notes come in from across the country. I thought I'd share a few with you since they have some good follow-up questions.

Q: I read with great interest your article in Golf Digest, August 2012. Using the 10-finger grip, I'm hitting higher and farther with my driver. This is my question, would you recommend the 10-finger grip for hybrids and fairway woods? My club slips occasionally, and instead of working on gripping tighter (which scares me), I'm wondering if I should start to experiment with the 10-finger grip. I just moved from Atlanta after living there for 15 years. I would have loved to visit you. Look forward to your response. -Woman from Troy, Michigan

A: I think working on golf swings is like a supervised scientific experiment and would recommend seeing how it works. I think that would be the easiest thing to do. I use the word grip in golf as a noun, not a verb, so I agree that "gripping tighter" might not be an advisable move. You must hold the club securely but allow the arms and wrists the mobility to create and deliver speed without being tight. Make sure the grip is secure and I hope the 10 finger works just as well for your hybrids and fairway woods!

Q: Thank you for the tips you gave me. I got some of them to work but need more practice on the others. Your tip on hovering the club when teeing off works great & the ten finger grip also, now all I need to do is work on my alignment & where to position the ball in my stance when I use a 3 wood 5 wood 3&4 hybrid 6 iron etc., etc. Any tips for those? I do know this -- if I lived down there I would surely come to you for a lesson. Thank you for your advice & when I need more help & answers I will email. Have a great day & thank you again. - A Gentleman in the Navy

A: Remember that in golf, since we stand sideways to the target and several feet to the side of the target line, we must aim the club head at the target and then align the body parallel left (for righties) or right (for lefties) of the target. We can't aim both our body and clubhead at the target, only if we stand on the same target line like croquet, basketball free-throw, etc.  I do what many top professionals and amateurs do in that I select my aim from behind the ball by picking out a small, intermediate target several inches in front of the ball... something on an imaginary line I drew from the target to my ball.  When I line up from the side of the ball, I just line up my club head to that little intermediate target and then align myself parallel to that.

For ball position, I teach a basic 3-ball position.  Shorter irons nearer the middle of the stance, mid-irons/hybrids/fairway woods near the middle front (about 1 ball closer to the target than the middle) and the driving club inside the lead foot instep. As with any golfer, these are just starting points from which to launch. Each golfer needs to find what works best for him or her based on how the swings works and bottoms out. Like most elite players, I would suggest putting down an alignment stick or club shaft between your feet perpendicular to the ball so you can just move the ball position around but have feedback so you can make that decision. Golf is not a static game -- it's dynamic! -- but you need to know where to start so you can adjust from there!