Driving Range

Question
QUESTION: Alright Stanley, I went to the driving range like I said I would and tried the things you told me, except the 50 yard shot, I didn't have anyway to practice that. Anyway, I couldn't seem to catch the ball first with my irons, so I hit them thin or fat, but not up.  I tried moving the ball back some in my stance, and I got the ball up very good, but it went WAY right.  I hit my 5 wood the bedt I ever have though :-)  That is the  only bright spot.  I still can't get my drivng where I am aiming, which is getting on my nerves.  I can go on the course and hit a perfect drive, but if I push it, I am in the woods.  All of these things tell me I am still not doing something right.  Can you give me some kind of list of exact things I should be doing?  I know you will say to go to a golf pro, but we are SO tight on money, 50 bucks is alot.  Also, any tips on bunker shots, because I have hit some good ones, but I also have hit back in the same bunker, or hit them way over the green.

Thanks Stanley

Should I try trapping the ball with my irons like Tiger says you should?
ANSWER: hello and i am glad to hear from you.  let me mention that you should be patient and keep practicing out on the driving range.  you can't expect a sudden change in the way u swing and etc, etc, etc.  i see that you are really frustrated with your game.  which is a good thing because its simply something that every golfers go through. keep working on the things i have told you to do so.  don't lift up your body throughout the swing.  try to make it stay low as you swing through.  and make sure you extend the arm.  always try to take a divot with iron shots.  i am glad that you are hitting the 5 wood very nicely.  lets start with putting the ball back in your stance.  i advise you from putting the ball back in your stance as it can ruin your swing in general.  it is a bad habit to have and it seems to work well for the first time but it is actually detrimental to your swing.  just have a normal set-up and keep practicing. that is fine if you cannot afford to have a swing instructor.  i taught myself how to play this game and i am doing fine now.  but do consult with your team coach.  i am sure he has tips and advice that he could share with you.  if he doesn't, then just practice on the range.  try not to play so much out on the golf course.  work on your swing instead.  you should change your goals in golf.  stop worrying about trying to hit the ball high in the air.  if you do, it just doens't work.  i know it sounds hard but you should change the way you think first.  also, work on the plane of your swing.  by that, i mean that you should swing from inside to out.  just try it.  your swing should be flatter and make sure its on a shallow plane. don't swing from outside to inside.  one fo the best advice that i can give u through online is to keep praciticing without much worry.  golf has its funny ways.  one day you will hit the ball like a pro, and one day, you will hit like you have played this game for the first time.  so be patient and keep swinging.  don't pressure yourself to improve so much. you will eventually improve and you will eventually hit the ball better than your oppenent if you keep practicing.  another thing, you should watch golf channel.  believe it or not, simply watching golf can help you.  watch golf tournaments.  ANY golf tournaments.  just keep watching.  without knowing, you will learn and pick up some new things.  watch golf to learn.  try to observe the way they prepare to hit the ball.  do they just step up to the ball and then hit?  or do they take practice swings?  how many practice swings?  what are they looking?  what does their look tell you?  just watch and you will learn. lets talk about bunker shots.  believe it or not, bunker shot is the easiest becuase you have to hit the ball fat and simply swing through.  ABOSOLUTELY no trick invovled.  for some reason, bunker shot scares a lot of people... but it shouldn't.  everyone should be albe to hit the bunker shot well.  you have to trust the fact that you really have to swing fully afteer you hit the sand.  remeber, you hare removing several pounds of sand when you hit the sand shot.  so hit the sand first but make sure you don't DIG the club in the sand.  just swing through and you really have to accelerate at the moment of impact. make sure you finsish at the full finish.  the ball will come out really high with PLENTY of spin.  in fact, you can spin the ball so much that the moment the ball lands on the green, it will STOP.  thats when you know that you are hitting the shot well.  also, make sure you use sand-wedge when you attempt this shot.  any more questions?  update me on how you are doing with your golf game.  good luck.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I will continue to work on my swing stanley.  I watch the golf channel 24/7 already and I get golf digest too.  can I have your personal e-mail, because that would be alot easier to update you on than this website.

Answer
of course
[email protected]
i am glad that you read golf digest.  its a great source of information.  read it well.  and yes, do TRAP THE BALL.  its a good thought to have as you swing.  its going to help you hit the ball solidly with a divot at the end.