One of the most common errors I see students make is missing the proper release point of the swing. Because of the way the Orange Whip is balanced, and due to the flexible shaft, the device allows golfers to feel if their release is too early or too late…or, maybe just right!

In the video that I show here, I have exaggerated the early and late release so you can easily see the difference. If the release is late you will likely miss your shots to the right, and if your release is early a left miss is common. You can also see when I am letting the shaft release at the proper point the swing looks fluid and balanced and has speed to it that seems to come easy. As you would guess, the ball tends to fly straighter also when the release is correct.

If you have the chance to try the Orange Whip, I suggest you start out swinging it “small” and smooth, and then slowly build into more of a full motion swing. Make sure you sense your balance when the club head end extends away from you and has the greatest speed.

Always remember, we do not hit the ball with the end of the club that we hold on to. Make sure you swing the club head end with speed and not the grip end.

In this month’s edition of Make Me Better, I’ll cover a sore spot for most players – the mid-range pitch. Back in late January, I was at my home course, Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, with the Golf Digest crew shooting photos for this article. I always enjoy these days because, as you already know, I am very passionate about teaching and showcasing these drills for all of you. But, it also gives me a chance to brush up on my own game.

I thought you’d enjoy reading the article in the attached file. The photos throughout the article capture the necessary body and hand positions to effectively pull off these shots. If you haven’t already, stop by your local bookstore and grab a copy of the May issue of Golf Digest. I think you’ll recognize the guy trying to help your game on page 110! If you ever have any questions, feel free to send me your comments and I will do my best to respond promptly.

click here for downloadable/printable PDF of the article

Horn says, “I have a passion for the game, and since moving to LA I have played golf all over Southern California, and wherever my business travels take me in the U.S.”

When Philip came to me for his lesson he was already very knowledgeable about the game of golf and carried an 11 handicap. All of that is great, but there were still several issues we needed to work on. Mainly he had lost all confidence chipping and pitching his ball around the greens.

Philip’s main issue around the greens was that he would swing the handle of the club away big in the back swing. He would also keep his right elbow stiff and in front of his body which caused the handle to move outside a good swing plane. Since he moved the grip back big and to the outside in the takeaway he would pull the grip hard through during his downswing. Since the reaction to his backswing was to accelerate the grip end of the club in the through swing this did not allow him to release the club head back to the ball with any consistency.

The first thing we worked on to correct his chipping and pitching move was to get Phil to swing the club head instead of swinging the grip-end or handle.  I also had Phil focus on the fact that his right elbow needed to fold back along his right side during the takeaway so the club comes more from the inside. During the downswing, we tried to get Philip to feel like he was throwing the club head at the ball by casting the club head with his left thumb.  The result is that the club head will contact the turf with the bounce first and then the ball. Additionally, we had to work a little on Philip’s lower body. Even when pitching or chipping the ball, a small pivot or turn of the lower body is always necessary. To achieve this, allow the left leg to straighten and the right knee to turn into the left and finish up with your body standing tall and facing the target.

We also worked on Philip’s bunker play. When in the bunker we focused on four keys for success. First, at address we focused on keeping Philip’s spine tilted left or towards the target. Secondly, we worked on a big body-turn during the takeaway accompanied with loose and snappy wrists. And lastly, we worked on finishing the swing with his weight forward and completely off his right heel.

So, during our lesson back in December we worked on two main points, Philip’s pitching/chipping and his bunker play with a small emphasis on his full swing. About a month after our session I was curious to hear what Philip had so say; so, I sent him an email with a few questions. His responses are below:

1. 1. What is your handicap?

My Index is currently an 11, but I I expect to be single digit due to Stan’s help by the end of February.

1. 2. What did you take away from your time with Stan? What are you working on?

From Stan I learned a repeatable technique that makes sense to me. His teaching style is simple, and it is one that I can now practice all the time, because I understand the technique I am trying to execute.  I work on this technique every other day and keep my 58-12 wedge and a range tube of balls in my car at all times.

1. 3. Have you improved? How has it helped you?

I have improved my up and down’s to better than 50% per round, (sandies, chippies). In fact, our group now calls them Utley’s (as they know I went to Stan for personal instruction), and they are all reading his books. I went from blading shots over the green or chunking chip shots to hitting crisp clean shots. My time with Stan is one of the best investments in my golf game I have ever made. I do not fear chipping and pitching anymore and saw immediate improvement. I was properly chipping balls after 6 minutes with Stan, yes 6 minutes. I have the confidence now to be more aggressive and am at the point where I expect to get it up and down.  In our weekend group, we now keep track of Utley’s counting them just as we do sandies, birdies, and other junk bets.

1. 4. Any other comments?

If you are serious about improving your short game and by serious I mean being able to invest in yourself go see Stan as he is the Short Game Guru Man!

During a recent photo shoot with the editors of Golf Digest, Sergio did some great work demonstrating a few of his best tips for getting out of a bunker. It was a time-consuming but very worthwhile day, and the editors and photographer did a wonderful job.

I thought you’d enjoy seeing the article in the attached file. The stop-action, frame-by-frame photos capture weight distribution, Sergio’s stance and how he uses his wrists, arms, shoulders and leg action to make the shot work.

Let me know what you think. And, yes, you’ll see me in a few of the photos as we work on technique. I hope you’ll buy the issue…all the latest equipment for 2010 is covered in depth by the editors of Golf Digest magazine. The equipment just keeps getting better and better!

click here for downloadable/printable PDF of the article

After their chat, Brandel called me on stage to talk a little bit about my career and some of the nuances of golf’s short game. I spent about 5 minutes on stage reminiscing with Brandel, and I had a great time. I want to thank Fry’s Electronics for hosting such a wonderful event and for allowing me to be a part of the whole experience.

I’ve added a short clip covering a small part of my time on stage with Brandel. This particular clip describes how my career as a short game teacher really began. It’s a true story, too!

Here is quick short game tip on YouTube that I shot at Grayhawk Golf Club. I hope this will help some of those short game blues disappear.