Ask Barney Anything...

[rksquire]

How much of Tiger's success can be attributed to Steve Williams? And, in a similar vain, would Tiger have been equally successful had he had, for example, a Harry Diamond or a Helen Storey, on the bag?

 

[Barney the Pro]

I continually fight a tendency to align myself/my feet way right of target on full shots. I pick a spot in front of the ball, look up when in position and think I’m fine, but lay a club down and my feet...

Any alignment tricks/techniques to prevent this please?! Many thanks ??

Hi, yes this is golf's most underrated fundamental and your tendency to aim right is very common. Picking a spot in front is a good starting point , however the problem for many players is that with their right eye dominance they then line the feet up to the target rather than parallel to it. ( Interestingly Jack Nicklaus who invented the spot in front procedure when lining up was left eye dominant ) . I encourage players to pick the spot as usual however grip the club in the left hand ( most of us come in with the right ) and keep the feet pointing way left , then ease yourself square finally putting the right hand in position. Initial feel is one of pointing left of the target , but with practice it will become normal. So many swing flaws I see come from poor alignment and the player making a compensating move to overcome it.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Hi James ,

The stats say around 75 % of golfers are right eye dominant and often the challenge is that the player can twist the stance open to allow the eye to see the target. For me a key bit of kit is a putting mirror and then you can work on getting your eyes level at address . For left eye dominant like Tiger for instance keeping the eyes level is probably easier. Generally I have found players evolve a stroke and clearly some are more of an arc whereas some favour a more straight back straight through look. My suggestion is look at face balanced putters first when choosing as I always think they have less margin for error , however there is trial and error in this part of the game !

Thanks Barney
I'm definitely right eye dominant, so will check how square I'm setting up

 

[Curls]

Hi, yes this is golf's most underrated fundamental and your tendency to aim right is very common. Picking a spot in front is a good starting point , however the problem for many players is that with their right eye dominance they then line the feet up to the target rather than parallel to it. ( Interestingly Jack Nicklaus who invented the spot in front procedure when lining up was left eye dominant ) . I encourage players to pick the spot as usual however grip the club in the left hand ( most of us come in with the right ) and keep the feet pointing way left , then ease yourself square finally putting the right hand in position. Initial feel is one of pointing left of the target , but with practice it will become normal. So many swing flaws I see come from poor alignment and the player making a compensating move to overcome it.

Really interesting thanks for replying. I’ve never heard of that technique before and will definitely try it next week. I always think at the range where the sides of the mat and bay are all parallel/perpendicular lines I have a pretty decent swing and hit it more straight than with any dominant spin, but in an open field wonder where the madness comes from. Probably this eh?! Well, certainly a big factor. Thanks again!

 

[USER1999]

Really interesting thanks for replying. I’ve never heard of that technique before and will definitely try it next week. I always think at the range where the sides of the mat and bay are all parallel/perpendicular lines I have a pretty decent swing and hit it more straight than with any dominant spin, but in an open field wonder where the madness comes from. Probably this eh?! Well, certainly a big factor. Thanks again!

I always try to skew the range mat so that it is not aligned with my target.

 

[slowhand]

I am right-handed and left eye dominant (like Tiger, although I didn't know that until now). How does this affect alignment on full shots, where you are further away from the ball than when putting/chipping? I find my shoulders are open to the target even though I feel I am square or even slightly closed. How can I ensure I am square at all the body checkpoints (feet, hips shoulders)?

 

[Curls]

I always try to skew the range mat so that it is not aligned with my target.

You lunatic! You’ll get us all killed!

(But worth a try eh? ?)

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Ben

Yep, its something I've been working on since I did those vids last year.



I said you could criticise my swing, I didn't say anything about my waggle! Actually that could be the next HNSP thread, what is the correct way to waggle, and do you need to be custom fitted?

Hogan was a firm advocate of the importance of the waggle...see his book Five Lessons - The Modern Fundamentals...
And his waggle wasn't a practice to hammer the tee into the ground
But does Hogan's advocacy still hold today?

 

[SocketRocket]

Ok here's my swing video again that I posted on the weekend... My question would be, what's the simplest thing I could do or change to make it more consistent? Or just better.

Thanks for this.

Point the net away from your house. Windows don't like golf balls.

 

[Orikoru]

Point the net away from your house. Windows don't like golf balls.

It's alright when they're foam!

 

[richart]

Bacon butties, brown or red sauce?

Why ruin good bacon with sauce. Mad.

 

[USER1999]

Why ruin good bacon with sauce. Mad.

Good bacon? You haven't had breakfast at my club!

 

[Barney the Pro]

Should golfers try to get their wrist in a flat or even bowed position at top of back swing.

Hi, my feeling on the wrist at the top of the backswing does depend on the players physical make up . So for example Fred Couples has a relatively cupped position but in the all important impact position he is solidly square. Generally for normal strength players bowed will cause problems with a shut clubface , and I appreciate the world number one does this but has incredible athletic ability to hold the face square through impact with his anti left move through the ball. With a neutral grip the face will usually offer a fairly flat left wrist at the top of the backswing , however the nitty gritty is a flat left wrist at impact!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Another Q Barney:

On the backswing should we hold our hips square or let them turn in line with the shoulders?

 

[Barney the Pro]

Ok here's my swing video again that I posted on the weekend... My question would be, what's the simplest thing I could do or change to make it more consistent? Or just better.

Thanks for this.

Hi , firstly I always admire anyone who hits shots towards their house shows good nerve . For me I would look at improving the coil in your backswing as looks a little laboured. Ideally we need to get the arms synchronising with the body so I would suggest firstly put the shaft across your shoulders and do some turning movements to gain the feeling of the body turn. Then holding the club at waist high parallel to the ground , then coil into your backswing and follow through to the finish. This drill starts to give us the coiling move we are after, and then take this sensation into your normal swing. I have seen Henrik Stenson use this drill so it must be good !

 

[Barney the Pro]

Drives me mad, I always practise with an alignment aid but as soon as I remove it, bam, I go all skew whiff. It's almost as if I'm wired up wrong.

hope my answer to Curls helps you.

 

[Orikoru]

Hi , firstly I always admire anyone who hits shots towards their house shows good nerve . For me I would look at improving the coil in your backswing as looks a little laboured. Ideally we need to get the arms synchronising with the body so I would suggest firstly put the shaft across your shoulders and do some turning movements to gain the feeling of the body turn. Then holding the club at waist high parallel to the ground , then coil into your backswing and follow through to the finish. This drill starts to give us the coiling move we are after, and then take this sensation into your normal swing. I have seen Henrik Stenson use this drill so it must be good !

Using foam balls - I have hit the conservatory before and it simply pinged off and landed in next door's garden. ? Thanks very much for your tips.

 

[Imurg]

Barney...you've just been hired by Rory...what first?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have been fighting the unmentionables for years...but only in the last release from lockdown was it pointed out that my address had me pointing my club handle too central to my body - I was encouraged to have it pointing more towards my left hip (as a right hander) and that seems to work.

Does that apply for all clubs (other than putter) and can I overdo it. It seems to have stopped the unmentionables...but I am aware how easy it is to jump on 'the answer' when it isn't really - and all that happens is I end up exaggerating 'the fix' and causing another problem.

 

[eddie_1878]

Is there any logical reason I can have my technique and strike down to a tee (pardon the pun) when I hit a few balls into the net in the morning, yet two hours later, applying the same technique (in my head) hit it like I’ve only just started playing?

At what point should I stop having to worry about fat/thin/shank!?