Instruction: Jim Hardy, 2007 PGA National Teacher of the Year

Q: I am a 1 handicapper that strugles with the pull or snap hooks on my bad days but only with the driver or 3 wood. My clubface position at the top is square to just slightly shut and I have worked hard over the years to get to square. I have a very fundamentally sound setup and a neutral grip yet something still happens to get the clubface closed at impact. I especially know the ball is going left when my weight is hanging back on my right but I cant seem to stop it or identify why even though i am trying to get to my left. Sneaks up on me the most in competition or anxious moments. Please Help!! I'll try anything! Thank You.
Daryl

A: Most people have the mistaken idea that a hook is caused by too much right hand or right side coming over the top. That is only 180 degrees wrong. A slice is caused by too much right hand or right side coming over the top. Hooking is when the right side cannot come through the ball and a flip hook is the result. One of the great caused is golfers trying to stop a hook by griping tight with the left hand while having a loose grip with the right hand and at the same time pulling hard with the left arm. It is no wonder you are ending up with too much weight on your right foot. To cure a bad hook you must first learn how to cut the ball, since that is the opposite of your problem. Grip hard with the heel of your right hand against the base of your left thumb. Bring your right side (including your right shoulder) through the ball and let the handle of the club beat the head of the club around to the left. That will create a fade/slice. Once you can do this, just back off of it a bit to play a straight ball.

Q: How can i tell if i have a one plane swing?
kenneth lowe

A: At the top of the backswing a one-planer's left arm (right handed golfer) will be on the same line as a line drawn across the shoulders.

Rules: Brad Gregory, vice chairman, PGA National Rules Committee

Golfers aren't always looking for birdies on the course. (Photo: Getty Images)

Q: While playing my 2nd shot to the putting green a bird in flight knocked my ball into a water hazard. Can I replay the stroke without penalty or do I continue to play with my first ball under the water hazard Rule?
David Dorman

A: A bird is what the Rules term an outside agency. Rule 19-1 (Ball in Motion Deflected or Stopped; By Outside Agency) says in part: If a player's ball is accidentally deflected or stopped by any outside agency, it is a rub of the green, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies.

Although there is no penalty for striking the bird, you are required to proceed with the original ball. In your case, if the ball is not playable in the water hazard, you would incur a penalty stroke under the water hazard Rule.

This happened to Tom Kite in the 2001 Bank of America Championship. Trailing eventual winner Larry Nelson by one stroke in the final round, Tom's tee shot, at the par 3 17th, hit a bird in flight and his ball dropped short of the green into a water hazard. This "rub of the green" cost Tom a double bogey 5 and a third place finish.

Q: Can a GPS unit be carried and used in league play? We follow USGA Rules.
brent snelgrove

A: The use of a distance measuring device during a round is a breach of Rule 13-4 (Artificial Devices, Unusual Equipment and Unusual use of Equipment) for which the penalty is disqualification (carrying, not using, your GPS is not a breach of the Rules). However, the Note to Rule 13-4 gives authority for the Committee (those in charge of the league) to allow devices that measure distance only. So before using your GPS make sure the Local Rule is in effect. Otherwise it's a trunk slammer, disqualification.

Equipment: Tom Henderson, PGA Professional & Master Club Fitter

Q: I am having trouble finding the right driver for my daughter, a college player. She is left-handed. Currently, she is playing a 10 degree driver with a mid-launch shaft (regular flex). Her driver club head speed is in the 86 to 89 mph range. She tends to release her hands early in her downswing, thus increasing club face loft at impact and sending the ball high with almost no roll after it lands. She imparts very little spin on the ball, so low lofted drivers with low launching shafts tend to dive into the turf at about 100 to 150 yards out. Lessons have not helped much yet in terms of improving her swing lag. Do you have any suggestions regarding equipment, or drills she might try to improve her swing?
Jim Schneider

A: Jim - It sounds like what your daughter may need is a combination of fitting and teaching (it's hard to separate the two). In fact, I strongly believe that equipment influences motion.

As far as fitting is concern, experiment with some loft/shaft combinations that you might think to be "way off". I'm talking about low loft/low kick point or high loft/high kick point combinations. Observe ball flight. Better yet, have her PGA Professional observe actual ball flight and make recommendations from there.

These extreme combinations of loft/kick point may just be what the doctor ordered!

Q: is there a proper length that a putter should be?
bob

A: Bob - Thanks for your question on the new PGA.com.

The proper length of a putter depends on the individual. It would be absurd to think that one length would be suitable for every golfer.

Golfers come in a variety of sizes. Have your PGA Professional observe you setting up to and hitting a few putts. He/she will give you a recommendation that is right for YOU. Provided that you have the proper lie angle (your PGA Professional can help with this too), the proper length for you would be the length that allowed you to set up comfortably over the ball and position your eyes over or to the inside of the ball at address.

Hope this helps.