River Ridge Golf Club - West Houston, Katy Texas

Tips From Our PGA Pro, Trey Birchum:

It’s a goofy game

It’s a goofy game...I know, I know… How many times have you heard about golf being a game of opposites? You want your divot to go to the right so the ball goes to the left, you hit the little ball instead of the big ball, except if you’re in a bunker then you....you all know what I mean.

The one opposite that I seem to say over and over is “Hit down on the ball.” I tell a lot of my lessons that- some of them say OK and then do it, some of them look at me and say “Huh?”. I don’t mind the look; in fact I’m happy to see it- at least I know you’re listening. So let me explain the deal with this one. Look at your club- see those lines? Those grooves are what imparts spin on a golf ball. That combined with the loft of your club make the ball go up. Now here’s the catch with those grooves; the golf club is designed to hit the ball on your 2nd to 4th groove up (depending on the club) for maximum efficiency. Now put a ball in the palm of your left hand and hold the head of your iron in your right hand.The biggest flaw I see in amateurs in this regard is flipping the club at the bottom of the swing to try to “help” the ball up. Hold it in front of you and flip the head back and forth. See how the bottom flange of the club goes up and down? Do it at the ball in your left hand. See how the bottom of the club is what is contacting the ball, not the grooves? There’s your smooth running shank or a nice cold top waiting for your next approach shot....Now take your iron face and swing it on a DESCENDING BLOW down toward the ball in your hand. See how it will hit the center of your clubface on a descending blow? See how that’s about the only way to get the ball on the center of the clubface? That is what I mean by “Hit down on it.” You have to hit the ball in the center of those grooves to A. allow the loft of the club to work and B. allow the grooves to spin the ball. Now don’t overdo it...I’m not talking about digging little foot long holes in the ground...just a nice, controlled descending blow to the back of the ball. Do that and you’ll be hitting nice high, soft iron shots into greens. And putting nice, crisp green pieces of paper into your pockets from your buddies.

Fairways, greens and one putts.....

Trey Birchum
PGA Head Professional, River Ridge Golf Club
email: tbirchum AT riverridgegolfclub.com