By Frank Thomas October 3, 2008
Our equipment guru, Golf Digest Technical Advisor Frank Thomas, has the answers to your questions. Click here to submit a question for possible use in this column and you could receive a signed copy of Frank's latest book, "Just Hit It: Our Equipment and Our Game." For more from Frank you can visit his site franklygolf.com. [Note: Each week submitted questions will be reviewed and the best one will receive a signed copy of Frank's book, "Just Hit It."]
MATCH PLAY GIMMIES
Frank, I have always wondered why in match play, some putts, even outside the gimmie range, are conceded?
Thanks,
--Werner
Werner,
Matchplay strategy and tactics are quite different from a regular stroke play round. The psychology involved is fascinating, and I really like your question because many golfers (unless they have played a lot of competitive matchplay) are unaware of some of the subtleties of this format.
In some cases (depending on the match and the personalities of the players involved), giving a putt from just outside gimmie length can be a sporting gesture of goodwill and this gesture may be returned later in the round.
However, there can also be some gamesmanship involved. If you give all the 4-5 footers at the beginning of the match and then when it really counts, don't give a 3-footer, your competitor may choke wondering why it wasn't given. This adds extra pressure over the short putts.
You should never expect to be given any putt in matchplay. Go into a match expecting to hole everything out and if your opponent does give you any putts, think of these as bonuses.
Hope this helps.
Frank
GRAPHITE AND TENNIS ELBOW
Frank, I just had surgery to repair my tennis elbow. I have been playing with sensicore stiff shafts for about 10 years. Recently it has been suggested by my playing buddies that graphite shafts would be easier on my elbows and even my shoulders. Is this possible if the golf ball is struck with the same speed with shaft stiffness being about equal?
Thanks,
--Ted
Ted,
I have seen no sound evidence to show that the use of graphite shafts will prevent "tennis elbow." I am led to believe that the vibrations which cause damage to the joints are the low frequency vibrations which are not damped out by the many devices sometimes engineered into the shaft or the head.
The matrix holding the graphite fibers in place around the shaft is epoxy, and this has a low modulus which will dampen some high frequencies -- when compared to steel shafts -- as will most soft grips and the meat on your hands. These high frequency vibrations are the ones you generally feel in your hands and fingers.
The mis-hits, which cause twisting of the club head, are absorbed more by a shaft with less torsional stiffness. For this reason the graphite shafts, which generally have less torsional stiffness than steel, may help. Or, just try to prevent the mis-hits by making contact with the sweet spot every time. If only it were this easy!
Graphite shafts will allow you to swing easier and this easy swing will have more of an effect on avoiding "tennis elbow" than the shaft material or its properties. One of the problems with switching to graphite is that we swing just as hard as we used to.
Go for the graphite, but don't expect it is going to be the cure for your problem.
Hope this helps.
Frank
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