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By golfdigest.com

2009 HOT LIST
Instruction Tips & Trackman Says

Adjust your setup to cheat the windBy Todd KerstingWith today's deep-face drivers, I recommend teeing the ball pretty high. But what do you do if you want to lower your ball flight on a windy day? Rather than lower the height of the tee, which makes it more difficult to hit the ball on the sweet spot, you should adjust your setup. The normal driver setup tilts your spine away from the target. You'll notice that my left shoulder is a lot higher than my right (above, inset). But when you want to lower your ball flight and cheat the wind, set up with your shoulders more level (above, "Y"). It's more like your setup for an iron.Todd Kersting, Golf Digest's No. 1 teacher in New Mexico as voted by his peers, gives lessons at Puerto del Sol Golf Course in Albuquerque.Adjust your setup to cheat the windBy Todd KerstingWith today's deep-face drivers, I recommend teeing the ball pretty high. But what do you do if you want to lower your ball flight on a windy day? Rather than lower the height of the tee, which makes it more difficult to hit the ball on the sweet spot, you should adjust your setup. The normal driver setup tilts your spine away from the target. You'll notice that my left shoulder is a lot higher than my right (above, inset). But when you want to lower your ball flight and cheat the wind, set up with your shoulders more level (above, "Y"). It's more like your setup for an iron.Todd Kersting, Golf Digest's No. 1 teacher in New Mexico as voted by his peers, gives lessons at Puerto del Sol Golf Course in Albuquerque.

Don't dig: the hybrid will get the ball outBy Don HurterThe beauty of hybrids is that you can play them from almost any lie -- even when your ball is in a divot hole. The sole of a hybrid, if used correctly, helps prevent the clubhead from getting stuck in the crater. Most amateurs have a tendency to try to dig the ball out of this lie, and the result is usually a steep swing and poor contact. What you want to do is let the club glide through the divot. To hit the ball solidly, feel as if your shoulders are level as the club swings through impact. That feeling will keep the bottom of your swing as level as possible. If your lead shoulder is lower than your trailing shoulder, the club will dig.Don Hurter, ranked among Golf Digest's 50 Greatest Teachers in America, is based at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo.Don't dig: the hybrid will get the ball outBy Don HurterThe beauty of hybrids is that you can play them from almost any lie -- even when your ball is in a divot hole. The sole of a hybrid, if used correctly, helps prevent the clubhead from getting stuck in the crater. Most amateurs have a tendency to try to dig the ball out of this lie, and the result is usually a steep swing and poor contact. What you want to do is let the club glide through the divot. To hit the ball solidly, feel as if your shoulders are level as the club swings through impact. That feeling will keep the bottom of your swing as level as possible. If your lead shoulder is lower than your trailing shoulder, the club will dig.Don Hurter, ranked among Golf Digest's 50 Greatest Teachers in America, is based at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colo.

'Pull' the club down with your kneeBy Jason GussGame-improvement irons have made it easier than ever for beginners to hit passable shots. But to start hitting it pure, you need to get into the proper impact position. You can do this with some simple swing imagery. As you complete your backswing, picture a string connecting the butt end of the club to your right knee. To get your hands to start down, imagine that your right knee has to move first to pull the club toward the ball. This will help you start the downswing with your lower body and move your weight laterally to your front foot and will put you in position to hit down on the ball.'Pull' the club down with your kneeBy Jason GussGame-improvement irons have made it easier than ever for beginners to hit passable shots. But to start hitting it pure, you need to get into the proper impact position. You can do this with some simple swing imagery. As you complete your backswing, picture a string connecting the butt end of the club to your right knee. To get your hands to start down, imagine that your right knee has to move first to pull the club toward the ball. This will help you start the downswing with your lower body and move your weight laterally to your front foot and will put you in position to hit down on the ball.

Hide your cell phone to hit solid ironsBy Todd KerstingConsidering the advancements in iron technology, especially in super game-improvement clubs, the time to trust the club to get the ball airborne is here. Yet I still see amateurs keeping their weight on their back foot and trying to scoop the ball into the air. This scooping motion often results in poor contact. I've never been a fan of cell phones on the course, but if you want to hit solid shots, I've found a good use for your mobile phone. Clip it to your left hip (A), and practice hitting shots trying to hide the phone from view. If you hang back, it'll still be visible. But if you shift your weight to your front foot and rotate around that leg, your hip turn will move the phone out of sight (B).Hide your cell phone to hit solid ironsBy Todd KerstingConsidering the advancements in iron technology, especially in super game-improvement clubs, the time to trust the club to get the ball airborne is here. Yet I still see amateurs keeping their weight on their back foot and trying to scoop the ball into the air. This scooping motion often results in poor contact. I've never been a fan of cell phones on the course, but if you want to hit solid shots, I've found a good use for your mobile phone. Clip it to your left hip (A), and practice hitting shots trying to hide the phone from view. If you hang back, it'll still be visible. But if you shift your weight to your front foot and rotate around that leg, your hip turn will move the phone out of sight (B).

Use two tees to find the sweet spotBy Coralee JorgensenThe reason the best golfers choose player's irons is that they offer great control, workability and distance -- but only if you hit the ball on the sweet spot of the club. However, if you've ever seen one of these irons up close, you know the sweet spot isn't very big. To hone a swing that delivers a center-face hit every time, try this tee drill: Place two tees in the ground about four inches apart, and put a ball between them. Now take one of the most unforgiving irons in the bag, say, the 4-iron, and practice hitting the ball without touching either tee. This drill will help you pure your irons consistently.Coralee Jorgensen, Golf Digest's No. 1 teacher in South Dakota as voted by her peers, works at Westward Ho Country Club in Sioux Falls.Use two tees to find the sweet spotBy Coralee JorgensenThe reason the best golfers choose player's irons is that they offer great control, workability and distance -- but only if you hit the ball on the sweet spot of the club. However, if you've ever seen one of these irons up close, you know the sweet spot isn't very big. To hone a swing that delivers a center-face hit every time, try this tee drill: Place two tees in the ground about four inches apart, and put a ball between them. Now take one of the most unforgiving irons in the bag, say, the 4-iron, and practice hitting the ball without touching either tee. This drill will help you pure your irons consistently.Coralee Jorgensen, Golf Digest's No. 1 teacher in South Dakota as voted by her peers, works at Westward Ho Country Club in Sioux Falls.

Come face to face with your wedgeBy Todd KerstingYou probably know that the bounce on the bottom of your sand wedge is there to help you get out of a bunker. You can also use it to hit effortless pitch shots, particularly from tight lies. I see many amateurs chunking shots around the green as a result of the clubface sticking into the ground. That's because the shaft is leaning too far forward at impact, and the leading edge gets stuck. This chunk can be avoided. A good swing thought to help you use the bounce: Try to finish the swing with the face of the wedge looking back at you. To achieve this finish position, you have to allow the club's bounce to glide across the ground (the shaft will be nearly vertical through impact). You'll feel and hear more of a thump through the grass, and the ball will fly high and land softly. This face-to-face image also helps to get you to accelerate through impact.Come face to face with your wedgeBy Todd KerstingYou probably know that the bounce on the bottom of your sand wedge is there to help you get out of a bunker. You can also use it to hit effortless pitch shots, particularly from tight lies. I see many amateurs chunking shots around the green as a result of the clubface sticking into the ground. That's because the shaft is leaning too far forward at impact, and the leading edge gets stuck. This chunk can be avoided. A good swing thought to help you use the bounce: Try to finish the swing with the face of the wedge looking back at you. To achieve this finish position, you have to allow the club's bounce to glide across the ground (the shaft will be nearly vertical through impact). You'll feel and hear more of a thump through the grass, and the ball will fly high and land softly. This face-to-face image also helps to get you to accelerate through impact.

Let the shaft dictate your putting pathBy Jason GussWhether you prefer a mallet putter or a blade like the ones on this page, your putting path does not have to change. However, if you prefer a straight-back, straight-through path over an arcing path, a center-shafted putter (above) could help you. Why? When the shaft is positioned in the center of the putter, instead of near the heel, the amount the putterface opens or closes during the stroke is reduced.If you putt on a straight line, you don't want the face to open or close at all. Not sure if you putt this way? Lay a shaft on the ground, and make a few practice strokes with your putter on top of it. If your putter doesn't trace the shaft and moves closer to your body, you're probably more of an arc putter.Let the shaft dictate your putting pathBy Jason GussWhether you prefer a mallet putter or a blade like the ones on this page, your putting path does not have to change. However, if you prefer a straight-back, straight-through path over an arcing path, a center-shafted putter (above) could help you. Why? When the shaft is positioned in the center of the putter, instead of near the heel, the amount the putterface opens or closes during the stroke is reduced.If you putt on a straight line, you don't want the face to open or close at all. Not sure if you putt this way? Lay a shaft on the ground, and make a few practice strokes with your putter on top of it. If your putter doesn't trace the shaft and moves closer to your body, you're probably more of an arc putter.

The key to distance: loft or flex?By Mike StachuraThe more we discover about the science of distance, the more it seems there is to learn. Golf Digest research over the years has suggested that most average golfers would benefit from a higher-lofted driver. To refine this idea, we wondered what role shaft flex plays, especially the combination of clubhead loft and shaft flex. We wanted to know what works better: less loft with more flex, or more loft with less flex. To find out, we tested average to above-average golfers with swing speeds of 95 to 102 miles per hour and discovered that less loft but more flex tended to produce better launch conditions (more carry and more total distance). In our test, a 9-degree driver with a regular-flex shaft worked better than a 10-degree driver with a stiff-flex shaft.Why would that be? According to Tom Wishon, founder of Tom Wishon Golf Technology and author of The Search for the Perfect Golf Club, the reason has to do with a player's swing type. Less-skilled players who cast the club from the top cause a shaft with more flex to bow and return to straight well before making contact with the ball. Conversely, a better player who maintains wrist angle for a later release will cause the shaft to bow and spring forward just before impact, essentially adding loft at impact. "This is one of the reasons," Wishon says, "that we advise our clubmakers to always err on the side of a more flexible shaft, even with later-release players."The key to distance: loft or flex?By Mike StachuraThe more we discover about the science of distance, the more it seems there is to learn. Golf Digest research over the years has suggested that most average golfers would benefit from a higher-lofted driver. To refine this idea, we wondered what role shaft flex plays, especially the combination of clubhead loft and shaft flex. We wanted to know what works better: less loft with more flex, or more loft with less flex. To find out, we tested average to above-average golfers with swing speeds of 95 to 102 miles per hour and discovered that less loft but more flex tended to produce better launch conditions (more carry and more total distance). In our test, a 9-degree driver with a regular-flex shaft worked better than a 10-degree driver with a stiff-flex shaft.Why would that be? According to Tom Wishon, founder of Tom Wishon Golf Technology and author of The Search for the Perfect Golf Club, the reason has to do with a player's swing type. Less-skilled players who cast the club from the top cause a shaft with more flex to bow and return to straight well before making contact with the ball. Conversely, a better player who maintains wrist angle for a later release will cause the shaft to bow and spring forward just before impact, essentially adding loft at impact. "This is one of the reasons," Wishon says, "that we advise our clubmakers to always err on the side of a more flexible shaft, even with later-release players."

Just how anti-slice can a driver be?By Max AdlerIt's a fact: Anti-slice drivers will help you hit the ball straight, or even (gasp) draw the ball. To test how well they work, we had a group of low- to high-handicap golfers hit 11 anti-slice drivers (aiming for a center line) and used TrackMan to measure the ball flights. Of 203 hits, 72 percent went left of center, and the average dispersion of all shots was 15.3 yards left. Another piece of good news: Shots that went left went an average of 6.6 yards farther than those that went right.So how do these slice-fighting clubs work? "A true anti-slice driver is designed with more technology than just a closed face," says Jeff Sheets, vice president of research and development at Golfsmith and designer of the Killer Bee B-Sting (below left). For instance, Sheets says the center of gravity in the Killer Bee is back and toward the heel of the club to produce a higher launch angle that imparts less ball spin. This causes toe and center hits to have draw spin. The driver also is 5 degrees more upright than usual to encourage face closure at impact. The Bob Burns No Bananas DAT (below right), which in our testing averaged 38 yards left of center, has a 7-degree closed face and a lightweight head to promote a draw.Only you know how much slice correction you really need, but regardless of how bad you have the rights, today's driver technology offers help.Just how anti-slice can a driver be?By Max AdlerIt's a fact: Anti-slice drivers will help you hit the ball straight, or even (gasp) draw the ball. To test how well they work, we had a group of low- to high-handicap golfers hit 11 anti-slice drivers (aiming for a center line) and used TrackMan to measure the ball flights. Of 203 hits, 72 percent went left of center, and the average dispersion of all shots was 15.3 yards left. Another piece of good news: Shots that went left went an average of 6.6 yards farther than those that went right.So how do these slice-fighting clubs work? "A true anti-slice driver is designed with more technology than just a closed face," says Jeff Sheets, vice president of research and development at Golfsmith and designer of the Killer Bee B-Sting (below left). For instance, Sheets says the center of gravity in the Killer Bee is back and toward the heel of the club to produce a higher launch angle that imparts less ball spin. This causes toe and center hits to have draw spin. The driver also is 5 degrees more upright than usual to encourage face closure at impact. The Bob Burns No Bananas DAT (below right), which in our testing averaged 38 yards left of center, has a 7-degree closed face and a lightweight head to promote a draw.Only you know how much slice correction you really need, but regardless of how bad you have the rights, today's driver technology offers help.

Where does your swing fall apart?By E. Michael JohnsonWhen it comes to versatility and ease of use, hybrids have no peer. But just because a hybrid has the same number (or loft) as the iron it's replacing doesn't mean it will go the same distance. In fact, where the gap becomes meaningful differs by player type.Using TrackMan ball-flight analysis, we tested middle-handicappers hitting long irons and corresponding hybrids. On average, the players we tested hit the 4-iron and 4-hybrid about the same distance (180 yards), and the 3-iron just four yards farther (184 yards). But the 3-hybrid went 192 yards, making it an ideal replacement for the 3-iron.We also tested low-handicappers. They hit hybrids farther than the corresponding iron in every instance, and that leaves a huge distance gap between the 4-hybrid and 5-iron -- not a desirable scenario. Instead, the low-handicappers tested should replace the 2-iron with a low-lofted hybrid (16 to 19 degrees), which they hit an average of 215 yards. That's 12 yards farther than a 2-iron. (Their 3-iron went 197 yards and 4-iron 187 yards.) The 2-hybrid offers a better gap and a stronger option as a driving iron.Perhaps that explains why hybrids used on the PGA Tour tend to be lower-lofted. At last year's Barclays tournament (the first of four FedEx Cup playoff events), 64 of the 92 hybrids used (69.6 percent) had less than 20 degrees of loft.Where does your swing fall apart?By E. Michael JohnsonWhen it comes to versatility and ease of use, hybrids have no peer. But just because a hybrid has the same number (or loft) as the iron it's replacing doesn't mean it will go the same distance. In fact, where the gap becomes meaningful differs by player type.Using TrackMan ball-flight analysis, we tested middle-handicappers hitting long irons and corresponding hybrids. On average, the players we tested hit the 4-iron and 4-hybrid about the same distance (180 yards), and the 3-iron just four yards farther (184 yards). But the 3-hybrid went 192 yards, making it an ideal replacement for the 3-iron.We also tested low-handicappers. They hit hybrids farther than the corresponding iron in every instance, and that leaves a huge distance gap between the 4-hybrid and 5-iron -- not a desirable scenario. Instead, the low-handicappers tested should replace the 2-iron with a low-lofted hybrid (16 to 19 degrees), which they hit an average of 215 yards. That's 12 yards farther than a 2-iron. (Their 3-iron went 197 yards and 4-iron 187 yards.) The 2-hybrid offers a better gap and a stronger option as a driving iron.Perhaps that explains why hybrids used on the PGA Tour tend to be lower-lofted. At last year's Barclays tournament (the first of four FedEx Cup playoff events), 64 of the 92 hybrids used (69.6 percent) had less than 20 degrees of loft.

Steel shafts aren't for everyoneBy Max AdlerWhat's the difference between a steel iron shaft and a graphite iron shaft of the same flex? To study this consumer conundrum, our 5-handicapper hit two 7-irons -- one with a stiff-flex shaft in steel and one in graphite. Our 14-handicapper did the same, except with a regular-flex shaft in steel and graphite.The steel shaft worked best for the 5-handicapper. He averaged eight more yards in carry distance, and his shots had a tighter dispersion. Conversely, the 14-handicapper was more accurate with the graphite-shafted 7-iron and hit it three yards farther on average. Another bonus: His maximum trajectory was 2.5 yards higher with the graphite shaft."Graphite shafts usually have lower bend points than steel shafts, and so they tend to kick the ball up in the air," says Mike Dickerson, president of the International Professional Association of Clubfitters. "In general, driver swings of 95 to 100 miles per hour is the range where you can play either graphite or steel shafts. I often ask people if they're a hitter or a swinger to help them decide. A hitter is someone with tempo like Jesper Parnevik who really goes after it. I'll steer that person toward steel. However, a swinger, or someone with tempo more like Freddie Couples, I'll steer toward graphite."So the difference between steel and graphite depends on who's swinging it.Steel shafts aren't for everyoneBy Max AdlerWhat's the difference between a steel iron shaft and a graphite iron shaft of the same flex? To study this consumer conundrum, our 5-handicapper hit two 7-irons -- one with a stiff-flex shaft in steel and one in graphite. Our 14-handicapper did the same, except with a regular-flex shaft in steel and graphite.The steel shaft worked best for the 5-handicapper. He averaged eight more yards in carry distance, and his shots had a tighter dispersion. Conversely, the 14-handicapper was more accurate with the graphite-shafted 7-iron and hit it three yards farther on average. Another bonus: His maximum trajectory was 2.5 yards higher with the graphite shaft."Graphite shafts usually have lower bend points than steel shafts, and so they tend to kick the ball up in the air," says Mike Dickerson, president of the International Professional Association of Clubfitters. "In general, driver swings of 95 to 100 miles per hour is the range where you can play either graphite or steel shafts. I often ask people if they're a hitter or a swinger to help them decide. A hitter is someone with tempo like Jesper Parnevik who really goes after it. I'll steer that person toward steel. However, a swinger, or someone with tempo more like Freddie Couples, I'll steer toward graphite."So the difference between steel and graphite depends on who's swinging it.

Mind the gapBy Max AdlerA set of new irons can solve one problem but create another: You might have to rethink your wedge situation. Because pitching wedges come in different lofts, the carry distance between them and your highest lofted wedge changes.Our test player hit his 56-degree sand wedge an average of 88 yards and his 47-degree pitching wedge an average of 110 yards. This leaves a 22-yard gap to fill. If he finds a club that goes about 100 yards (likely a 52-degree wedge), he'll split that gap with about 10 yards on each side. And because it's easier to choke down or take a three-quarter swing rather than muscle a sand wedge, he'll learn to hit the gap wedge as short as 90 yards. However, if he buys a super game-improvement set with a 45-degree pitching wedge, which our tester hit 117 yards, he'll have a 29-yard gap to worry about. To get optimal spacing he might consider changing to 50-, 54- and 60-degree wedges, or maybe 52- and 58-degree wedges.Golf Digest Top 50 teacher Jim Suttie suggests 4-degree gaps between your clubs, but if you're not sure, a number of fitting systems can determine how to fill out your new set. One example: Ping's nFlight fitting system can recommend a full-set makeup after just a few swings with three clubs.Mind the gapBy Max AdlerA set of new irons can solve one problem but create another: You might have to rethink your wedge situation. Because pitching wedges come in different lofts, the carry distance between them and your highest lofted wedge changes.Our test player hit his 56-degree sand wedge an average of 88 yards and his 47-degree pitching wedge an average of 110 yards. This leaves a 22-yard gap to fill. If he finds a club that goes about 100 yards (likely a 52-degree wedge), he'll split that gap with about 10 yards on each side. And because it's easier to choke down or take a three-quarter swing rather than muscle a sand wedge, he'll learn to hit the gap wedge as short as 90 yards. However, if he buys a super game-improvement set with a 45-degree pitching wedge, which our tester hit 117 yards, he'll have a 29-yard gap to worry about. To get optimal spacing he might consider changing to 50-, 54- and 60-degree wedges, or maybe 52- and 58-degree wedges.Golf Digest Top 50 teacher Jim Suttie suggests 4-degree gaps between your clubs, but if you're not sure, a number of fitting systems can determine how to fill out your new set. One example: Ping's nFlight fitting system can recommend a full-set makeup after just a few swings with three clubs.