Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs offers swing tips

Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs will be online Tuesday at noon Eastern to review your swing videos, answer questions and offer tips. Be first in line by asking a question in the comments section below. 

Thanks to everyone for your questions and especially your videos. This was a very good blog today. Let's keep it going next week with some more interesting videos, questions, and opinions about the golf swing. Have a great week and go Packers!

CJ asks at 1:00:

Tiger switched coaches from Butch Harmon to Hank Haney. And Ernie Els switched from Leadbetter to Harmon. So what are the different coaching styles of those 3 coaches that cause the players to chop and change?

You would think that they are all teaching the same fundamentals but they clearly can't be otherwise the players wouldn't change between them.

CJ, to answer this question properly I would need several hours. I would tell you that Haney and Leadbetter are more likely to impose their methodology on the student where Butch will take what the student has and work with their strengths and weaknesses. There is no way to break down their styles in a blog but in my opinion Butch is more versatile and likely to help a broader spectrum of players than the other two.

Players change coaches because they are always looking for something to help them get a little better. When they have heard a specific set of instructions from the same teacher over a period of time and aren't gettting the results they want they will move on. It is that simple. Tour instructors are like NBA coaches, you get hired to get fired. It usually goes coach, caddie, wife, in that order, when it comes to the chopping block.

CH3fan asks at 12:55:

I was a huge Charles Howell fan when he first came onto the Tour. I love his swing and the power he generates, it gives us smaller guys hope. But he never quite lived up to the hype.

I was watching him at the range at one Tour event and you could see what a great ballstriker he is compared to the other guys. It must be embarrassing for Leadbetter cos all along he was telling everyone how good CH3 is.

How come he has never translated his talent into more wins than he has? Thanks.

He has had a better year in 2009 than he did in 2008. When you try to figure out why he hasn't won much there is nothing that stands out. He did finish 2nd twice this year, but I agree that he hasn't lived up to the hype. His statistics are very average, with no specific strength or weakness shinning through which may give some reason to why he can't break through.

I always like to look at two stats, total driving and putting. He is 128th in total driving and 106th in putts per round. If the old line holds true, "you drive for show and putt for dough,", then this is why he hasn't produced like we all thought he would.

Stephen asks at 12:45:

Hi Brady

How much of an effect is the new groove rule going to have on the Tour in 2010? Will it effect some players more than others?

Always interested to hear your thoughts.

Thanks
Stephen

I think it will have a significant effect on the importance of hitting the fairway from the tee. The players that hit the ball straighter will benefit the most because their accuracy will now mean something. Hitting the fairway hasn't meant a whole lot over the last decade or so because of the lack of effect the rough has had on approach shots to the green. Probably about 70  percent of Tour players have never caught a flyer with a short iron from the rough. That used to be commonplace on Tour in every round played.

I agree with Tiger that this is a good thing for the Tour and the game in general. I am all for any adjustments that help identify the most skilled players. Both players and equipment companies have had time to get comfortable with the rule. I am looking forward to seeing the first 9-iron that was supposed to go 135 and went 150 instead. Should be entertaining.

Tim Fox asks at 12:40:

Hi, Brady. I golfed with my 92-year-old Dad the other day, and took some video of his swing. He was a scratch golfer in his day, and still enjoys playing. Since he had a stroke in his left eye, his game has become inconsistent. He still has good flexibility (for a 92 year old!), and good rhythm. I made the following video with a few examples of when things go well, and a few when they go bad. Please take a look, and help us with what's going wrong. Thanks!

Tim, I would love to help but I can't seem to get your video to work. Please resend the swing so I can get a look at it. Sorry.

BK asks at 12:25:

I am a weekend golfer with 12-handicap. My biggest problem with the game is the Tee Shots. My nice shots are draws but most of the time they are hooks and I see lots of out-of-bounds shots (left). Once in a while, I push them straight to the right. Slices very rarely happen to me and I am not worrying about it. Sometimes, I lose balance on my follow-through and need to take a step or two backwards to maintain the balance especially with the driver. I usually play in 80s but I've never broke 80. If I cure my hook (that is costing me about 5-6 shots per round), I think, I can break 80. I have included a couple of clips of my swing. Do you have any suggest for me to try? Also, am I changing my spine angle (standing up a bit) on the down swing? Can that be recipe for the hook? If so what can I do to fix it?

BK, you have actually picked out the one thing that you should work on with your golf swing: your spine angle. I prefer to call it your "Tush Line" because it gives you a better idea about how to see this issue. If you draw a line vertically at the back of your tush in the address position you will see that you move several inches closer to the ball by the time you get to impact. You stand up in an effort to compensate for this loss of the line and make some space for yourself at impact. If you look at the swings again you can see how jammed up your arms are as you make contact with the ball and beyond.

Here is the fix for your issue. Make sure in the address that your weight begins in the balls of your feet, not your heels. The strange thing about the golf swing is that the weight will go where it isn't in the beginning. In your case you start with the weight towards the heels and as a result it goes to your toes. This causes you to lose space, stand up, kills your extension, and leads to your balance problems. When the weight starts in the balls of the feet you can allow your turn to shift weight into the right heel going back and into the left heel in the finish. This will increase the distance you are from the ball at impact, improving your extension and helping your hook.

There are other issues causing your excessively right-to-left ball flight, but start with this simple address-position change and then send me some new video with the improvement. I would like to see a close up of your grip, a swing from face-on and another from the target-line view a little closer to you. Good luck and remember to try to feel like an athlete at address, weight on the balls of the feet and legs relaxed and bouncy.

Matt asks at 12:12:

Here is my swing. I am about a 10-handicap, and my swing is one plane with the target-line view. What can you tell me on how to fix my weight shift, especially that hip movement.

Thanks for sending in your swing, Matt. I am going to give you a quick analysis of your swing and then tell you where I want you to go with it. This may not be the specific advice you asked for but in my opinion it is how you should proceed.

You have no movement away from the target with your upper body, specifically your head. As a result, your spine is too upright at the top leading to an excessively long backswing, especially for an iron, and the tendency to attack the ball on a steep angle. To compensate for this, your head dives down and back as you approach impact in a last-ditch effort to get the club to the inside before impact. The loss of your level (head and chest at roughly the same height during the swing) makes contact inconsistent and can lead to neck and back problems in the future.

If I had you on my lesson tee I would immediately show you pictures of great players moving their head away from the target on the backswing like Davis Love III, Anthony Kim, Tiger, etc., to encourage you to move. This would allow your spine to tilt away from the target going back, limiting the length of your swing and flattening out your arm swing. This would put you in a more athletic feel at the top, allowing you to shift your weight back toward the target like you were stepping into a baseball throw. With the club coming from more behind you there would be no need to dive back behind the ball, helping you keep your level and release freely to the target.

Like I said, this may not be what you were looking for but in my opinion it is where you should start. Send me a new video from both angles when you feel like you have made some progress.

dday 39 asks at 12:00:

Brady,
So what's your beef with stack and tilt? Really, I guess my question is: What is more important in the golf swing; hitting the proper positions or having a repeatable swing with predictable results? On Tour there are so many different swings. I think the only thing they have in common is the impact position. With a conventional swing, I sliced the ball like crazy. With a S&T swing I hit a 4 yard draw consistently.

If you have read this blog over the last few months you know I am not a fan of ANY swing methodology. It is true that Stack and Tilt is among my least favorites, but you could throw in any of the "flavors of the month" and I would respond the same way. Obviously a good swing is repeatable and produces consistent results. I would also add that it is safe for the body and gives the player the opportunity to improve over time. I don't see this with Stack and Tilt.

You also mentioned that the impact position is something Tour players have in common when it comes to the swing, I would strongly disagree. The impact position varies greatly between players because of their individual compensations like grip strength, ball-flight preference, posture, girth of chest, athletic ability, etc.

If you are getting the results you are looking for with Stack and Tilt that is fantastic. I can tell you from a historical perspective it is an inferior style. I can also tell you no athlete playing any sport I have ever seen would produce power with the weight on the front foot during an athletic motion. There will come a time when you have played this game long enough and seen your share of great players that you might agree with me. If not, we can agree to disagree and have a beer. I prefer Pacifico if you are buying....

Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs helps lower your score

Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs was online Tuesday to review your swing videos, answer questions and offer tips.

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THE GREAT QUESTIONS AND FANTASTIC VIDEOS. THIS IS THE KIND OF BLOG WE ARE LOOKING FOR EVERY WEEK. DON'T BE AFRAID TO SEND IN YOUR SWING WITH A LINK TO YOU TUBE, IT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO SEE YOUR MOTION. HAVE A GREAT WEEK AND GO FOR EVERYTHING, NOBODY WILL REMEMBER THE PAR 5 YOU CHICKENED OUT ON AND MADE PAR.

Alex asks at 1:30:

Now that my golf season is almost over I was wondering what exercises I can do to be in shape for next season. I know I need a lot of core workout as well as legs for stability but I was wondering if you knew any specific workouts that would help me.

There is so much great information out there on the internet that can help. I would recommend finding someone in your area that works with high-level golfers. The more golf specific your workout can BECOME, not begin, the better off you are. If money is a huge issue, check out Paul Chek online and research his material. I have over a dozen of my players working with a certified Chek guy that have had great results.

Paul asks at 1:20:

Can you clarify: In order to control distance in greenside bunkershots, do I shorten my backswing or follow-through ?

Neither. I would have you change the speed of your swing to change the distance of the shot. Think of a second baseman throwing to first versus a third baseman. The throwing motion looks the same, it is the speed of the arm swing that changes the throw. To make golf more athletic think of just changing how much energy you put into the swing. On a shorter shot, swing easier; for a longer shot, swing harder. Remember that the sand under the ball moves the ball out of the bunker. If the sand comes out slower and shorter the ball won't go as far as it would if the sand comes out faster and farther.

One last thing about this method. You will see an obvious change in the length of the swing, especially the follow-through, when changing the speed. This happens because there is less momentum in the shorter bunker shot. Be an athlete and don't overthink this.

JJ at 1:18 posted swing video:

JJ, I have no idea what your request is because you didn't ask me a question but I will give you my opinion of what you are doing that looks off from where neutral is. You are excessively bent over in the address position forcing your hands to hang too low to the ground. As you take the club away from the ball, you lose the connection between your upper right arm and your chest forcing the arm to move well away from your body. As a result, your right wrist loses all of it's bend from address and the clubface becomes very closed. This has a lasting effect on your golf swing as it prohibits you from releasing the club properly through impact, shortening your shots and severely restricting your follow-through.

If I were to recommend some changes, it would start at your address. Get into a more neutral posture so your hands aren't so close to the ground. Take the club back with your upper right arm and chest maintaining their connection while you keep some bend in the right wrist. This will help the club into a more square position at the top allowing you to release fully through impact. The final thing I would recommend is to look at the pictures of Tiger, Annika, Adam Scott, etc., at the finish position and try to copy that as best you can. Chances are your flexibility will limit you from getting as around as the swings I mentioned, but it will go a long way to helping you get where you want to go.

Bob Featherstone asks at 1:05 p.m.

I video my swing and noticed that when I started on my down swing from the top my right heel started to come up should that happen?

It all depends on how your heel comes up. If your right heel is coming up immediately as the downswing begins then their isn't enough weight in your heel at the top of the swing. This will make it very difficult to attack on the ball on the proper path. In the best-case scenario, the right foot will come up later in the downswing as the club is approaching impact. The foot should be leaned toward the inside of the sole. In other words, you don't want the entire front of your shoe on the ground with the heel coming up. The "pinky" toe should come up, not the "big" toe. This may seem like an overanalysis of the weight in your feet but after your clubface position and your swing path, your weight is next in the order of importance.

AFTER LOOKING AT THE VIDEO:

My earlier suspicion about the weight not being in your right heel at the top of the swing was correct. Go to my website www.redgoat.smugmug.com and check out the section on Redgoat fundamentals, Tush Line. This will give you some great visuals about the issue. The fact is that if you draw a line vertically down touching the tush at address you will see by the time you reach the top of the swing the right cheek has lost contact with the line. At impact, your tush is nowhere near the line and your spine angle has changed dramatically.

To fix this you must change your address position. Start with your weight toward the balls of your feet. During the backswing make sure your weight moves into your right heel at the top of the swing and then into your left heel at impact. This will help you maintain your forward lean and significantly improve your ball-striking. You will also notice that your right heel will remain in contact with the ground much longer on the downswing.

Conrad asks at 10:00:

Brady, a lot of players on Tour swing with a shut face at the top, and hold on through impact, and they have a lot of success this way. Zach Johnson, Paul Azinger, Fred Funk, etc. have all had a lot of success this way. How come teachers don't teach this swing? The majority of teachers out there only teach the "textbook swing" yet this swing obviously seems to work for a lot of players.

That is a great point, Conrad, and I couldn't agree more. I have a saying that I have adopted over the last decade or so and that is "Greatness is unique." The fact is that if a player comes to you in control of the ball with some strange mechanics you have to be very careful how much you mess with their motion. If you are fixing things because you don't like the way they look instead of because they don't perform then you're making a grave mistake. On the other hand, I wouldn't start out a player with unusual alignments just to see if they will work. I figure if I can make a player as neutral as possible they will add their own unique wrinkles to the motion and make it their own.

Jim asks at 9:55:

Hi Brady, I hit my mid and short irons a decent way (7 iron 165) but have a real problem consistently hitting anything below a 6 iron. Should I just switch to hybrids for my long irons, or is this a drill I can work on to help?

Jim, I could give you a long, complicated answer as to why the longer irons are more challenging to hit than the hybrids, but why bother? They just are! Tour professionals don't do anything with their equipment that doesn't make it easier to score. Look into the bags on the Champions Tour and LPGA Tour and you will seen more headcovers than irons. This is also becoming more typical on the PGA Tour as well. Get a couple of hybrids to demo and see what you think.

Shayne asks at 9:50:

Hi Brady
When Eddie Merrins has answered swing questions on Ask the Top 100 he puts significant emphasis on using the forearms to square the club face through impact. I have been focusing on this for a number of weeks and have found that it works very well for a straight ball flight. However I have found that the ball trajectory is much lower than before. I guess the wrists are a little quiet when doing this would that be an explanation for the change in ball flight?

This is probably a question you should ask Mr. Merrins. We all have different styles of teaching and methods to help our students get the results they are looking for. Mr. Merrins has been a heck of a teacher for a long time and would be a better source of information about that style of teaching. I would say that if your hands and arms are more passive it makes sense that the ball flight would come down a bit.

Marc asks at 9:38:

Hi Brady

I posted my swing a couple of weeks ago and you said I needed to get the ball up in my stance and cover it more with my left shoulder at impact. Here are some swings from the weekend working on that.

I am also trying to shift my weight in the downswing correctly. In the down-the-line swing, I am holding a range bucket between my knees and starting the downswing by keeping my right knee in place while moving my left knee away and toward the target so the bucket falls straight down.

Let me know how it looks and if I am on the right track.

Marc, thanks for sending in the swing. I think your lines are quite good from down the line. The ball position looks better and overall the swing has great potential. Here is what I think you should do. Go to my website www.redgoat.smugmug.com and use the password bluegoat. Go to the Tour swings section and look at the swings of Anthony Kim and Tommy Armour III. The thing you should be watching is when they initiate the forward motion toward the target with their body during the swing. In your swing, you don't get moving with your body until your arms and club have reached the top of the backswing. This is not as athletic as it should be. Think of throwing a ball while stepping and throwing simultaneously, it would be very ineffective. This is how you are swinging the club. When you look at the swings of AK and TAIII you will notice their body begins to move towards the target well before the backswing finishes with the arms and club. The only way this move works is if their is a significant move off the ball to begin the swing. This is something you do already and fits perfectly into this swing style.

Give this a try and send me the new move as soon as you can. I think your swing can be phenomenal if you add this piece to your motion.

Gene Lund asks at 9:20:

Due to arthritis and muscle strains etc. my left arm can't extend all the way (about a 15 percent difference from my right). I think this causes me to top the ball a lot. Any suggestions?

Back in the 80s, Calvin Peete led the tour in driving accuracy multiple times and won several events. His left arm was unable to straighten as well but it didn't hurt his ability to score. If you are topping shots, try to maintain your forward bend throughout the shot. Chances are your body is becoming more upright at impact than it was at address making it impossible to make solid contact.

Sorry for the late start, let's get going!

Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs is here to help your game

Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs was online Tuesday at noon Eastern to review swing videos, answer questions and offer tips.

Thanks to everyone for your great questions and comments. I hope you guys have a fantastic week on the links. Stay positive and aggressive on the golf course. Try shots you aren't sure you will pull off and go for it at every turn. Nobody, including you, is going to remember the time you laid up on the Par 5 in front of the water and made a routine par. Play for the glory and the story, good or bad!

Marc asks at 10:15:

Brady, where is Ben Fox nowadays and how is he doing golf-wise? He has one the best swings I have seen...

Thanks for asking Marc. Ben just turned 22 and is playing his first round of the first stage of Q-School today. He is playing the best golf I have ever seen from him. He shot 66 in the pre-qualifier for the PGA Tour event in Vegas and then didn't get in on the Monday. Then he shot another 66 in the pre-qualifier for Phoenix, followed that up with another 66 on Monday and lost in a playoff for the final spot.

The only thing he needs right now is a place to play next year and look out. BTW, I agree about his swing, one of the best I have ever seen.

Needs distance asks at 9;59:

I am 5'8, fairly athletic, have a good swing (hit it pretty straight), but can only carry my driver 240-245 yards on average. How can I get more distance?

Physical stature is not the determining factor for power, just look at Ian Woosnam, Jeff Sluman, or Hidemichi Tanaka for that matter. Once all the other factors have been checked that include the proper specs for your driver, physical well-being, practice, etc. you need to determine if you swing the club like a golfer or an athlete. A golfer is worried about the position his club is in during the swing, staying under control, a pause at the top, good tempo, looking pretty, etc. An athlete is trying to use every fiber of his being to move in the proper sequence to hit the snot out of the ball.

It is a totally different mindset to swing the club like an athlete playing golf rather than a golfer playing a game. There is no way for me to write down how to do this in a timely fashion, but what I can tell you is that you need to watch a great pitcher throw a fastball, a great hitter smash a home-run, a ski-jumper launch themselves from the 90 meter hill, a tennis player serve an ace, and a hockey player take a slap shot. Look at these motions and you will start to see the sequence of movements and the all out attack that it takes to be powerful. This doesn't mean you swing "harder" or "muscle up", quite the contrary. It means you loosen up, get bigger with your motion and stop worrying about where the angle of the dangle is and start kicking some tail.

Post a link to your swing in the blog next week from You Tube and I will tell you how to get started.

Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs helps lower your score

Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs was online Tuesday at noon Eastern to review swing videos, answer questions and offer tips..

Thanks to everyone for your great questions this week. I am sorry to those who I didn't get back to. Please resubmit your quesitons earlier next week so I can be sure to answer them. Remember, if you post a link to your swing from You Tube I will put your question to the top of list. Have a great week!

Shane Roach asks at 1:24:

Hi - whats the best drill to eliminate the reverse pivot that causes loss of distance and thin shots.

Shane, there are two things you need to do to create the proper pivot. First, allow your head to move laterally on the backswing. This may be contrary to everything you have heard but it is a MUST. Next, DON'T move your hips laterally during the backswing. If your hips turn immediately and your head moves laterally away from the target your reverse pivot will be gone.

King asks at 1:15:

Please explain the arch of approach and how to ingrain it into your swing.

Are you asking me this question based upon a Golfing Machine background or just in general? The arc of approach is basically the angled delivery of the swinging motion, rather than the straight line of the hitting motion. I am not sure how this will help anyone in this blog or anywhere for that matter. Maybe you can ask me the question again next week with some more specific information about what you are trying to understand.

Ask the Top 100 Live: Eddie Merrins here to help your game

Eddie Merrins, aka the Little Pro, will be online from noon to 1 p.m. EST on Tuesday to answer your golf instruction and swing questions live. Learn from a legend who played against Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer, and has taught pros like Bob May and Duffy Waldorf and celebs like Jack Nicholson and Tom Brady. Leave your question in the comments section below and the Little Pro will give you the answer.

Read past installments of Ask the Top 100 Live

Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs offers junior golf advice for kids and parents

If you're a junior golfer, or the parent of a junior golfer, tune in Tuesday at noon Eastern for live advice from Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs. He can help fix your swing (put a video on YouTube for in-depth analysis) and will offer advice to parents and players for how to get the most out of the game. Post your question in the comment space below and come back on Tuesday for the live forum.

Thanks to everyone for your questions and input. This is a very important subject that I never get tired of discussing. Please keep in mind that if your heart is set on a college golf scholarship for your child their chances are much better academically. There are only a couple spots that open up each year on each team and the competition is fierce. I am not saying it doesn't happen, but it will be an enormous challenge to say the least.

Robert asks at 12:59:

my son is 14. Like most golfers he struggles with consistancy especially off the tee. When he is hitting it well he hits it straight or with a slight draw. But when he is hitting it bad, he tends to slice it or push it. What can he do to get more consistant and eliminate the slice ball?

This is a common problem for golfers of all ages, not just juniors. Keep in mind that the slice almost always occurs because the clubface is open and the path is outside-in. Work with your son on hitting big hooks when he begins to slice it. This should obviously be done on the range where he can exaggerate the correction. This is a great way to help juniors begin to fix themselves when the ball is going poorly. As he hits the ball excessively from right to left he will be shaking up the mechanics of his slice and get him back on track.

If it continues to be an issue, post his swing to You Tube and send me a link in the blog. I will give you some direction....

Randy asks at 12:50:

I have a 13-year-old son who is now an 8 handicap. He is playing a slate of local junior tournaments in Utah and has been doing well since moving into the 13-14 group (he was 12 most of the summer). I know people who put their kid with an instructor and have a "plan" for the future. Problem is, I work for a university and don't make scads o' cash, plus I'm a scratch player and me being his only teacher has worked out pretty well thus far. What do you think? Obviously, if he went on to play college golf, that would be great...

I think you have done a good job with him so far. My dad taught me until I was about 14. When he didn't know what to say to help me anymore we sought the advice of a professional. It turns out his advice to me was better than any of the pros I worked with. In many cases the instruction you get can be worse than no instruction at all. Always proceed with caution when looking into a new instructor.

This whole "plan" thing is overrated in my opinion. If your kid is enjoying the game, getting better, practicing and playing through his own motivation and loving every minute of it, you are doing it right. Make sure he plays tournaments he can have success in that aren't way over his head talent wise. It can be very depressing to get slaughtered by better players every week. You will know the time to move him up in competition. It sounds to me you guys are doing a great job on your own.

Keep this in mind for the future. If he gets to a point where you feel he isn't getting better, struggling, and you need a new direction, send me an email. I know a good teacher in Utah that can help.

Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs here to help your game

Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs will be online Tuesday at noon Eastern to review your swing videos, answer questions and offer up tips to lower your score. Be first in line by leaving a question in the comments area below.

Thanks to all for your great questions today. Perhaps the most interesting session so far! I look forward to hearing from all of you in the weeks to come. Remember, if you post a link to your swing on You Tube I will put you to the top of the rotation. Have a great week and Go Packers!

Stephen asks at 1:00:

I am trying to get my ballstriking form back by practicing with lots of half swings. Is the L to L drill the best way to practice half swings? In other words, swing arms to parallel going back with wrists fully hinged and then do the same through the ball. Once I can strike the ball solidly consistently I will add the full shoulder turn. Will my plan work?

Stephen, I have to tell you I can't stand the L to L drill. The early set of the wrists on the backswing is one of my least favorite styles as it removes the athleticism and movement I think makes great ballstrikers. Work on your swing in this order and you will improve. Clubface first with a good grip and the proper wrist positions throughout, swingpath next with the club approaching the inside/back quadrant of the ball while the face is rotating, pivot last with the body always leading the arms and hands going back and coming down.

I like the idea that you are working on your swing without it being full. I would recommend you take out the speed of your practice rather than the length of your swing. This will allow you to feel the proper sequence of motion, body first, without the blur of full speed.

If you stick to the three critical elements of face, path, and pivot you will get to where you want to be before you know it.

Marc asks at 12:58:

Brady, in your opinion (or to your knowledge), why have so many of Leadbetter's pupils left him?

At one stage he coached most of the top 20 (Els, Charles Howell, Baddeley, Rose, Tryon) but all of those guys have left him for other coaches. The only big names he has left are Immelman (has done nothing since his Masters win) and Wie (has won nothing big at all).

Faldo ended up leaving him as well (probably was nothing left for Faldo to learn though).

Is he too technical now-a-days for a tour where every young player has a textbook swing but doesn't know how to translate that into wins.

That's a very good question Marc. Here is my take. I think Leadbetter had some of the finest swingers of the club back in the day. I still love Faldo and Price and use their swings as an example of what to do in my teaching.

I think several things happened that have changed people's view of Leadbetter effectiveness over the past decade. First, there was Tiger. The shock wave he produced when he entered the scene caused people to focus more on Butch and eventually Haney and took the spotlight away from Lead. Second, the emphasis on technical prowess and control left the game when Tiger's power shocked the golf world. The need for more athleticism and power wasn't necessarily associated with Lead's teaching, fair or unfair.

When it comes to philosophy I am not a big fan of the early set of the wrists during the backswing. I strongly believe that a great golf swing should be an ATHLETIC motion using the body, arms and hands. When the swing begins with a set of the wrists while the body remains passive, the swing becomes contrived and less powerful. You don't see an early set of the wrists in the swings of Hogan, Nicklaus, Trevino, Watson, Norman, Tiger, or AK for that matter. If power is a critical component of today's game, which it unquestionably is if you look at how unimportant driving accuracy is to winning golf tournaments, then an early set is terribly ineffecitve. This has been an emphasis of Lead's teaching over the last decade and, in my opinion, a negative.

Let me also say that no teacher agrees completely with any other teacher. We all have different approaches and Leadbetter has certainly earned his respect and place in the history of the game by working with the worlds best players. But, I have the philosophy of giving my honest opinion when asked so there it is.

Thanks for the interesting question, keep them coming.

Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs here to help your game

Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs will be online Tuesday at noon Eastern to review your swing videos, answer questions and offer up tips to lower your score. Be first in line by leaving a question in the comments area below.

Thanks to everyone for your questions. We always love to see your swing from You Tube so get out those cameras and start filming, it will put you to the top of the list. I will also answer your questions on strategy, short game, swing theory, competing and equipment so don't be bashful. See you next time...

Andy asks at 12:57:

Hi Brady, I seem to pull my wedge shots from 120 yrds in often . I was wondering if you had any idea what the problem could be.Thanks

This is a very typical problem for many players hitting wedges, especially when they aren't full swings. When hitting a wedge shot many people slow down the body through impact in an attempt to gain control over the contact and/or the distance of the shot. This will always speed up the release of the hands and arms causing the clubface to close early and the shot to travel left of the target. Nick Faldo had some great advice about hitting these shots, he said the key to wedge shots, especially the in-between ones, was to keep the body rotating through impact to the target. This has been a very useful key for my own game over the years. Give it a try, I am sure it will get the ball more on line.

Brad asks at 12:50:

The only club in my bag that I hit badly is my driver: high and right (slice). Every other club from 3 wood to hybrids to wedges are dead straight or pulled if I hit it wrong. The driver is right, every time, all the time. Do I have a swing issue or a shaft issue?

It could be a shaft issue. If the shaft is too stiff it can make the ball go right. It is something to investigate before trying to rebuild your golf swing considering you are hitting the other clubs well. Take it to a facility with a launch monitor so you can get the actual numbers in front of you. Trusting a salesman at an off-course location wouldn't be a high percentage play at this point.

Matt asks at 12:35:

How can you build a consistent putting stroke. I believe i am keeping the putter online, but the tempo of the putting stroke is inconsistent. Also, how can you determine what type of putter should I be play. Is there a certain type for body build or swing style?

Thanks for asking a putting question Matt, always good to work on the short stuff.

There is no perfect style of putter for a certain body type. There are differences in the balance of the face, design of the head, and materials for the insert but the fact is most of the bells and whistles are unimportant. The fact is the most important elements of the putter are the length and weight. Fortunately, there has been an emphasis over the past two years on putter fitting that as addressed these issues. Make sure your putter is the correct length and weight, it can make all the difference.

Letting the putter swing on a natural arc is the best way to be consistent. Attempting to keep the putter square and straight back and through is a tough task. Let the putter swing back slightly to the inside and open and close slightly through is a good approach.

Ask the Top 100 Live: Brady Riggs here to help your game

Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs was online Tuesday at noon Eastern to review your swing videos, answer questions and offer up tips to lower your score.

Thanks for all the great questions and videos. I think we are all getting the hang of this. I am sorry for not getting back to everyone, we ran out of time. Get those questions in early next week! Remember that if you post your video to You Tube I will move you to the top of the order.

Noah asks at 12:55:

Hi Brady -
I really enjoy reading your swing help columns.
I am a right handed golfer who gets narrow and across the line at the top. I come down a little over the top, but my ball flight starts out high and to the right and then hooks left, especially with the short irons. I also tend to hit shots fat and my hips move in towards the ball way too much coming down. I feel cramped and feel my left side is in the way coming into impact. Any drills/swing thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

Thanks for the kind words about the column.

This really sounds like a set-up issue to me Noah. We need to get your body in a position that will help you maintain your freedom during the swing. Your stance needs to be more athletic. Get the weight over the balls of your feet and out of your heels. If you start in your heels you will move to your toes during the swing, making you feel jammed at imapct. This can cause the fat shots you describe, in addition to miss-hits including shanks.

The high hooks you describe are the result of the poor club position at the top of the swing. To get the club out of the across the line position, you need to understand the proper left arm rotation at the top. Stick with me for a second and I will explain. If you extend your left arm in front of you with your thumb pointing up in the air, you are at the starting spot. Rotate your ENTIRE left arm so the thumb is pointing to the right. You have now rotated the arm the proper amount for the top of the swing. If your left arm hasn't rotated correctly, the club will go across at the top and you will feel very cramped and jammed. Practice the proper motion without a club for a while. Put various objects in your left hand during the day and work on the rotation. Cell phones, sunblock, remote controls, etc. will all work. Once you get the hang of it, this must be practiced and looked at in a mirror with a club in your hands to get the feel. This is the cure for your across the line position at the top and the feeling of a lack of width.

Aaron Mann asks at 12:45:

Brady-
I have been battling an out to in downswing path over the last few months. I think that I am starting the downswing with my upper body first, however I'm not quite sure how to do it with my lower body first. Do you have any drills that would help me start the downswing with my lower body first/swing from the inside? I am also struggling getting a full shoulder turn. Do you have any exercises that would help me achieve a better turn?
Thanks!

Aaron, the good news is you aren't alone. If you have read this blog at all over the last couple of months you have seen this question asks repeatedly. The good news is I don't get tired of answering it. Your brain must be changed first. You need to BELIEVE that the club must attack the ball from an angle, not from directly behind, and the clubface MUST be "closing" to the ball, not staying square as it approaches. If you can drink this Kool-Aid you have a chance.

Start with a better turn by allowing your hips to rotate more going back. This will get your hands and club further behind you at the top making it easier to get "inside" coming down. The best way to feel this is to try to "MOON" the target going back. As you come down, try to attack the INSIDE/BACK quadrant of the ball with the clubface closing. This will make you feel like the ball is going fifty yards to the right, it won't . Through impact get the toe of the club pointing at the target as soon as possible. The combination of the proper hip turn, better swing path and correct face rotation will eliminate the over the top. Don't worry about what starts first, the angle of the dangle or anything else. Stay orgainized with your thinking and you will be on your way.

Ask the Top 100 Live: Eddie Merrins answers your swing questions

Eddie Merrins, aka the Little Pro, will be online at noon Eastern to answer your golf instruction and swing questions live. Learn from a legend who played against Sam Snead, Byron Nelson and Arnold Palmer, and has taught pros like Bob May and Duffy Waldorf and celebs like Jack Nicholson and Tom Brady. Leave your question in the comments section below and the Little Pro will give you the answer.