Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs stopped by on Tuesday at noon EST to answer your swing questions and analyze your swing videos. If you missed Brady, be sure to check back next week for an all-new edition.

Thanks to everyone for your questions and comments. Sorry I couldn't get to all the questions. Please check back in next week.....

Nate asks at 1:15:

Without using video or a mirror, how can I be sure that I am standing the proper distance away from the ball at address? Should my arms feel loose and heavy like they are hanging from my shoulders?

I've been working on getting somewhat closer to the ball, which seems to get me in a better position at the top (clubface neutral instead of shut and arms a little more vertical and "on plane"), but I feel a little crowded in the downswing, like my arms don't have quite enough room to swing freely due to my hips being in the way.

Some of pros whose swings I most admire (Adam Scott, Ernie Els, Charl Schwartzel) look like they set-up pretty close to the ball and it seems to be working out pretty well for them :) Any insight you could offer into this facet of the address position and how it affects the swing would be greatly appreciated.

This is a very good question, Nate. Yes, your arms should hang down and not out away too far from the body at address. You lose leverage, power, and consistency if your arms are too far from your body. Unfortunately, you can also get too close to the point where you have no room for your arms through impact. You should be able to draw a vertical line straight down from the butt end of the grip to the front of your toes at address. This is the standard distance most good players use, but it can vary a little from player to player. To get there without a mirror or video is more difficult but not impossible. Your eyes can give you a good idea where you are. The other issue you need to consider is that you are the proper distance from the ball at address but are closing in on the target line during the downswing. Getting closer to the ball as you swing will give you the feeling of being jammed. Make sure wherever you start, your weight is toward the balls of your feet at address and works toward your right heel going back and left heel going through. This will give you more room at impact. Send in the swing if you get a chance…

Benjamin asks at 1:05:

Hey Brady: Is there anyway you can get a video of Tiger's tee shot on 18 in the final round of the Chevron from behind? It was a mammoth, 3-iron stinger that appeared to get no more than 20 feet off the ground, but it's tough to appreciate the shot from the camera angle that NBC used. We know there was a camera directly behind Tiger (that's what NBC showed as Tiger was addressing the ball), but NBC then switched to the in-the-air/high-above camera.

If you could get that video, it would be great to hear you walk us through how he hit that shot (farther than Zach Johnson hit his driver, incidentally).

Let me work on that for you, Benjamin. I agree about the shot, love to see him hitting the stinger again. As I have said for years he had a weapon that was lethal and set him apart from the field. It should have never been taken away from him. It would be like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar not using his patented “Sky-hook." 

Steve asks at 12:45:

I'd like to get your opinion on "connection" between the arms and the body during the golf swing. I have read some stuff by Jimmy Ballard and Rocco Mediate talking about left arm (for right-handed player) connection throughout the golf swing helping to keep an "in" to "in" swing. I do practice keeping a towel under my left armpit throughout the entire swing. But what about the right arm? How connected should that be in a more rotational modern golf swing?

When I first started researching the golf swing, my opinion of Jimmy Ballard’s swing theory wasn’t nearly as high as it is today. I think his description of the similarity between the golf swing and a baseball swing being identical is fairly true. While I think the upper left arm should remain “connected” to the chest during the takeaway and backswing and increase in “squeeze” through impact, I also believe the arm should “blow off” the chest as both arms become straight after impact. In other words, the towel under the armpit can fall after release and into the finish. The right arm is another matter entirely. The left arm can drift up the chest at the top of the swing; the right arm can completely disconnect and “fly” off the body at the top. There are Major Champions with the right arm all over the place: from pinned to the side of the body to flying up in the air. There is no “have to” with the right arm going back, but it should be in front of the right hip approaching impact regardless of where it was at the top. My advice to all my players is to spend less time worrying about where the club and arms are going up and focus instead on how the club is working down through impact. 

David asks at 12:30:

good day brady...if you feel like doing so and have a current video of tiger, would you analyze what you like/dislike about the swing changes that you see now. thanks!!

I have been watching. There are two things I really like about what he’s doing. The length of the swing with the driver is significantly shorter than it used to be. It hasn’t gotten quite as compact as it was with Butch, but it is much better. As a result, his hips aren’t running away from his arms on the downswing like they do when his swing is longer. This makes Tiger's swing more in sync and much more consistent. The second positive is that he seems to be hitting shots and playing golf again instead of obsessing about the backswing. I see more of a focus on the forward portion of the swing rather than the swing from set-up to the top. This is a great sign that he is moving in the right direction.

Jonathan Schauer asks at 12:18:

Brady, please help me! I want to know how you bump wedge and stop it on a dime like we see the Tour pros doing. I can put spin on the ball with a full swing, but on 10-30 yard chip shots I just can't spin it at all. I dont want to change the ball I play because my swing speed is 118 mph and I play titleist ProV1x's, so a softer ball would only cause me to lose distance, right?

Hitting the one-bounce-and-check shot with a wedge requires several factors coming together. The grooves on the wedge and the type of ball you are playing are factors in the equation. Make sure the grooves are cleaned out and that your wedges are relatively new. An old, beat-up wedge won’t get the job done. If your equipment is good, this shot requires a slightly open clubface and slight acceleration through impact. “Striking of a match” is a good feel for how the impact works to impart spin on the ball. Keep in mind that this shot is very difficult to hit and you can control the roll out on your pitches easier with trajectory control instead of spin. 

Michael asks at 12:00:

I am having trouble pulling my short irons (8-wedges). I am making solid contact but the ball flight is starting left of my target and draws most of the time.

This is most likely a clubface issue. When the face is closed and the path is fairly neutral, the ball will start left and curve further left. The cause of the closed face can be anything from a grip that is too strong, a left wrist that is bowed at the top, or an over-rotation of the clubface through impact. The fact that you are hitting it solid suggests it is most likely the grip or the wrist at the top. I would suggest you check your hands at address and make sure the grip is neutral. At the top, try to “feel” like your left thumb is sitting under the handle and supporting the weight of the club. This will maintain the small amount of bend present in your left wrist at address and keep the clubface from becoming hooded at the top. Let me know how it works and send in some video so I can be more specific to your swing. 

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs stopped by on Tuesday at noon EST to answer your swing questions and analyze your swing videos. If you missed Brady, be sure to check back next Tuesday for an all-new edition.

Thank you for participating is this weeks blog. I will see everyone next week. Enjoy your holiday.....

Luke asks at 2:00:

Wish I had video but think my question won't need it. On the downswing, I have been focusing on firing my right hip to start the downswing. Unfortunately, when I do this, I feel I am turning my right hip closer to the ball and this is making me come over the top.

Would it make more sense to start the downswing with a focus on turning the left hip and pulling it away from the target and allowing the right hip to stay the same distance away from the ball at address?

I have been trying to watch youtube videos of the pros and try to figure this out but have not had much luck. Love the blog. Thanks for your help!

Thanks for the question Luke. Before there is any rotation on the downswing there should be some lateral motion. If the first move down is rotation it is likely you will come over the top. Unlike your shoulders your hips can’t work independently of each-other. When one hip moves, so will the other. Determining which hip you focus on is up to you. I will tell you that driving your right down and around is a thought that has worked for me over the years. However, make sure you get enough lateral motion first or you will not be happy with the results.

Rick asks at 1:30:

I have had problems with my hip turn on the downswing. I tend to swing the club to the top, but my hips will move towards the ball, creating a very bad impact. I play off a 6 handicap, but I know I would be more consistent with a better impact.

If I am understanding you correctly your hips and tush work in towards the ball at impact closing down the space that was present at address. This is a very common problem even among good players. The first step is to check your address position. Make sure your weight is starting towards the front of your shoes in the balls of your feet. If the weight starts in your heels you will search for balance in your swing by pushing your weight towards your toes. This will take your hips towards the ball and create a lack of space for your arms as you attack on the downswing. With the weight already towards the balls of your feet at address there is no need to move closer to the ball to find balance. Your weight can work into the back heel during the backswing keeping enough space from the ball for your right arm to work down in front of you.

Dave asks at 1:05:

hello Brady...thanks for all the help. quick question regarding release: what role do the forearms play in the release of the club and what time during the downswing does the release occur? and the same question related to putting?

I wish I had a few hours to answer this question. Let’s start with putting. The release of the putter and the action of the forearms has everything to do with the style of putting used. If you are a “blocker” like Mickelson used to be there is little to know release of the putter through impact. The face stays very square to the plane and putter shaft remains vertical to the ground after impact. There is absolutely no rotation in the forearms during impact and into the finish. On the other hand if you are a player who likes to “release” the putter head during the stroke everything changes. The putter passes your hands after impact, the stroke has more arc in it, the putter face rotates along the arc and the forearms have a proportionally amount of rotation to them. It all depends upon the style of stroke.

The full swing is much more complicated. When dealing with the release you have more factors to account for. The strength or weakness in their position on the grip, the clubface position during the swing (open or closed), the desired ballflight of the shot, the amount and timing of the body rotation during impact, the trajectory of the shot, the angle of attack, the path, etc. With so many elements needing to be accounted for it is easy to see how difficult it is to answer your question. Yes, the forearms play a role in the release of the club, but when and how much depends upon a great many factors.

Nick asks at 12:45:

I was wondering how much time do you spend working on shotmaking with your students (draws, fades, low push fades, high draws etc.)? I see a lot of pros at the tournaments mostly hitting their stock shot. For example, I've never never seen guys like Jonathan Byrd or Charles Howell III hit any other shot besides their draw shots. Even Mcilroy or Mcdowell also fall into this list of mostly hitting their high draws. Are most tour level greens and fairways designed so that folks can get away with hitting one type of shot? Are the distances that the pros are hitting from the tee that far so that they can essentially flyover the slight dogleg holes instead of shaping the ball to match the fairway design (pull fades on those dog leg rights)? I guess the final point is do you think that shaping the ball has lost its importance in golf due to the new tech and the marketing focus on distance rather than control?

I think you have touched on some very interesting points Nick. Power and technology have changed the game sufficiently enough over the last decade or so that working the ball is a lost art. The last player who played a game of precision, control and true shotmaking that won major championships was Nick Faldo. Those days are long gone. I still work with my players on hitting shots instead of just making swings. While the need for those shots has decreased, the information and knowledge about the swing gained from learning how to hit them is invaluable.

Matt asks at 12:30:

As always thanks for you analysis and insight. I have a question about flighting wedges. I tend to hit my wedges straight up in the air. I get good distance and they will hold greens but this is more so to trajectory than it is to spin. This becomes particularly troublesome in the wind. I was wondering if you could offer some insights into ways to control the trajectory of wedge shots as I would like to be able to have more options on how to attack greens with my wedge game.

Trajectory control is critical to creating opportunities for birdies with the wedges. There are several simple adjustments that will help you flight the ball lower. In address push the ball back in the stance and start with a little more weight on the front foot. This adjustment will lower the ball flight by itself but can be problematic if you don’t adjust for the steeper angle of attack it will create. Try to picture the shot taking off in a long banquet hall and never hitting the ceiling. The backswing will be a bit shorter with the weight forward by the key is attacking more from the inside while your right shoulder stays HIGHER through impact. That may sound confusing by the more inside attack is critical with the change in address position and the right shoulder needs to “stay on top” of the ball as you come through impact. This will prevent the clubhead from passing your hands and create the lower trajectory you are looking for. The finish will be a bit shorter proportionally than the backswing which is fine. Make sure you keep your right shoulder going through impact and you will hit the more penetrating wedge shot you are looking for.

Tiger Woods played great in his clinching singles match against Aaron Baddeley at last week’s Presidents Cup. He played so great that it’s tempting to pronounce that Tiger has returned from his slump and will soon retake his rightful place as the world’s No. 1 golfer. However, we just don’t have enough evidence to say that yet.

Don’t get me wrong. Tiger is going in the right direction. He played well on a difficult Royal Melbourne course, and except for one round he was excellent at the Australian Open the week before. I’ve been hearing that he’s been having a lot of 36-hole and 54-hole practice days, and that’s just what he needs to get in tournament form. If Tiger is healthy and playing often, he’ll be good with whatever swing he uses -- he can’t help it -- but we shouldn’t read too much into how Tiger played at the Presidents Cup and the Australian Open.

The first reason is that the Presidents Cup is a match-play event. Remember how he dusted Francesco Molinari at the 2010 Ryder Cup? That didn’t mark the beginning of Tiger’s comeback. In fact, things got worse the following year. If I were picking someone to play one match, I’d choose Tiger 100 times before I picked another guy. With his six USGA amateur match-play titles (three U.S. Junior Amateurs and three U.S. Amateurs), he might be the best match-play golfer in history. In match play, Tiger is always going to find a way to compete no matter how he’s striking the ball.

The other reason not to overreact to Tiger’s play in Australia is that the tournaments weren’t that important. Let’s be honest. The Presidents Cup is nothing like the Ryder Cup, which inspires so much passion and bad blood. The Presidents Cup is exactly what it was intended to be, an exhibition of sportsmanship to promote the game globally. That’s admirable, but as a gauge of where Tiger’s game is, the Presidents Cup is pretty meaningless.

We all know that Tiger keeps score with major championships, and until we see him execute his new swing under major pressure, we won’t know if the changes have worked. The true test is whether he can rely on his swing under the pressure of a major on Sunday. Sure, he looks a lot more comfortable with his swing changes now, but they haven’t been tested by fire yet. I don’t think we can make any judgments based on a couple of decent rounds in Australia.

If you’re a Tiger fan like I am, there were reasons for optimism last week. For one, he looked healthy and he was moving around the course better. I thought his short game looked better. The putting wasn’t totally there -- I saw him miss an important putt low that he would have made a much better run at before -- but these things will come in time. He also looks like he’s having fun. It was telling to see Tiger and Mickelson yukking it up. In the past, Tiger wouldn’t let his guard down like that, at least not publicly. It’s nice to see Tiger animated and enjoying the team camaraderie.

So when will we know if Tiger is back? Everything we know about Tiger tells us he’s focused on April 2012. It ought to be fun to watch. Everybody loves a comeback story, but this one hasn’t really started yet.

(Photo: Brandon Malone/Reuters)

This column originally appeared in Golf Magazine's weekly Front9 app. To keep up with the latest golf news, get great tips from the Top 100 Teachers in America, and weekly Rules Guy columns, download the Front9 app at the Apple iTunes store. A lifetime subscription is $2.99.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs stopped by on Tuesday at noon EST to answer your swing questions and analyze your swing videos. If you missed Brady, be sure to check back next Tuesday for an all-new edition. Leave your questions in the comments section below.

Thanks to everyone for following Ask Brady Live! Get those video cameras and smart phones out and send me some swings to analyze next week. See you then...

Jim asks at 1:50:

Love the blog and read it weekly. You really give great advice to people.
I don't have a video to post but my play last year I really lost my lag and even on good contact didn't take a divot. All my shots were sky high including the driver. It was very easy to thin the ball. I would hit the ball straight or block it. Any tips to fix this?

Thanks for the kind words about the blog. High and thin is usually very straight forward. Try to get more of you over your front foot at impact. When your upper body hangs back behind the ball the bottom of your arc will be there as well. This means any divot you take will be before contact and in most cases the club will be traveling more up during impact. This will produce thin shots and increase the loft on all of your clubs forcing the shots up in the air. When the body moves over the front foot correctly during the downswing the bottom of the arc will be in front of the ball with the hands leading the clubshaft. The divot will be taken out in front with the club descending into impact. The ball flight will come down and it will go much farther. Give it a try and I am sure you will get the results you are looking for.

Casey asks at 1:15:

I saw comments were a little light so I wanted to post again. I have an update video of my swing and was hoping to get your thoughts. I think my back swing plane improved in this but I wanted to know what your think and also if you could offer any suggestions on how to practice so I can actually keep this backswing (assuming its good enough). I often make changes that are good in my swing but it is really tough to get them to stick. (ps, what I usually am doing with my hands after a shot are signals so I know how I hit it). Thank you!

Also, any chance I could you would comment on what Tiger is doing in his swing? I remember you thought it wasn't the right move for him originally I am just curious if you think its headed in a better direction now?

Glad you sent in the improvements Casey, it does look better. I have to know, does that belt really match the shirt? That may be a little too coordinated…..just saying.

I am glad you sent in the face on view because it offered some insight into what I thought I was seeing down the line. After seeing your grip from the face on view it makes sense why the clubface appears to be a bit open on the downswing. I would like to see your left hand get in a bit stronger position at address. I can see way too much of your left thumb on the forward side of the handle at address. It should be positioned more on top and to the trailing side to facilitate a more square clubface position during the swing. I agree with you that the shape of your backswing is quite good right now. There is room for improvement on the downswing when it comes to the clubface position that is currently open and a slightly steeper angle of attack than I would like to see. As you continue to progress as a technician your head can do a better job of moving out with the contact of the ball during impact and into the finish. In my opinion, your head stay down too long making your arms track around you too much as you work towards the finish. Let your eyes follow the ball out and you will see more consistency in the strike at impact and improve your long-term physical health.

Except for the belt I really like what you are doing.

Brett asks at 1:15:

I have an odd situation. I just turned 40 and am playing better than I ever have. Not complaining about that--I'm shooting two or three over on 9-hole rounds with my son. And I shot a 79 three weeks ago.

The problem is, the more I play, the worse my game gets. I now play once a month (if I'm lucky) and never go to the range. I used to play weekly and practice three or four times a week. What gives?

Maybe I am older and wiser? I do know that I spend time thinking about a good golf swing instead of banging balls.

Chances are you are tinkering less and playing the game more. I have had a similar experience in my own game. As a teacher and a student of the game you can only imagine how many times I have changed my swing. Over the last few years I have left it alone for various reasons from a lack of time, injury, etc. As a result my consistency has never been better and my focus is on playing the game instead of getting lost in my swing. It sounds like you are having the same experience.

A mentor of mine used to say he just needed to keep things oiled up instead of working at it too hard. Once the mechanical aspects of your golf swing are good and you trust your technique you SHOULD focus more on the actual playing of the game. You are getting older and wiser to be sure, but chances are you have a pretty solid swing that just needs to be oiled up occasionally.

Jim asks at 12:55:

As always, thank you so much for sharing your valuable time and insight with all of us each week, this information is so very helpful!

I have been working the past year, trying to gain a more upright swing plane. Previously, my path has been very flat, that came down deeply from the inside, creating large sweeping draws (averaging 30 yards with my driver) but no divot after the ball. Here are two videos, a front view and a down the line view - I would be grateful for any thoughts you have, as I continue striving to improve this swing plane. Currently I am trying to get my arms a little higher at the top.
Thanks!

Jim

Thanks for sending in the videos Jim. I have a couple thoughts for you about the swing. I agree that if you got your arms and thus the club up a bit higher at the top of the backswing you will have the potential for more power. However, there is no guarantee that it will be easier for you to attack on plane and bottom out in front of the ball with the irons with the club higher. The issue for you is the reroute in the transition to an angle that is below plane. This can happen with a shorter, flatter backswing or a longer more upright backswing. To improve the angle of attack you need to get your body open to the target much earlier in the downswing. When your trunk rotates back around to the target your shoulders will pull your arms and hands out towards the target line. This moves the club out to the plane and prevents it from dropping too far to the inside. Think of your left shoulder and left knee ad the leaders of the downswing and have them rotate back to the target as soon as possible. The height and length of the backswing is important but it won’t get you on plane by itself. Get the body rotating sooner and the club will track much better into the ball.

Ben asks at 12:35:

I wrote in a few weeks ago and I know you advised that changing this swing (DTL):

(Face On):

to something more on plane would be difficult but I have no problem commiting to that. I would like to keep my hands and club handle more in front of me throughout the swing - from face on I would like to see my hands away from my head instead of so deep, but I am having trouble getting the movement down. I know to shorten the swing I can begin the downswing sooner, but I think other issues need to be addressed before I can call that a fix. Can I accomplish what I want by turning my shoulders on a steeper angle? If so, is the feeling I need to go more "up" to the sky with my right shoulder and down with my left during the takeaway? And then at halfway back go more up and under my chest with the left arm? If not what would you recommend?

Is there a certain amount of elevation with the arms that needs to occur to keep the club more in front? Thanks so much for your guidance.

Thanks for sending the video. I agree with almost everything you are trying to do with the swing. I agree that your arms get too deep too early. I think the face is a bit closed and I would like to see you maintain a bit more bend in the left wrist going back as it will help the face and get the shaft working more upright. I agree that your shoulders are too flat going back, the thoughts you have to fix it are very effective. A couple of great models for you to follow would be Darren Clarke and Nick Faldo. In both of their swings the club works up in front of them with the shaft more vertical and the left wrist in a neutral position. I think you are on the right track, hit the books and study.

Lars asks at 12:00:

Can you please give me an advice for my swing. What can I improve to become a better player. My bad shots are push hooks . (Driver) Is my club at the top to much across the line, or even to closed at the top?

Thank you in advance.

kind regards
lars
>

Thanks for sending in the videos Lars. If you looked at a static picture of yourself at the top of the backswing it would be hard to define it as across the line. With that said, I still agree with you. The thing static pictures can’t show you is the momentum of where the club is going from frame to frame. When you watch the top of the swing in the first video you can see how the club continues to work closer to your head as it is finishing the backswing. The second clip would do the exact same thing had you not shortened the length going back. The real issue here is the fact that your club need to fall more parallel to the target line as it finishes going to the top instead of working towards your head. It is likely that this only gets worse as you use the Driver. The problem with the momentum working in this direction is it causes the transition to be steep. This is seen in your picture as your hands are slightly lower than your right shoulder coming down. When the club is steep in this frame you have to drop the club behind you as you approach the delivery position (hands around hip high). This drop to the inside is critical to saving the shot. The problem with it is the club can end up attacking excessively from inside with the driver leading to blocks and hooks. I would like to see you try to work the club more behind you as it approaches the top so it falls parallel to the target line instead of across towards your head. When you do this the shaft will point at or outside the ball in the transition picture as opposed to where you are in this picture.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs was online Tuesday to answer your swing questions. If you have a question for Brady, take a video of your swing, upload it to YouTube and send him a link to it next Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern time at Golf.com.

Thanks to everyone for your participation today. See you next week!!

Isaac asks at 1:30:

Hey Brady, I've been following the blog for a while and am a big fan. I have been struggling with blocks out to the right and hooks if I try to save the shot with my hands. I believe this is happening because my downswing is too far underplane/shallow. Do you have any drills or tips to help make a more on-plane downswing? Thanks so much for your help.

Glad you enjoy the blog. It is very possible that you are below plane and that is contributing to the blocks. The other thing you need to check is if you have slid too far toward the target at impact. If your hips and/or your head get out too far past their original position at impact you will really struggle with the blocks. While this is a major issue in and of itself, it will also prevent the club from getting up onto the proper plane coming into impact and keep it pinned under the plane. The key here is to get your hips rotating open instead of sliding toward the target. This should help your head stay back behind its original position until after the ball has been hit. The earlier rotation of your hips will encourage your upper body to rotate around to the target as well, forcing the club more out in front of you and more up onto the proper angle coming down.

Vince asks at 1:05:

What are some drills I can do to improve my impact position?

First read the response I gave earlier in the blog about hitting from wet turf and the specifics of impact. The way to make this better is through a series of small swings. You should begin by taking your normal address position and then pose your impact position without making a backswing. When you are there you should notice that your left wrist is flat, right wrist bent backwards, the handle should be ahead of the clubhead, weight on your front foot, right heel lifted slightly. From this “impact position” make a short backswing and try to hit the ball about 20 yards getting back to your posed position. When you are effective at this, you can modify it by starting at normal address, posing impact, then going back to normal address and hitting another very short shot about 20 yards getting back to your posed impact position. The swing will continue a bit past impact, usually about as far as you took it back. The swing should continue to grow in both length and speed until you are achieving a similar impact position to your original posed start. When things get sloppy as you get bigger, which is inevitable, go back down a notch in speed and length to where you are successful. This is the ONLY way to make the impact alignments better. Start slow and short, work on the specifics, and get bigger slowly.

Barrett asks at 12:45:

I am looking to get more hip turn in my swing, a la Snead. Any suggestions?

I think that more hip turn is generally a very good idea for all but the most flexible players. It is amazing how many people, instructors included, still believe it is more powerful to prevent the hips from turning back and crank the shoulders against them. This is completely ineffective for the vast majority of players as they are unable to get enough rotation with the shoulders without some help from the hips. I remember Nick Faldo talking about why he was playing so well at the U.S. Open when it was held at Bethpage Black. The course was the longest in the history of the Open, which made his performance all the more unexpected. He said he was allowing his hips to rotate much more freely going back, as he was unable to create enough power when he restricted their turn. This was an adjustment he made as he got older, but was he was still in significantly better shape the most of us are. You can flare both of your feet slightly open at address. This is an excellent way of encouraging more hip rotation. The in-swing adjustment is to try to show the target your tush at the top of the backswing. When combined with the flare of your back foot you will get the turn you need.

Dave asks at 12:30:

Hi Brady. I live in the great northeast and the golf season is (sadly) winding down rapidly. What exercises, stretches, drills do you recommend to improve my game during the winter and so that I'm ready to go when the spring rolls around?

Hopefully you have the opportunity to practice indoors during the winter months. If this is the case, you should view this time of year as the best chance for you to improve the technical aspects of your game. With little or no concern for where the ball is going, it is much easier to focus on the specific elements of your swing that need improvement. This should always be done with a professional instructor either in person or by sending video to him/her of your swing and asking for direction. In terms of exercises and stretches, there are several places you can turn for direction. I send my players to a golf specific biomechanical expert at Fit2Peak Golf. Check out his website or find him via facebook. He is fantastic.

Dan asks at 12:00:

What adjustments do you make for wet conditions? I tend to hit fat when the ground is wet. I think that reveals that I'm not hitting the ball first, so I'm working on that. Do you have any tips or drills to help with that? Also, when the ground is pretty wet, do you adjust to intentionally hit a bit thin? Or any other adjustments? Is there a difference in adjustments between the long clubs and short clubs?

I would agree with you that you aren’t hitting the ball first. When the ground is wet ,you shouldn’t be making any specific adjustments to your swing. If you are swinging properly the wet conditions shouldn’t have too significant of an effect on the shots. However, wet rough can make it very difficult for the club to get through the grass, taking some distance off the shots. There are some that would say the small amount of water between the ball and club can make the ball jump from the fairway, but I’m not a believer because the purpose of the grooves on the clubface takes care of that.

To get the ball hit before the ground there must be 2 specific elements. First, the shaft must be leaning forward at impact, as it creates the proper amount of down to the strike. If the clubhead passes your hands before impact, there is no way for you to go ball then turf. The second element isn’t critical to hitting the ball first, but it must be combined with it to avoid coming in too steep at impact. The club must be attacking the inside/back portion of the ball. Without this critical element, the club will be off the proper track and the contact will be dreadful. The reason my mortgage is paid from teaching every month is because many people don’t understand that the club can’t come into the ball from directly behind it with the face square. It must come into the inside/back portion of the ball with the face closing.

Last week I thought a healthy and rested Tiger Woods might do something special at the Frys.com Open at CordeValle. In the end, Tiger probably gets a C+ or B- for his T30 finish, nothing that will get his fans or his doubters too encouraged. He was a little erratic, which is not surprising considering he hadn't played a competitive round since August.

Every time Tiger doesn't play well he blames his putting, but a look at the stats tells another story. His putting was fine -- he was in ninth in putting average -- but the rest of his game was pretty blah. Twenty-second in driving distance isn't great against that field. He didn't hit a ton of greens (43rd in greens in regulation), and outside of his putting his short game was iffy at best (50th in scrambling from the rough; 62nd in sand-save percentage).

I'm sure the most important thing for Tiger was that he felt healthy, but it's amazing how much we've lowered our expectations. Think about it for a minute. Tiger Woods just finished 30th in a Fall Series event, and we think that's pretty good. Even he appears pleased about it. Two years ago, that would have been unthinkable. Tiger used to look at second place like a set of steak knives, and now he's happy with playing a little better every day. He's just not the same guy he used to be, which is why he can't keep playing the schedule he used to play.

We can argue all day about swing theory and Sean Foley vs. Hank Haney vs. Butch Harmon, but no one could seriously say that Tiger doesn't need to play more. Tiger talks about his need for "reps," but except for the Frys.com Open he's not inclined to add any more tournaments to his schedule. It's inexplicable. If you need the reps, then play. He's in desperate need of tournament experience, but he still wants to keep the boutique schedule he maintained when he was on top of the game. Play Disney. Play every event you can. The truth is that Tiger needs his competitive edge back, and he's not going to find it at his private club or his backyard practice course.

I teach a lot of junior golfers, and they all go through a process. First, they shoot in the 80s, then the 70s, then they start breaking par, and then I'll get a call, "I'm in the lead, Brady." We all know what happens next: they fall on their face and shoot 78. Everybody does, because it takes time to learn how to play under pressure and how to win. I'm not sure Tiger remembers how to do that anymore. He needs to build himself back. He needs to feel what it's like to get in contention, to sleep with the lead and to play under pressure on Sunday. He's acting like he can just show up at Augusta in April and do all those things again, but he won't be able to unless he's replicated all those experiences in competition. Just imagine what the buzz will be like around Tiger the next time he's leading a major. He needs to get reacquainted with that feeling, but he's not playing enough to be sharp enough to win major championships right now.

One thing that was made very clear last week is how important Tiger is to our game. I work at a public course in Southern California, and we're hurting. We used to have two- or three-hour delays, and now hardly anybody is here hitting balls. Our rounds are down 40 percent. I know it's mostly due to the economy, but when Tiger is playing you can feel the increase in interest. It's palpable. I mean, someone throws a hot dog at him and it's bigger news than Keegan Bradley winning the PGA Championship. Tiger gets people excited about golf, and that's why almost everybody in the game is pulling for his comeback. In many cases our livelihoods depend on it.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs is director of instruction at Woodley Lakes Golf Club in Van Nuys, Calif.

This story originally appeared in the Golf Magazine Front9 App. To download the weekly app, visit the Apple iTunes store.

(Photo: Robert Galbraith/Reuters)

Tiger Woods returns to the PGA Tour this week and for once it’s not a moment too soon.

In the last couple years, Tiger has been repeatedly sidelined by scandal, injuries, marital problems -- we all know the list -- and each time he returned it felt like he was rushing back from something. The 2010 Masters. The 2011 Players Championship. The 2011 PGA Championship. When he returns this week at the Frys.com Open at CordeValle in Northern California, he’ll be coming back on his own timetable.

The dust has finally settled, and I expect Tiger to play well. Everything points toward a good week for Tiger. He’s now had plenty of time to work with new swing coach Sean Foley. If it’s going to work with Foley, then we should start to see it this week. I know it was only a practice round, but that 62 he shot last week at Medalist is a auspicious. The caddie change is good for him too. His relationship with Steve Williams obviously had gotten stale, and Joe LaCava, an experienced caddie whom Tiger knows and respects, is the perfect replacement.

The venue is a great place for him as well. No disrespect to the Frys.com Open, but Tiger won’t have to deal with the pressure of a major this week. Nor will he dominate the media coverage. This isn’t northern Wisconsin; the Bay Area has a lot of other things going on. Tiger should be swinging more comfortably than he has in a long time.

I’ll be watching three things extra-closely this week that should show if Tiger’s on the right path.

1. His driver: I want to see him going at the ball hard and not losing tee shots to the right

2. His health: He should be as healthy as he’s ever going to be. He turns 36 this December -- can you believe that? -- and it never gets any easier coming back from injury. Basically, he’s learning to deal with things that basically hurt all the time.

3. His short game: If he’s going to come back, it’s crucial he look comfortable on and around the greens. We always talk about Phil Mickelson’s brilliance in the short game -- and Mickelson is spectacular -- but when Tiger is on his game no one comes close to his chipping and pitching.

I’m not predicting a win. There’s going to be some rust -- how could there not be -- but I expect him to play well, as well as we’ve seen in a long time. (The Masters is a special case because he’ll always be able to compete on that course.) He’s going to hit some loose shots -- that’s inevitable with a hard swing. The important thing is that he misses correctly. At the height of his game, Tiger could make birdies and pars with his short game from places no one thought possible. His problem this year is that he’s been missing in the wrong places, places where he couldn’t recover from.

It is strange to see Tiger at a Fall Series event. In a lot of ways, it feels like 1996 all over again. His critics in the media and the public aren’t giving him a free pass anymore. Tiger knows a lot of people are writing him off, and I think he feels he has a lot to prove. Even I’ve been skeptical based on what I saw earlier in the year. But this is the perfect scenario: new swing, new caddie, easy tournament. He’s going out there to get his game back. Those of us who’ve watched him since his junior golf days want to see signs that he’s going in the right direction and some flashes of the old Tiger Woods. I don’t want to see him hitting houses, making poor chips, and missing four-footers. If that happens again, it’s time to start really worrying.

[Photo credit: Rainier Ehrhardt/The Augusta Chronicle/ZUMAPRESS.com]

This story originally appeared in the Golf Magazine Front9 App. To download the weekly app, visit the Apple iTunes store.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs was online Tuesday at noon Eastern to answer your swing questions and analyze your swing videos. He'll be back on Golf.com next Tuesday at noon. Take your videos and upload then to YouTube for Brady's analysis next week!

Jim asks at 1:00:

Thank you for sharing your time and insights to help us improve our games! I am working very hard on integrating a more "upright" swing plane and this video shows my progress. Before making this change, my plane was much flatter and my arms were barely past my shoulders, and I hit sweeping draws. From this new position I am am struggling for a correct downswing plane. I would be grateful for any advice.......Thank you!!!!!!

Thank you for following the blog. I always look forward to Tuesday morning. The thing you need to determine at this point is if the club is attacking on the same excessively inside angle it was before when you were hitting the sweeping draws or if you have overcorrected and are now coming down too steep. There are several indicators that can help. If you are taking a deep divot that is pointing to the left, chances are you have made the swing too steep. If there is no divot at all, it is likely you are too inside. If the ball is starting way right of the target and coming back, the path is too much from the inside and vice versa if it is going left immediately. There are times when the face position at impact can make this issue a bit confusing, but these are good indicators. When you know what the path issue is you need to work away from the problem until you have overcorrected again. This is how changing the swing works. You make too big of an adjustment one way and then bring it back until you find the middle ground. If you are fortunate enough to have video, you want to see the shaft bisect your right forearm (right-handed players) on the downswing. Here is a picture to give you a model.

If you can send in some video I will be able to give you more specific advice.

 Kevin asks at 12:30:

I have been studying tour swings for a number of years and have a question about the clubface setup of some tour players that has always perplexed me. I noticed that some do NOT setup with the ball in middle of the clubface. For example, Fuzzy Zoeller always sets up with the ball opposite the hosel, while Fred Couples does just the opposite, setting up with the ball drastically off the toe. Do you have any idea why some tour players do this? Is it to help avoid the dreaded toe and hosel strikes?

Thanks for the question, Kevin. The simple fact is that it really doesn’t matter where the club sits at address because impact and address aren’t the same. Fuzzy carried his hands very low at address which makes the toe pop up and the heel slide closer to the ball. Couples started with his hands higher than most, creating the exact opposite effect. In most cases, amateurs make these adjustments either unwittingly or to avoid a miss as you have described.

I do recommend to many of my players to sole the club so the ball is toward the toe with the driver. The reason for this is the club is elevated off the ground at impact, yet begins on the ground (for most players). When the club switches from address to impact height, it will move out away from the player, making it more likely to be the right distance from the ball if you start it on the ground and near the toe. This isn’t necessary with the irons because the club will not be airborne at impact (hopefully).

Here are a couple of pictures of Couples to help you see the differences between set-up and impact.

Stephen asks at 12:10: 

Hey Brady, my game and knowledge of the game is always improving, but one thing I've strived for is a powerful trajectory. I recently played with someone who didn't have an exceptional swing, but he had such effortless power. The ball just exploded off his clubface and he got such height on the ball. Is it a wide backswing, angle of attack, perfect release or all of them? I was in such awe watching his ball versus my own I quickly lost confidence.....probably the way others did when Tiger was dominating.

It can be intimidating to play with someone who makes it look easy. The simple answer is it isn’t that simple. The “lines” have to be good first and foremost. What this means is the clubface needs to be aligned to match the path and the release of the club. The face can be slightly open or closed, but it has to match with the path that is either neutral, slightly steep or slightly shallow with a release that is either body-driven or hands-and-arms-dominated. Confusing, isn’t it? The idea is there are many combinations of “lines” that work, but they have to work in harmony to allow for the power to be produced through the proper sequence of motion. The sequence is where you will find the power, but you can’t work on it until the lines are effective. 

Patrick asks at 12:00:

First off, thanks for the blog - it's great info and has really helped me understand the swing better. I've been struggling with the thin blocks all season and have seen my index jump from a 1.9 to a 4.0. It's especially damaging on the drives, putting me out of play once a round or so. I think my issue is getting the clubhead inside a bit a takeaway and spinning out with my hips (you can see my front foot doing goofy things on the face on view). The odd thing is, the more outside I take the cluhead the more I hook it. I am at a loss and it seems like every lesson I take I am told that the swing looks good. Help!

Face on: http://m.youtube.com/?client=mv-google#/watch?v=f8dtIh477_A

Down the line: http://m.youtube.com/?client=mv-google#/watch?v=WKJjFFjz-x8

I can’t seem to play the videos. See if you can repost them.

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs is here to answer your swing questions and analyze your swing videos. If you have a question or video for Brady, leave it in the comments section below.

Welcome to the Tuesday edition of Ask Brady Live. It was an interesting week at Firestone. Stevie got more press than Adam Scott and the story was still about Tiger and the state of his game. Let's get started....

Tim asks at 1:20:

7 iron dtl- http://youtu.be/ui4u5OmTXCg

Driver dtl- http://youtu.be/QzOJB7l3HOM

Driver face on- http://youtu.be/GFBbsQ51C9s

Brady, I was hoping you could help me out with creating more coil in my backswing and a better position with the club at the top. As you can see in my videos I have a huge shoulder turn and the club goes back farther then I’d prefer. Things that I’m currently working on are a steeper shoulder turn, keeping the cup in my left wrist throughout the backswing, and trying to keep some flex in my right knee. I’ve tried mentally shortening up my swing but this seems to make my transition quick and I just pull the crap out of the ball. Same thing happens when I try to start my transition early (as you suggest in previous posts). I watched Hunter Mahan at the WGC this weekend and I just loved his simple motion and plane and the efficiency of his swing. I would love to get into a similar backswing position as he does. I’ve noticed that halfway in my backswing I keep my right arm very tucked and in front of my body rather then letting it go to my side like most tour pros do. Thanks for your help!

You need to focus on two specific areas to improve the swing. The first is to reduce your hip turn during the backswing. The huge shoulder turn going back can be effectively reduced by limiting your hip turn. A good way for you to improve this is to try to keep your right knee in it’s address position relative to the target line as long as possible going back. This will keep your shoulders from getting out of control going back and begin the process of simplifying your motion. The second issue is to focus on finishing your backswing with the shoulders arms and club at the same time and at the same SPEED. This is critical to keeping the backswing wider and getting the club in a better position. The over-rotation of your shoulders and the run on that accompanies it with your arms is a major roadblock to your consistency. When you improve the length and width of your swing the club will begin to shallow out earlier in the transition and stop coming down so steep. The steepness in the transition position is the major concern and improving the top of the backswing is the way to get there.

Read more: http://blogs.golf.com/top100/2011/08/ask-brady-riggs-live-golf-magazine-top-100-teacher-will-fix-your-faults.html#ixzz1UeElDz5f

Jason asks at 1:05:

hey brady following up from a month ago, you told me to move my ball up in my stnace. i noticed it puts me in a more athletic stance. heres a few updated videos...

Down the line
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AYiUkxH50c&feature=related

Front view
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co-eQMzlCUw&feature=related

i had two questions, from the back view, do i need to try to get steeper going back and get the club in front of my hands? ive noticed the pros have this steeper back swing.

second, from the front do i need to get a straight line down my left arm and club shaft at adress. and should i be taking it away in more of a one piece motion?

Thanks for the videos. I agree that the takeaway needs some work. As you take the club back your hands lift up while the clubhead stays too low to the ground. This takes the club too far behind you and requires too many compensating moves the rest of the swing. I would like to see the clubhead stay outside your hands when the club reaches parallel to the ground for the first time. From the face on view I would like to see your head move back off the ball during the backswing. Your head is moving in the direction of the target which puts you in a weak position to begin your downswing. Get the takeaway more clean and improve your head motion during the backswing and you will be on your way.

Read more: http://blogs.golf.com/top100/2011/08/ask-brady-riggs-live-golf-magazine-top-100-teacher-will-fix-your-faults.html#ixzz1UeAWpxHK

Scott asks at 12:40:

Hi Brady, my sister just joined her high school golf team and could use some help with her swing. She has some problems with consistent contact. Here is some videos of her swing, any tips would be much appreciated.

FO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WncxiXIvI5E

DTL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0K892rUW7k

She is off to a good start. I think her swing is solid for a young player and can improve with a few small adjustments. I would like to see her posture and ball position improve in the address position. She needs to get more weight into the balls of her feet. This will make her back straighter and put her in a better position to move more consistently during the swing. The ball is too far back in her stance. While this may help her feel like the contact is a bit better, it forces her to lose her “lag” early on the downswing. This is a major power leak in her swing and will tend to make the contact more erratic. Here are a couple of pictures of US Amateur Champion Danielle Kang at address that would be great for her to try to emulate.

Read more: http://blogs.golf.com/top100/2011/08/ask-brady-riggs-live-golf-magazine-top-100-teacher-will-fix-your-faults.html#ixzz1Ue4eYSRD

Mike asks at 12:25:

How can I stop from "dipping" (my body) on the downswing?

In most cases “dipping” is the result of starting out too upright in the address position or standing up during the backswing. As with so many things in the golf swing you need to attack the problem beginning with the address position. Try to establish a posture that isn’t contrived and you feel is relaxed and athletic. During the backswing focus on maintaining the forward bend you created during the address and keeping your knees relaxed and slightly bent. The combination of the address position change and the relaxed backswing should go along way to preventing you from “dipping” on the downswing. The last thing you can focus on is maintaining your “level” as you begin the downswing. This means you try to keep your sternum or chest at the same height on the downswing. Give it some time and you will see an improvement in your ball striking.

Read more: http://blogs.golf.com/top100/2011/08/ask-brady-riggs-live-golf-magazine-top-100-teacher-will-fix-your-faults.html#ixzz1Ue1rp6Hn

John asks at 12:15:

what is the best kind of clubs used/new for me to buy.. im probably around a 22-25 handicap with old tommy armour 845s oversize irons.. looking to upgrade and spend like 300.. some shots tend go right for me sometimes.....

If you have $300 to spend on equipment I would look into purchasing a Driver that is fit for you rather than a set of irons. While the technology in a set of irons continues to improve there isn’t an enormous difference between a good set of irons from 10-15 years ago and those on the market right now. The driver is a completely different story. There is no comparison between the technology in today’s drivers vs those made only a few years ago. This is the club you should invest your money in as it will make a more profound impact on your game. If you have already updated your driver, there are many options out there for a set of irons. I would suggest you stay with a more generous sized clubhead and sweet-spot with some perimeter weighting and a bit of offset. This combination will help you hit it farther and give you the best chance to stay away from the right side miss.

Read more: http://blogs.golf.com/top100/2011/08/ask-brady-riggs-live-golf-magazine-top-100-teacher-will-fix-your-faults.html#ixzz1UdzloamE

Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher Brady Riggs was online Tuesday to answer swing questions and analyze swing videos. Check back next Tuesday if you have a question or video.

Welcome to the Tuesday edition of the Instruction Blog. What an amazing Masters Tournament last weekend. Feel free to leave your comments about all things related to playing the game. Let's get the blog going...

Rod asks at 6:40:

What did you think of Tiger's swing at Augusta? It seems like he's not releasing the club like he used to and his scores were somewhat inconsistent. Do you think he will eventually be better with this new swing like he says?

Tiger hit the ball better than he has in quite a while. Of course, he has hit the ball pretty bad for over a year so maybe it was about time.

Here’s a scenario for you: Imagine you had climbed to the top of the highest peak and decided you wanted to find another way up the mountain. You head down to the bottom and embark on a new journey. You hit impasses and setbacks along the way but eventually you can see the same peak you were on before from where you were standing. The problem is there are other people ahead of you on the way up and you're too beat up to make it yourself. It’s a long way around the bend to say that he can’t do it better than he did before. How many Majors would he have won had he left things alone with Butch? Or stayed with Haney? We will never know.

Tim asks at 6:20:

Casey asks at 5:50:

Thanks for all the help. Just wanted to check in with you. Here is my swing DTL and Face on:

Face-on

Down-the-line

I think I've made a lot of progress (massive credit goes to you for helping me work on the right things). Going forward, I think I need to improve my setup by getting less weight on my left side and also groove my takeaway, but I really wanted to get your suggestions for things I should be working on.

Also, I wanted to know if you have any tips for things you can do during the week when you can't make it to the range or course to practice. Any books, exercises, etc. you recommend?

Thank you very much for all the great tips.

I think the overall shape of your swing, especially from down the line, is excellent. The next area of focus for you should be to eliminate any unnecessary movement in your swing especially in the vertical direction. I would like to see you maintain your levels more throughout your golf swing. Specifically, your head is dropping down quite a bit during the swing and moving down and back during impact. If you can quiet down the body and make all of your movements more subtle you will find your ability to hit solid shots on a more consistent basis will improve. You have done a great deal of the hard work to make the swing better and you are now left with some minor details. Let me know what is happening with the misses and good shots in terms of contact and shape of shot so I can be a bit more specific.

Dave asks at 5:35:

Just got back from an awesome trip to Disney and played two of the courses there. I had an amazing time and struck the ball really well. I struggled a bit on the greens as I'm used to what we deal with here in PA. Another part I struggled and continue to struggle with is the long irons. I have a 3 hybrid which I have no problem with, but what tips can you give to making consistent contact with a 4- and 5-iron, beyond getting hybrids to replace them?

There is obviously a higher degree of difficulty when hitting the longer irons vs the hybrids. That is why so many Tour players use the hybrids. The issue with the longer irons is they expose weaknesses in your swing you may get away with when hitting the shorter irons or the driver from the tee. The simple fact is everything has to be better when hitting the longer irons. When the swing is a bit steep the shorter irons are very effective but the longer irons are very challenging. When the swing is a bit flatter the driver is very playable but the long irons become tough to hit solid. The plane must be solid, the clubface alignment and release must match up well and your weight must have moved into the front foot properly to produce the correct bottom to the arc. The idea is there are no tricks, you just need to swing the club better.  

Tripp Steinbeck asks at 5:25:

I am a dedicated reader and first-time poster. Please take a look at my videos and offer any suggestions you can think of. I am struggling with consistency with my irons and slice with my driver.

Thank you

Tripp S.
Raleigh, NC

Thanks for following the blog! You have a very common problem shared by so many avid golfers. The overall shape of your swing is a bit backwards. Your club works in behind your hands during the takeaway and never makes it back there for the rest of the swing. What comes in during the takeaway almost always comes out and over during the transition. Your arms and club are too far out away from your body during the downswing as you are tracking above the plane. This makes the club come back in and close to you during the release, killing your ability to get around to a full finish. The overall in, up and over, outside, and jammed shape of your swing needs to be reversed. If the clubhead stayed outside your hands during the takeaway and worked up more vertically the momentum of the club would want to work more behind you during the downswing. This would get the club tracking into the ball more from the inside, allowing the club to release properly and free up your arms to extend away from you after impact and up into a proper finish. Here are some pictures to help you see the difference.

Bob Hues asks at 5:13:

I am having a problem with toe hits with my irons. I am 6'2 and have adjusted my irons 2 degrees up. What could be the cause? A lot of people say an out-to-in swing or standing too far from the ball. Thanks for your help.

There are numerous reasons you can make contact with the toe of the club. The easiest is standing too far from the ball, one of the most complicated is a steep transition that is compensated for by standing up and leaning to the right during impact. If you have been on a lie board and see the lie angle is too flat, it may be that you are suffering from the steep angle of attack issue. When your spine becomes more upright through impact, your hands will lift off up and the shaft angle will become MUCH more vertical than address. This brings the toe of the club closer to you, making contact on that part of the club a near certainty. Changing the lie angle won’t fix the problem, the swing needs to improve. It may sound crazy, but a great way to shallow out your transition is to hit some drives off your knees. If you are suffering from the problem I described you won’t be able to make contact with the ball as the clubhead will hit the ground way behind the ball. If you can get the contact right off your knees, you will have fixed the shape of your downswing.

Bill asks at 5:00:

Hey Brady,
In your opinion do you think a 8-10 handicapper should replace the 3-iron with a hybrid?

The vast majority of the time I would say yes. If you look in the bags on the  Champions Tour, LPGA Tour, and more frequently the PGA Tour you will see more bags with hybrids than without. If it’s good enough for them….