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Andrew Rice Golf Blog
- Club Face Mattersby Andrew Rice on March 5, 2024 at 1:54 am
In the following video Andrew shares information on the most common fault he sees with the everyday golfer - an open or weak club face and the effect this one element can have on ball flight and striking. I have no doubt that the club face angle, in particular in the early downswing, is an integral element to playing good golf. All golfers need to get the face in place in the downswing in order to be able to make a quality strike and manage the face angle for accurate outcomes.When the club face is overly weak/open:The weight will typically stay back as the pivot stallsThe handle will be too far back at impact, resulting in high and weak shotsDistance and compression will be compromisedThe strike will almost always be picky with very little club to ground interaction post impactTrajectory will be overly high with the prevailing misses being pulls and/or fadesWhen the club face is overly strong/closed:The hips will drive forward too far in an attempt to slow down face rotationThe hands will be well forward at impact, resulting in low spinning and low flighted shotsDistance will typically not be a problemThe quality of strike will often be acceptableAppropriate height will be a challenge, especially with a longer iron and the prevailing miss will be a hot, low ball flight with a tendency towards blocks and hooks What can you do to improve? Take an honest inventory on which pattern discussed above you typically fall under. Once you have an idea, start working on improving your club face angle in the early downswing. This will most commonly be achieved with improved wrist angles, but know that the grip will also play a role. Create a game plan and set about making some long lasting changes. You can do this!!Thanks for reading and please shout if you have any questions.
- Fix Your Most Common Chipping Mistakesby Andrew Rice on December 3, 2023 at 10:37 pm
The two most common mistakes I see golfers battle with when chipping are poor pace; the club head travels in a jerky fashion or at speeds that are often too fast for the requirements of the shot and they struggle to get the club to bottom out in the correct location relative to the ball. Pace and low point! Watch the video below and then let’s check in on some of the key points… Here are a few points to take away:PaceFeel an even, ‘tick, tock” type pace as you swing the club back and forthA good practice is to hit a few simple chip shots with a 7 iron. This will give you an excellent sense of what the pace should feel likeTry to feel the transition be as passive or gentle as you can. That change of direction needs to be silky smoothLow PointThe practice rehearsals I demonstrated in the video are very important. Practice those both, away from the course and when playingFeel your weight staying forward in the backswing as this will aid you in being able to shift the low point forwardAs with anything, practice is integral to improvement. Try a few of those 7 iron shots in practice and don’t allow yourself to make a practice motion without having the intent of getting the club to bottom out of the target side of the ball.I hope these ideas prove to be helpful to you and your enjoyment out on the golf course. Thanks, as always, for your support and readership. Brett Rumford
- How to Shallow the Attack Angleby Andrew Rice on August 28, 2023 at 7:31 pm
I teach far more golfers that hit down on the ball too much more than those that don't hit down enough. If you are one of those golfers that typically takes big divots and hits a low ball flight then stay with me.... I have found this sequence to work nicely with all golfers looking to shallow their attack angle and improve the crispness of the strike. Try the following (with either irons or driver):PHASE 1 - 5 drags over the top of the ballPHASE 2 - 5 low to high pitch style shots, keeping clubhead low in the backswingPHASE 3 - 5 half speed and half size swings sensing an ascending strike (even with irons)(all shots are struck with the ball on a tee)Another drill I like to use to help golfers learn to deliver an ascending strike with the driver is what I call the Box Drill pictured below... Place an empty sleeve box between a teed golf ball and the target as indicated. The box should be approximately a grip length ahead of the ball. On a windy day it might be necessary to use tees to anchor the box in place. This is a costly addition to this drill!If you can hit shots without running the clubhead into the box then chances are that you're no longer hitting down on the ball and you should see an increase in both distance and the altitude of your tee shots. Keep in mind that as you "upgrade" your attack angle, should you have an adjustable driver, you might need to alter the loft.
- 2023 US Open Wrapby Andrew Rice on June 19, 2023 at 2:14 pm
Wyndham Clark won his first major championship on Sunday, shooting a final-round 70 to finish at 10-under-par for the tournament and hold off four-time major champion Rory McIlroy by one shot. The victory was a surprise for many, as Clark had never finished better than 75th in a major championship and had missed the cut in his previous two U.S. Opens. But Clark played steady golf all week, and hit some key shots down the stretch to hold off Rory. The difference to me was the 14th hole, where Wyndham hit a 280 yard second shot to 20 feet and Rory hit his 125 yard third shot into a bunker.LACC started the week off in controversial fashion with two players shooting major championship record tying 62’s along with a host of other low scores, but redeemed herself as a solid US Open venue with some more moderate scoring over the last few days. It was however, the lowest scoring average in US Open history with 71.16. I have never played there, but despite a few negative player reviews, I liked the look and setup of the course for the week. I would have liked to see the short 15th play around 120 yards long on Saturday instead of the very short 80 yard shot they had it set up for.Rory was so close, yet again! On Sunday he hit more greens than any other player yet turned in his worst putting performance of the week, losing 2.25 strokes to the field. Here are his strokes gained putting stats by round:1st: +2.74 2nd: +1.89 3rd: -1.19 4th: -2.25In a disturbing trend he seems to hit the ball well, yet perhaps rather conservatively, on major Sundays and putt poorly. The longest putt he converted in his final 22 holes was a 7 foot putt for par on the 16th on Sunday. It pretty much was St. Andrews all over again! The golf course certainly favored the top drivers of the ball, with wider than normal fairways and firm conditions. I thought LACC handled the challenge of a US Open nicely, but I’m not sure I’d be eager for a return visit in the near future. It’s just tough to beat Shinnecock, Pebble, Brookline and Oakmont!It’s crazy to think that we only have one more major to go for 2023. It’s just over 30 days until we get to see the top players take on Royal Liverpool and I for one, would love to see Rory grab another major championship. Finally!
- What Affect Does Temperature Have?by Andrew Rice on April 17, 2023 at 2:37 pm
We all know that the ball doesn’t travel as far when it’s cold and it seems to go a little farther when it’s really hot, but how much influence will temperature have on my carry distance? Golf is a sport that requires skill, technique, and precision. One of the factors that can affect distance is temperature. Temperature can have a significant impact on the distance a golf ball will travel, as it can affect the ball's flight characteristics along with the golfer's swing mechanics. In this post, we will explore the effects of temperature on ball flight only. We don’t delve into the affect that all the extra clothing you’re wearing because it’s so cold will have on your ability to swing. This is only the effect of temperature on ball flight, not on our ability to swing the club normally when it’s either cold or hot. Here is a chart that I created with the help of the engineers at PING. It’s super simple and easy to remember - just the way I like it!Temperature Data:Most of our club carry distances are acquired in temperatures close to 75º F (24º C)For every 10º below 75º each club in your bag will CARRY (approximately) 2 yds shorterFor every 10º above 75º each club in your bag will CARRY (approximately) 2 yds longerThis is a rule of thumb to help you make better informed club selection choicesPlease keep in mind that this does not factor in wind, altitude or the human factor of less/more speed generation in colder/warmer temperatures. This is strictly how the carry distance is affected in differing temperatures.The primary reason for the differences we see is that temperature can affect the air density, which, in turn, affects the golf ball's flight. As the temperature increases, the air becomes less dense, resulting in a decrease in air resistance. This reduction in air resistance allows the golf ball to travel farther through the air. Conversely, as the temperature decreases, the air becomes denser, increasing the air resistance and reducing the distance that the golf ball will travel. Temperature changes will affect the distance a golf ball travels. Golfers must be aware of the temperature, altitude, humidity levels, and their club selection to achieve the desired carry distance. Understanding how temperature affects your game can help you make better informed decisions on the course, leading to better scores and more enjoyable rounds.
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