PGA Manual of Golf

Book by Gary Wiren, 1991

Book Summary by Herb Rubenstein, PGA

Introduction

This book is worthy of its name. I wrote this summary so that golfers at all levels could use what I have written as a guide to improving their game.

GRIP

1. Palms of hands face each other

2. Left hand view looking down at address -- two knuckles (open or weak) to three (closed or strong) showing. Watson one knuckle, Azinger four knuckles

3. Pressure -- light enough to feel the weight of the club head when club is held straight out, hard enough to push toothpaste out of a tube

4. Placement -- for normal position (not choking up) be able to see the back of the club on the bottom side so as not to have hands over the end of the grip

5. Thumbs sit slightly on the opposite side of the shaft

6. Preshot grip routine -- take time and look how club is being gripped by each hand separately

7. Re-gripping -- a problem caused by the hand separating from the club during the swing. Drills to check for this:

a. Place a dime in fleshy pad between the thumb and knuckle of the index finger of your right hand, swing; if it falls out you have re-gripped on your backswing.

b. Place a tee point first between the club and the pad of the left hand, swing; if it falls out you have re-gripped on your backswing.

AIM

8. Aim from behind the ball for starters looking directly at the target

9. Pick a spot on the ground three to six feet in front of the ball and aim the ball to go directly over the spot

10. Have the club at 90 degrees of the target at address

11. Shoulders parallel to target at address

SETUP

12. Ball position -- the ball should be in the position where the club would strike it just before the lowest point on the arc of the swing. Where the club is at the lowest point will depend on the amount of lateral motion of the body during the forward swing. So less motion, such as in shorter irons, the closer to the center of the stance, but not much closer since the lateral motion of these clubs is not much less than for full shots. A constant ball position (relative to left foot) is often suitable. Most pros believe all wood should be played off of the left heel or up to two inches behind the left heel, with the irons from 2 inches to 4 inches back from the left heel

13. Width of stance -- for each longer club, widen stance 1/2 inch, with an extra 1/2 inch between 2 iron and 4 wood. Why 1/2 inch? Because each club is 1/2 inch longer than the next.

14. Drill -- hit every club checking your stance width and your ball position as you now do it and then compare it to #13 above.

15. Ball position -- how far to stand from the ball? This is determined by feel and trial and error. Some guidance is provided by the proper address position as follows:

THE PROPER ADDRESS

16. Arms should be pressed against chest at address

17. Bend forward at the hips until the club almost touches the ground

18. Flex or bend your knees slightly to have the club touch the ground

19. Butt of club should be 90 degrees in relation to the spine

20. Hand just inside a vertical line from the eyes to the ground

21. Feeling should be one of balance

22. Body should look "proud" with straight back

23. Forward to back of feet balance -- More weight on heels for less than full swing shots -- wiggle toe test; Full swing shots, more weight on balls of feet -- tap heel test.

24. Derriere protrudes outward to balance forward bend of upper body.

25. Left/right balance -- the greater descent of the clubhead on the forward swing, the more left; less descent, more right at address. Closer feet together more left, farther feet apart, more right. Be sure to facilitate weight transfer during swing.

26. Feet width -- shorter the shot, the closer together, even next to each other on chips if comfortable.

BASIC SWING FUNDAMENTALS

27. Right leg -- anchor leg, always flexed, never rolled out

28. Left leg -- pivot leg, always flexed

29. Swing plane -- butt of club points to the plane's baseline since the head of the club will follow the line the butt is pointing. That is, as the club reaches a position horizontal with the ground, an extension from the butt end should point through the ball and extend to the target. This is the "plane's baseline)

30. At the top of the swing, the right elbow is at right angles to the desired swing plane, (best viewed from behind the golfer)

31. At top of swing the club is positioned at approximately 90 degrees to the left arm by cocking the wrists

32. When to cock your wrists -- Seve has club perpendicular to the ground by the time the left arm is parallel with the ground, Nicklaus has not cocked his wrists as quickly, Hogan left some additional room for cocking his wrists as he began his forward swing.

33. In the backswing the trunk has been turned, the wrists cocked and the left forearm has been rolled. What do we mean the forearm has rolled? Although it may have maintained its relative with the trunk on the backswing, it rolls in the sense that if you drew a line in the middle of the top of the forearm midway between the wrist and elbow, you could not see it at address but as you get 1/4 through your backswing you could see it due to the forearm roll. The hands and forearms rotate almost 180 degrees from the point of address through the backswing and the forward swing until they return to the impact position.

34. Forward swing -- begun with the legs and knees, followed by the hips, shoulders, arms and then hands.

35. The tempo of the waggle should be similar to the tempo of the swing.

36. Position at the top of the swing -- three options defined. Flat, cupped or bowed (arched). All terms relate to the position of the left hand and forearm. A flat wrist, or "in plane" wrist, occurs at the top of the swing the back of the left wrist is flat in line with the forearm and the right wrist is parallel to the left wrist. A cupped wrist at the top occurs when the back of the left hand has moved closer to the topside of the forearm. A bowed or arched wrist occurs at the top of the swing when the back of the left hand has moved farther away from the top of the left arm with the left palm having moved toward the underside of the forearm.

37. Club horizontal at the top of the swing give or take 5 degrees.

38. At impact and for so long as possible thereafter, keep the back of the left hand toward the target

39. Club head should not pass ball until after impact. When it occurs, the club head is decelerating and directional control is lost.

40. Drill-Without a club in hand, take pillow or heavy vinyl bag suspended from the ceiling and place it where the hands would be at impact, practice swing hitting the pillow/bag and drive the hands through the pillow/bag.

PUTTING

41. If you don't putt well, you don't play well.

42. The secret of putting is an abundance of practice.

43. Pick a spot a foot from the ball and roll the ball over the spot toward the target.

44. Eyes over the ball and looking down on it during stroke

45. Right hand forefinger important for touch

46. Hands never behind the ball at address

47. Body and head are motionless during stroke through impact

48. Mark putter at sweet spot with line at 90 degrees of blade

49. Short putts -- fear of missing causes most of the missing

50. Accelerate through the ball by making your follow through twice as long as your backswing

51. Do not raise up even after impact

52. Practice with a carpenter's square or other right angle device that you create to be sure that you are setting the club at 90 degrees

53. Ball placed forward of center

54. Weight primarily on left foot

55. Drill -- Putt short putts with a three foot long 2x4 (or club) at the heel of the club pointing parallels with the target. Mark the 2x4 with a solid line midway in length and perpendicular to the length to help you square up the putter. (Line is more useful the closer to the hole, (one foot is a good distance) and the flatter the green. On drill, start close and keep moving board farther from the hole but no more than three feet since club must come inside for putts longer than three feet.

56. Distance -- control by trying to lag putts 20 feet or greater. A putt that goes more than 3.5 to 4 feet past the hole was going too fast to go in even if it was in the center of the cup. If you should miss, you should be one foot past the hole on the high side.

57. Breaking putts -- Treat all putts as straight putts. Breaking putts are simply not aimed at the hole. Start the breaking putt on a straight line toward your spot or aiming point.

58. Shiny green, grain going away; dull, grain coming toward you. If one side of the cup is browned out, that is the direction of the grain. Grain follows the setting sun, water and prevailing winds.

59. 60% of the break occurs within 3 feet of the hole unless there is a strong slope early in the putt.

60. A 12 foot steeply sloped putt is as difficult as a 50 foot relatively straight putt.

61. Take indecision out of your putting game

62. In wind, get steady by taking longer at address and a wider stance and more of a crouch

63. Make the hands past the left leg without breaking the wrist

64. Practice putting with the leading edge of a sand wedge

65. Pace off your putts

66. Practice putting to a tee or any target smaller than a hole to increase precision.

CHIPPING AND PITCHING

67. Average pro hits 13 green per round.

68. Difference between chipping and pitching -- chip more roll than flight; pitch more flight than roll; chip low; pitch high; chip firm wristed; pitch wrist may break if height sought

69. Putt when you can; chip when you can't putt; pitch when you have to and never hurry your stroke

70. Chip - weight on left foot, stance open, choke down, back of left wrist solid, hands always ahead of ball through shot, feet closer together than an putt; Vertical centerline of body ((center of chest or sternum) two inches ahead of ball (to the left) at address; This is accomplished by leaning the body toward the target.

71. Always take two practice swings for pitch and chip

72. Always drive club low through pitch and chip

73. Pitch -- Vertical centerline of body is even with ball, which promotes a higher flight

74. Drill -- Extra club on ground, grip toward target, ball just inside grip, use three swings -- first, above club to check line swinging from inside to the target and then inside again; second, swing next to ball brushing grass; third, hit ball

75. Left wrist finishes flat on pitch and chip, not cupped (closer to the left forearm, but rather parallel); Do not release left wrist until well after impact

76. Pitch -- hands, wrists, arms active on backswing; arms only active on forward swing

77. Distance -- varied by varying backswing length. Use consistent accelerating, unhurried swing

78. Choke down to the standard height taken on your putter stroke (Appx. 1/2 down on the grip)

79. Shoulders parallel to the target, except for high loft, "cut" shot.

80. Ball position -- in center of stance for good lie, farther back for bad lie, hard pan.

81. Ball sitting high in grass -- move swing center to the right to level the angle of approach and reduce the descent of the club (promotes sweeping motion)

82. For a higher shot, move ball forward

83. Arm position at address -- do not reach, do not crouch, hands hang one fist width from left thigh. Arms fully extended at address or if not remember Watson's comment that the angle of the left elbow must not change during the putting stroke, so no extension of the arms during a chip

84. Acceleration -- to promote it use a little shorter backswing and follow through as far as your backswing travels

85. Touch -- the more touch the shot requires the more rehearsal the shot is due, but don't stand over the shot too long

86. Height -- the more upright the address, the swing, the more open the stance, clubface, the weaker the grip and the farther the ball is in the front of the stance, the higher the shot

87. Grip -- Open or weak grip helps keep the blade from rotating too far into the ball

88. Landing spot -- always hit to a specific spot and that spot if the ball is going to land on the green should be three feet from the fringe to allow room for error

89. Speed of green, uphill/downhill are critical factors in distance

90. Calculations (general) 6 iron chip - 25% flight, 75% roll; 8 iron - 40% flight, 60% roll; pitching wedge - 60% flight, 40% roll; sand wedge - 75% flight, 25% roll.

91. Soft, higher pitch shots are made with a slower tempo; Lob shot -- ball forward, grip firm throughout; Flop shot -- cock wrists on backswing quickly with wrists releasing at bottom

SAND PLAY

Greenside bunkers

92. Weight on left side at address and at finish

93. Hit sand 2-4 inches behind the ball

94. Clubface - Open through forward swing

95. Accelerate through forward swing, but do not hurry a sand shot the ball should come out slowly

96. Buried shot - play further back with pitching wedge or 9 iron, hood the club, accelerate well through the ball;

97. Drill - bury balls hit some with nine iron and some with sand wedge

98. Direction - displace sand toward target

99. Grip - Open grip, one knuckle of left hand showing; Left thumb straight down the shaft; Firm grip if you use more arm motion; softer grip if you use hand more

100. Aim - a little left, practice until alignment combination caused by swing path and clubface alignment combines to hit it straight toward the hole

101. Ball position - inside of left heel, 4-6 inches ahead of the vertical centerline of body

102. Short, high loft shots - use "V" swing, with early cocking of wrists

103. Controlling distance - Longer use "U" shaped swing, shorter "V"; Longer use closed blade, shorter open; longer ball back in stance, shorter ball forward; longer use longer backswing, shorter use shorter backswing; longer take club through less sand 1-3" behind ball; shorter take more sand behind (4-6 inches) with a shallow patch of sand dug out

104. Stopping action, backspin - the closer to the ball you hit, the greater the backspin

Fairway Bunkers

105. Hit ball first with club with enough loft to carry lip

106. Good lie = normal swing with minor exceptions including, stiffer legs, right foot dug in to be stable, choke down the same amount as feet dug in sand, more sweeping motion, hand a little more ahead of ball and ball a little farther back in stance. Target your eyes on the front of the ball to assist you in hitting the ball first.

107. Bad lie - use more lofted club, open clubface, aim left

108. Practice, Practice, Practice

SPECIALTY SHOTS

BALL ABOVE FEET

109. Stand as perpendicular to lie as possible, with weight on balls of feet

110. Choke down, ball in middle of stance

111. Keep suspension point (distance from base of neck to ground) constant throughout swing

112. Allow for hook/pull

113. Do not swing too hard

BALL BELOW FEET

114. More knee bend, aim left allowing for slice/push, weight on heels

UPHILL LIE

115. More weight on left foot, ball in middle of stance, choke down, aim right since weight transfer will be retarded and with body staying back, club will go inside, to target and strongly inside again promoting hook or pull

DOWNHILL LIE

116. Be sure to get face back as square as possible to avoid big push/slice

117. Play ball farther back

118. Tilt shoulders to match slope of ground

119. Sit more in the right knee

120. 3/4 swing

WIND

121. Against wind -- choke down, swing conservatively, play the ball farther back in stance, do not tee ball lower since lower tee placement tends to promote push/slice by promoting leaving the clubface open at impact, hit it low and use substantially more club and keep hands well ahead of ball at impact and with woods and long irons, widen stance to lower center of gravity.

122. Downwind -- Makes the ball roll farther so beware on approach shots, otherwise normal swing

123. Sidewinds -- On tee, tee off from side of tee where wind is coming from, aim down that side of fairway, lower the trajectory, use extra club

124. Cold and wet weather -- dress appropriately, disposable hand warmers, if wet greens use more lofted club for chipping and putting, if soggy fairway play ball farther back to insure striking ball first

125. To hook (curve to the left) -- face position must be "closed" (pointed left) at impact by grip change, extra rotation of wrists or exaggerated inside/outside swing path. Align the body to the right of where the ball to be hooked should start.

126. To fade or slice the ball -- face position must be "open" (pointed right) at impact by grip change. Do not swing inside out as this will result in a push/slice since the clubhead will be open at impact. The swing must be on plane or outside/in to start the ball along the line. Line up to the left of where the ball is to start on its path.

127. Deep rough -- use steeper angle of descent, "V" swing, aim left, open clubface, play ball forward in stance, use more club. If close to green in deep rough, simulate a bunker shot and if grass is thick, play aggressively; Read the "nap" of the grass, the direction the grass is growing; if with you it will promote release and roll of the ball (length), if against you it will retard it.

128. The "Flier" -- shot off high grass, clover, wet grass that has reduced backspin, longer flight and greater roll. Steepen the swing arc or attempt a high, fading shot to assist in getting more backspin on the shot.

129. Hardpan -- The barren lie. Take less lofted club than normal if around green; If ground is very hard and you must use a wedge, be sure the minimum bounce from the sole is presented. How to accomplish this - square the face at address, play the ball far back in the stance and make no attempt to lift the ball by keeping the hands very far ahead of the ball throughout the swing.

Conclusion

This book is far more extensive than my summary. It would make a fine gift and is written by one of the best golf instructors to teach the game, Gary Wiren.