Butch Harmon's Top Eight "Don'ts"

[Big Brother Dunk]

Butch Harmon's list of golf "don'ts" that he says can undermine even the best players:

1 - Having your ball too far forward or back instead of even with your heart.

2 - Picking up the club, or pulling the club inside on your takeaway.

3 - Keeping your knee straight or locked at the start of your backswing.

4 - Starting your downswing with your upper body.

5 - Hitting the "ego" shot. ie., going for the sucker pin, or taking too little club.

6 - Laying up too close.

7 - Keeping all you weight on your back foot while chipping.

8 - Taking the putter blade too far back and then decelerating coming into the ball.




I've made all of these mistakes at one time or another, but #2 probably causes me the most grief.

[mont86]

#1&2 Are the biggest things I'm working through.
Where did you find these? Online or in a book?

[VtDivot]

Originally Posted by mont86

#1&2 Are the biggest things I'm working through.
Where did you find these? Online or in a book?

1,2 and 4 are common flaws in amateur swings. I think everyone has been thru them at some point. Good choice in things to work on!

[dave.]

I assume he means the right knee in a right handed swing?

[Eracer]

Number 7 - definitely.

I am getting so frustrated with my short game (20 yards and in). In practice I can hit decent shot after decent shot. Then, in a game, I chili dip. I blade. I chunk. I scream...

I know what I'm doing wrong. Moving my head. Tensing up. Decelerating. And mostly not keeping my weight centered towards my left side. I'm choking. I have the ch-yips..

I chunked a HYBRID in the last round! That is so pathetic...

I lose at least 8-10 shots every round because of it. Maybe more if you count the putts I could save if I could chip to within six feet. The rest of my game is 10-handicapper quality. It's the bloody short game.

I'm sorely tempted to try electroshock therapy. Or at least hypnosis. Something to allow my good practice shots to make it out to the course with me.

Lessons don't help - they look at my short game on the range and say, "there's nothing wrong with that". It's all mental. And I can't seem to fix it.

Sling - feel free to move this post to "Hacker's Anon".

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by Eracer

Sling - feel free to move this post to "Hacker's Anon".

"I've got the power."

R35

[P_102]

Eracer, I still have the same problem (choking, decelerating) at times but found a fix that seems to work for me (most of the time)....

Take 2-4 practice swings (close to the ball) and then, while comfortable, step up and hit the shot without thinking, just a quick repeat of your practice swing. This takes alot of the "mental" problem away.

P_102

[Big Brother Dunk]

Originally Posted by mont86

#1&2 Are the biggest things I'm working through.
Where did you find these? Online or in a book?

Actually I found these in a back-issue of Golf Magazine.

[token_hottie]

I keep seeing references to a "chili dip" - what is that? Sounds kinda like chili dog... someone please straighten me out before I embarrass myself.

[vincel]

“Chili Dip”

Definition: To catch a shot fat by hitting the ground behind the ball before striking the ball itself.

[token_hottie]

nice. thanks...

but how does that relate to chili?

[slicerdude]

My short game used to be all over the place, until i discovered the nike cpr wood, its 26 degrees, its meant to replace the 3&4 irons, but the shaft is mid iron size, and makes it real easy to swing, its the best club in my bag, teeing, hitting out the rough, chipping, this little club has got it goin on. I hate my lob wedge, i just seem to skim right under it, its only good for sand shot.
I`ll swap my sliced tee shots for your poor short game, when you straighten them out and i improve your short game, we`ll swap back, sound like a plan,LOL.
FOUR

[Ibwrong]

Guilty of all of the above. Still working non stop on these, but it seems like every time I start working out the quarks I start all over again... but damn gotta love this game.

[Augster]

Originally Posted by token_hottie

nice. thanks...

but how does that relate to chili?

How do you scoop up chili from the pot? You take the chili dipper and kind of scoop up the chili. This same motion is what you are doing with your chip shots that are "chili dipped".

The clubhead hits behind the ball, then the clubhead passes your hands, just like trying to scoop chili. You don't want to make that move with your wrists when chipping, or hitting a shot for that matter.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by slicerdude

My short game used to be all over the place, until i discovered the nike cpr wood, its 26 degrees, its meant to replace the 3&4 irons, but the shaft is mid iron size, and makes it real easy to swing, its the best club in my bag, teeing, hitting out the rough, chipping, this little club has got it goin on. I hate my lob wedge, i just seem to skim right under it, its only good for sand shot.
I`ll swap my sliced tee shots for your poor short game, when you straighten them out and i improve your short game, we`ll swap back, sound like a plan,LOL.
FOUR

I'm going to be in Scotland in June. Maybe we can find an old castle and set up a dusty old lab. Hire somebody named Frankenstein - that's Fronkenshteen!" - to hook us up and transfer my 'no-slice' brain and your 'no-chili dip' brain between us...lol