After reading Who's Your Caddie by Rick Reilly, I went out and got a jar of vaseline. I got the idea from the book where in one chapter Reilly hangs out with some big time bettors who gamble as much as a million dollars over the course of a round. All these guys apply vaseline or KY Jelly to the face of their clubs in order to hit the ball longer and straighter. Reilly said that after a liberal application of petroleum jelley to the face of his driver that he hit the ball longer and straighter than he ever had before.
Of course this is a violation of the rules. No doubt about that. But to see if it actually makes a difference I've experimented with it a couple of times out on the course when my swing has totally disappeared and I have nothing else to lose anyway.
Actually, the first time I used it was when I went to Sandpiper, which is a beautiful course a few minutes north of Santa Barbara. I didn't get a chance to warmup because a tournament was about to start and I didn't want to wait two hours to tee off. So I went from the car, to the pro shop where I paid for my round, and then right out on to the course. They were really rushing me so I was a little frazzled standing on the first tee.
The first club I greased up was my driver. With no warmup and a week between hitting balls I hit a pretty decent shot that landed in a fairway bunker. Not great but not bad. It was about 230 yards and while it seemed like it wanted to hook into the foothills it kept a more or less straight line.
The next time I tried it was on the 10th hole, a dramatic dogleg left with a very narrow fairway. I greased up the face of my 5 wood and stung the ball about 240 yards which landed on the far end of the fairway just short of a fairway bunker.
The next experiment came on a long par five where I had about 190 yards to an uphill green with the ocean breeze blowing right to left. So I greased up my 4 iron and unfortunately made a terrible swing. But the ball really fought to stay on line and then at the very end hooked just a little.
Since then it seems to come in handy when I'm really struggling. I've tried it on a 7 iron here, a three wood there, and while my swing is still not that great it does seem to take the severe hackers edge off of things.
I don't do it all the time and I think pretty soon I'm going to throw that jar of Vaseline in the trash because more and more when I come across a tough shot and I'm having a hard time making a good swing, the thought comes into my mind to grease up the club face.At any rate, it does seem to work. Not spectacularly, but it will give you something extra.
I wonder if someday we're going to see pros getting disqualified because they've applied Vaseline to the bill of their caps like Nikro and Catfish Hunter used to do. I could picture it now, Tiger thoughtfully thumbs the bill of his cap and then casually rubs the face of his club. Then out from behind the tee comes a rules official demanding to examine his club. Tiger refuses and then a heated argument ensues where Tiger kicks grass on the official's foot before stomping off indignantly. That'd be great.
Of course this is a violation of the rules. No doubt about that. But to see if it actually makes a difference I've experimented with it a couple of times out on the course when my swing has totally disappeared and I have nothing else to lose anyway.
Actually, the first time I used it was when I went to Sandpiper, which is a beautiful course a few minutes north of Santa Barbara. I didn't get a chance to warmup because a tournament was about to start and I didn't want to wait two hours to tee off. So I went from the car, to the pro shop where I paid for my round, and then right out on to the course. They were really rushing me so I was a little frazzled standing on the first tee.
The first club I greased up was my driver. With no warmup and a week between hitting balls I hit a pretty decent shot that landed in a fairway bunker. Not great but not bad. It was about 230 yards and while it seemed like it wanted to hook into the foothills it kept a more or less straight line.
The next time I tried it was on the 10th hole, a dramatic dogleg left with a very narrow fairway. I greased up the face of my 5 wood and stung the ball about 240 yards which landed on the far end of the fairway just short of a fairway bunker.
The next experiment came on a long par five where I had about 190 yards to an uphill green with the ocean breeze blowing right to left. So I greased up my 4 iron and unfortunately made a terrible swing. But the ball really fought to stay on line and then at the very end hooked just a little.
Since then it seems to come in handy when I'm really struggling. I've tried it on a 7 iron here, a three wood there, and while my swing is still not that great it does seem to take the severe hackers edge off of things.
I don't do it all the time and I think pretty soon I'm going to throw that jar of Vaseline in the trash because more and more when I come across a tough shot and I'm having a hard time making a good swing, the thought comes into my mind to grease up the club face.At any rate, it does seem to work. Not spectacularly, but it will give you something extra.
I wonder if someday we're going to see pros getting disqualified because they've applied Vaseline to the bill of their caps like Nikro and Catfish Hunter used to do. I could picture it now, Tiger thoughtfully thumbs the bill of his cap and then casually rubs the face of his club. Then out from behind the tee comes a rules official demanding to examine his club. Tiger refuses and then a heated argument ensues where Tiger kicks grass on the official's foot before stomping off indignantly. That'd be great.
