Ohio's Golf Magazine June 2009 : Page 18

Tips from Ohio PGA Pros J.R. ABLES, PGA PROFESSIONAL Ables Golf on Avery – PGA Section: Southern, OH J.R. Ables has been in the golf business for over 30 years. He knows a thing or two about the ins and outs of golf. He loves teaching and the excitement of being able to watch one of his students improve. That is why Ables Golf in Avery is so successful. Because of the innovative teaching and dedication J.R. displays on a daily basis, anyone looking to improve his or her game needs to look no further than J.R. Ables. OG Proper Distance from the Ball For most golfers determining the proper distance from the ball is the most difficult problem in the setup. I would say 90-95% of all golfers reach too far for the ball. This is one of the main causes of not taking a divot. When a golfer is practicing on their own, it is very tough to feel the over-reaching. However, there is a routine that works quite well to get the proper distance. Since there will be right and left handed golfers reading this, I will talk in terms of target and trail sides of the body as opposed to left and right. When you setup, the half of the body closest to the target is the target side and the trail side is away from the target. As you stand erect place a club against the front of your trail thigh. Still standing erect, your arms will rest against your body. If you bend forward from the hips slightly, the arms will still rest against you but a little more in front of the body. Now, you bend forward a little more. Your arms will freely swing away from the body. The upper arms should still slightly touch the chest. If they do not, then you have bent too far over. There should be about 4 inches of room between the hands and the legs. You put the hands together being careful not to lift the arms further away from your body. 18 JUNE 2009 • WWW.OHIOSGOLF.COM Now, reach down with your trail hand, get the club and place it in your target hand. Then, properly grip the club. Where the club head is resting is the proper distance from the ball. Assuming your feet are about shoulder width, flex your knees just enough to take the pressure off of the knees. You are ready to make a swing. If you watch the spot where the club head started, the swish of the club through the grass should be right at the starting spot. One word of caution; if you are the proper distance from the ball, it is imperative that you get your weight turned to your target foot at the start of the downswing. If not, you will hit behind the ball. Then, you will start to reach again. Always remember, all swing problems usually begin with setup problems. J.R. Ables , PGA Professional J.R. Ables is a Class A Member of the PGA with 38 years of teaching experience. He has twice earned the honor of Southern Ohio PGA Teacher of the Year, 1987 & 1992. J.R. has also been named one of the Top 50 Instructors in America by Golf Range Magazine. He is a former women’s golf Coach at The Ohio State University, as well as, Head Professional at the OSU Scarlet & Gray Golf Courses. For more information on tips and programs that J.R. Ables offers please go to www.ablesgolf.com or call 614-529-9650 Always remember, all swing problems usually begin with setup problems.

Tips From The Pro: J.R. Ables, PGA Professional

J. R. Ables has been in the golf business for over 30 years. He knows a thing or two about the ins and outs of golf. He loves teaching and the excitement of being able to watch one of his students improve. That is why Ables Golf in Avery is so successful. Because of the innovative teaching and dedication J.R. displays on a daily basis, anyone looking to improve his or her game needs to look no further than J.R. Ables. For most golfers determining the proper distance from the ball is the most difficult problem in the setup. I would say 90-95% of all golfers reach too far for the ball. This is one of the main causes of not taking a divot. When a golfer is practicing on their own, it is very tough to feel the over-reaching. However, there is a routine that works quite well to get the proper distance. Since there will be right and left handed golfers reading this, I will talk in terms of target and trail sides of the body as opposed to left and right. When you setup, the half of the body closest to the target is the target side and the trail side is away from the target. As you stand erect place a club against the front of your trail thigh. Still standing erect, your arms will rest against your body. If you bend forward from the hips slightly, the arms will still rest against you but a little more in front of the body. Now, you bend forward a little more. Your arms will freely swing away from the body. The upper arms should still slightly touch the chest. If they do not, then you have bent too far over. There should be about 4 inches of room between the hands and the legs. You put the hands together being careful not to lift the arms further away from your body. Now, reach down with your trail hand, get the club and place it in your target hand. Then, properly grip the club. Where the club head is resting is the proper distance from the ball. Assuming your feet are about shoulder width, flex your knees just enough to take the pressure off of the knees. You are ready to make a swing. If you watch the spot where the club head started, the swish of the club through the grass should be right at the starting spot. One word of caution; if you are the proper distance from the ball, it is imperative that you get your weight turned to your target foot at the start of the downswing. If not, you will hit behind the ball. Then, you will start to reach again. Always remember, all swing problems usually begin with setup problems. J. R. Ables is a Class A Member of the PGA with 38 years of teaching experience. He has twice earned the honor of Southern Ohio PGA Teacher of the Year, 1987 & 1992. J. R. has also been named one of the Top 50 Instructors in America by Golf Range Magazine. He is a former women’s golf Coach at The Ohio State University, as well as, Head Professional at the OSU Scarlet & Gray Golf Courses. For more information on tips and programs that J.R. Ables offers please go to www.ablesgolf.com or call 614-529-9650

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