Big Don

It sounds like you might be staying back on your right side (assuming your right handed). This will cause you to hit wedges and irons high and will also contribute to you leaving the club face open in your longer clubs leading to slices. Practice transferring your weight to your left hand side on the forward swing.

I had some recent golf lessons where my instructor mentioned that my swing plane was too flat. He suggested that I lift my arms higher at the top of the back swing so that the plane of my arms is steeper than my shoulder plane. I believe that this is commonly referred to as the two plane swing and most modern golf teachers prefer this method. Since my lessons I have researched the swing plane and there seems to be two schools of the thought. The majority of modern advice seems to concur with my instructor. However, I have come across numerous articles referencing flatter swing planes; in particular those referencing Hogan and Sam Snead both of whom had relatively flat swings and who were giants of the game. I have a few questions for you technicians out there:- Why has the flat swing become so unfashionable? If it worked for Hogan and Snead what's wrong with it nowadays? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a flat swing?

Sounds a bit like a shank?

I wouldn't worry about your height and weight. One of the guys in my office is 5'6" and lightly built but is a pretty long hitter by amateur standards. I've seen him effortlessly hit an 8 iron 160 yards and a three iron 210 yards. He can easily hit a drive in the 250-270 yard range and usually blasts the ball well past much larger players. I believe most of his speed is derived from a good wrist hinge and an efficient release together with the ability to nail the ball out of the middle of the club face practically every time.

Most golfers I know boast a little and exaggerate now and again. However, you've got to expect a bit of flack when you come out with such blatant BS? Anyway, enjoy your golf............whether you hit a 3 Wood 200 yards or 300 yards the main thing is to be out there hitting balls, breathing fresh air and enjoying the company of your golf buddies.

"They always look at me like what are you doing here?" Don't give scum like that your hard earned cash. Let the jerks got out of business!!!

On the basis that you are probably still losing quite a few (like me!) I'd go for a reasonable mid price ball. Titleist NXT, Maxfli Noodle, Srixon AD333, Pinnacle Exception or something similar probably about right.

Not looking at the Mizuno R series then? I've got them two of them in my bag and they feel terrific.

Both stunning. I guess it comes down to your visual preference. I prefer the look of the Titleist clubs but its a personal thing. Taylor Made Tp's have slightly shorter shafts than the Titleists on the 3,4 and 5 irons I think.

Generally some what frowned upon behaviour and most club rules explicitly forbid it. Additionally if you try this when the course is busy I'd expect to get an ear full of complaints from angry golfers following you. However, if its totally dead and you are out there by yourself I don't see it as such a big problem; just make sure you don't hold anybody up.

Put your 3,4 & 5 irons in to storage and Get yourself a wee 7 wood and a couple of hybrids with lofts 24* and 27*. Swing smooth and easy with these letting the longer, lighter shafts do the work and I guarantee you'll see a total improvement in your game.

So do I. Most of these guys are fantasy merchants.

Ever tried Johnny Miller's "brush-brush" drill? Basically during your practice swings you focus on brushing and marking the grass 1"-2" in front of where your ball would be. Then quickly move in, setup to the ball and try to repeat the same motion as your practice swing. This helps to train you to catch the ball first then the turf. I've found it really works quite well.

Oh I've had the odd 7 or 8 on a par 3. Nightmare when it happens.

I've had some similar problems from time to time. The most frustrating thing is it can happen at any time and usually when it does my irons totally desert me. My problems have generally been due to allowing my swing plane to get too flat. Generally I can sort it out by focusing on a good one piece takeaway making sure that the club doesn't come inside too early.

300 yards? 1 in 1000 maybe and absolutely no high handicappers.

I'm not saying that there aren't guys out there who can hit 300 yard drives, but they are very few and far between and I haven't met one yet. I've often seen playing partners claim they've just hit the ball 300 yards, but when you do the measurement with Sky Caddie they come up significantly shorter than that. They base their estimates on the fact that they've almost driven a hole thats 300 yards long, but ignore the fact that their ball is lying 15-20 yards short of the centre of the green and that the tee markers have been moved forward deducting another 10-15 yards, i.e. their drive is in reality 265 yards not 300 yards.

Boo doesn't come across as a Harvard professor but I doubt if he'd have any problem adding a score card. He may be a down to earth kind of guy, but he's no idiot. A simple mistake; it happens.

I carry the ball 200-220 yards most of the time giving 215-235 yards overall distance. Most people brazenly lie about the distance they drive the golf ball so I'd take the opinions of some so called "long hitters" with a pinch of salt. I'm sure you'll get the usual fantasy merchants replying to this post claiming that they're in the 320-330 yards range. Don't believe them. I've seen a few people genuinely carry 260-270 yards (overall distance 275-285 yards) at the range but they are definitely a very small minority (certainly not 35% as this poll suggests). According to Golf Digest the average carry is in the range of 195-205 yards for amateur men. I can buy that.

If I'm hitting badly I usually go to a half swing. Sometimes it helps.

You've got to be joking old son. I'd prefer to role in stinging nettles than hit from the rough.

Certainly single figures.

People regularly talk about taking divots like thin strips of bacon. However, providing the club strikes the ball then takes a divot I don't really see a problem with a deep divot. In fact it verifies that you are hitting down on to the ball squeezing it of the turf. If I remember rightly John Daly takes pretty deep divots? The only concern is it could lead to a wrist injury if you hit down in to hard ground.

When playing yesterday I hit several howlers with my driver during the first few holes and prepared myself for a terrible round. However, I decided to park the driver from hole 3 onwards and instead hit 3 wood and 5 wood of the tee. This resulted in a rather dramatic transformation in my outlook. I practically hit all of the remaining fairways leaving a very playable 2nd shot most of the time. This has led me to the basic question, should high handicappers really be carrying the "big dog" in their bag? The ego screams yes, but the reality is that erratically hitting a driver into the woods and/or the heavy cabbage (rough) is an act of self sabotage. Any views out there?

Agreed Sergio's attitude was graceless and certainly not in the spirit of the game of golf or good sportsmanship more generally. I only hope somebody in his family or entourage is willing to set him straight on this in no uncertain terms.