Rob Rashell Golf

I got an email the other day from a golfer looking to dig into his game and really make an effort to shave a few shots off his handicap. He sent me a detailed description of his game and how he perceived it: pretty good with the driver, decent short game, need to get better with the irons, etc. The trouble with this interpretation? He, like most golfers, was merely guessing.

Before players arrived on site for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, I hit a few shots from the rough at TPC Scottsdale to see what the players have to deal with. With the help of Trackman, I recorded how different lies in the rough produce different numbers and ball flights. As you’ll see, certain lies in the rough greatly affect the outcome of the shot.

Let’s forget about center of gravity, moment of inertia, weight adjustability and turbulators for a moment. I know it’s difficult, but bear with me. The golf industry has made significant (and I mean significant) improvements in driver technology in recent decades. I started playing golf with a wood driver and quickly found my way into the metal wood family, which was replaced by titanium shortly afterward. I hardly stopped to think about buying the newest technology, but it always seemed to help.

I had just hit a 6 iron pin high, about 15-feet right on No. 17. I was about to play my second-to-last hole in the 108-hole European Tour Qualifying Tournament, and was either right on the cut line or one shot from getting my tour card.

1. The interview after the 1st round

After winning the PGA Championship a couple years back, I think Martin underwent some changes for some reason or another. Winning a major championship gives a PGA Tour player a five year exemption on tour, not having to worry about making cuts or finishing high on the money list gave him the time he needed work on his golf swing.

All of us, myself included, started playing the game and quickly learned a majority of the shots we hit curved one direction or the other. Slowly through practice we learned to control the curve to some degree and thus began our journey as golfers. Before we get into the reasons for choosing a specific ball flight, let’s take a look at a functional draw and fade.

Getting an opportunity to work on a launch monitor can be enjoyable, confusing, helpful, overwhelming and invaluable all at the same time. In my limited time and experience with my launch monitor (I have a Trackman), I’ve quickly learned if I make things very simple, it becomes a very effective tool.

Throughout my years as a professional golfer, I was lucky to spend all of my waking hours in the pursuit of improvement. Day after day spent on the golf course playing and practicing allowed me some wonderful competetive experiences and accomplishments. I learned a lot about practicing during my career, and continue to learn as much as possible about the process.

Growing up in Seattle, I vividly remember watching Jim Zorn, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, sling the ball around the field to a variety of recievers, including one of my favorites, Steve Largent. Little did I know one of the methods of his craft, quarterbacking in the NFL, would have such strong similarities to playing golf.