93. The leading edge of the club face (bottom quarter of an inch) is the point where the top players feelings are focused

If you struggle to get the ball airborne and hit a lot of shots along the ground, then this weeks column is for you. For the time been, put aside all the swing cures you may be attempting to solve your problem and pay some attention instead to the "Leading Edge" of your golf club. The Leading edge is the bottom quarter of an inch strip of the club face below the lowest groove and is, in my opinion is the most important part of the club. This is where you to start correcting the problem.

If you think of the ball as a mini Earth, then a topped shot occurs when the leading edge of the club contacts a point in the "Northern Hemisphere" as it sweeps through. A "thin" shot, the one when the ball rockets away 3 ft above the ground and sends shock waves through your fingers, happens when the "Equator" takes the brunt of the leading edge. Successful shots happen when the Leading edge contacts a point in the Southern Hemisphere.         

Consistency is therefore dependant upon you delivering this leading edge to the correct part of the ball every time. The problem is that competence in doing this cannot be taught, it is a skill that improves gradually with practice. This is why a new player too the game can make what appears to be identical looking swings but one shot sails away in style whilst the second ball skids across the ground. The difference between the shots is about three quarters of an inch on the ball which a new player cannot make allowances for.

The parameters that a top player works within are about an eighth of an inch so on this basis the difference between a tour player and a club player is just over half an inch.

Every player can improve their accuracy of strike. They have the ability and this ability is better known as Hand / Eye co-ordination. Golf requires this ability to be honed to very fine, precise levels and to set about this task, I want you to practice the following.

Cut 4 or 5 inches off a rubber hose pipe and set it into the ground so that about an inch is above the surface. Practice "casual" swinging keeping loose and fluid and simply keep clipping the rubber hose with that leading edge. Several minutes a day will fairly soon get you to a point when you never miss. When this happens, cut half an inch off and then repeat the procedure until eventually, the hose can be discarded as you now simply swish the grass instead ..... every time. Now put the ball on the patch of grass you are swishing. Do this and you will see that it is impossible to top the ball. Do it consistently and topped shots will become a thing of the past.