Ronald Bruce Romberg Info

There are better places to play from than the bunkers. But should the ball come to rest in a bunker, the type of sand can make a noticeable difference in play - especially on your scorecard.

Balls may form "plugged" or "fried-egg" lies in the bunker sand when the ball makes a crater in the sand on impact. Your golf course superintendent looks at several variables when selecting bunker sand to prevent your ball from being buried should your shot go astray.

The United States Golf Association specifies particle-size criteria for selecting bunker sand. Sand in the prescribed range provides the best all-around conditions in terms of ball lie, firmness of footing and ease of bunker maintenance.

For some golf facilities, bunker maintenance is an important aspect in sand selection. For example, a golf course that is subject to high winds would have to stay away from selecting sand that is too fine. If the sand is too fine, wind will displace the sand particles, causing a continual need for replacement.

The predominant particle shape of sand and its "sphericity," - or roundness - also comes into play. A desired bunker sand shape is angular with a low degree of roundness. The sharp corners of an angular sand help it resist movement after impact from a golf ball, resulting in fewer "plugged" or "fried-egg" lies.

Truly round or "soft" sand requires a substantial amount of skill to play from. It's like playing a shot in a pudding-filled pit. Round sand needs to be avoided because it shifts more under the weight of the golfer and can allow golf balls to bury and disappear on impact.

A hard, silica sand is often preferred in bunkers, since silica sand will resist weathering and retain its original shape longer. Sand such as limestone sand is more subject to weathering and the fine particles released in the process affect the playability and maintenance of the sand.

Limestone sand can "set up" or become "crusted," because of the cementing action of finer silt and clay particles. Limestone sand requires more frequent raking to maintain a suitable playing surface.

Your golf course superintendent may choose to have a certified soils testing laboratory help evaluate sand when making changes at the course. The lab will check the sand's particle-size, distribution, shape, color, crusting potential, hydraulic conductivity (ability to drain water) and its resistance to buried lies.

Bunker sand selection affects the condition of play as well as bunker maintenance. Always do your part to preserve favorable playing conditions by raking the area that you disturbed after hitting from the bunker. By doing so, you can help make the game more enjoyable for other golfers unfortunate enough to hit their golf balls into the sand.

When choosing a bunker surface, the varying skill levels of golfers must also be considered. A lower handicap player typically prefers a hard, smooth bunker surface. However, the higher handicap player prefers a softer surface that allows them to get their club through the sand. As a result, superintendents will try to provide a surface that satisfies the widest range of players.

Even though a golf course management staff devotes considerable time to bunkers, it is important to remember they are still hazards. It is not realistic for golfers to expect to hit shots with the same skill and accuracy as they do from turf.

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This is the time of year when you can really groove your good habits! I truly believe any golfer must have a pre-shot routine and a "picture" of what they want to execute in order to accomplish their goal: to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible. As I have said before, this game of golf is 40% physical ability and 60 percent mental imaging.

I will help define what exactly a pre-shot routine is and help you image a "picture" before execution. By doing this on the practice area, you will find it much easier when playing the game on the course.

Pre-Shot Routine: We can't just stand parallel to the ball and take a good swing and hope it ends up on the green. The process is much more detailed than that. What I tell my students is that if you have good practice skills, we then need to transfer it to the golf course. Good practice skills begin on the putting/chipping green and the driving range.

Begin by taking your bag of balls first to the practice green-spend at least one half hour practicing shots from all different angles. While you do this, make sure you are standing directly behind the ball each time finding an imaginary line from the ball to your target, taking a practice swing, and then setting your hands on the club, your clubface lined to your target, and lastly make sure your body is parallel to your clubface. After these check points are accomplished, execute your swing.

Making this process a habit when practicing will enhance your ability on the course. After we have spent ample time on the practice green, we then take the balls to the driving range.

At this stage, many people just want to see how far they can hit their driver! Don't start there-start with you nine iron and work through your bag! Have a target in mind and set your mind on that. I tell my students that you gain more practice by hitting twenty balls to a target and having a routine than hitting one-hundred out into the range seeing how far they will go.

We have the same concept for a routine here as we do on the practice green: find an imaginary line from the ball to your target and take a practice swing while looking at the target from this position. Let me clarify these two steps. When you find your imaginary line, that's the line of flight you hope your ball will achieve.

To do this, find something ahead of your ball approximately four to eight inches to line your clubface with so once you are parallel to the target you don't lose your line. I also recommend taking your practice swing while looking at your target to enforce this mental imaging. Then we set the hands properly on the golf club, set the face so it is facing my "spot" four to six inches ahead of the ball, set my body so I am parallel to my clubface-NOT the target. Our body has to be slightly left of the target because our face is parallel to it. Lastly, swing through the ball. Remember that if you already have a routine you're happy with-stick with it!

Imaging: Now that we know how to practice and have our pre-shot routine, we are going to transfer that to the course and use our mental imaging! Whether I am putting or executing a drive-I am doing exactly what I did in practice. There is no difference between your swing on the practice range or in a tournament-it's your state of mind.

What I tell my students is that you groove your motor-muscle memory every time you make a correct swing-even if you are swinging at home! Once this "groove" is made, you can transfer it to both a leisurely game and a high-stakes tournament.

We image each shot, no matter where we are, to our target. This picture you create is the last thing your brain sees before you set-up to the ball. Don't waiver in that POSITIVE picture! For instance if you have doubts about going over a lake, picture going over it or playing short! DO NOT let your fears enter your positive image before you execute your swing because your mind always plays out what you told it. Image the lake, and most likely you'll be fishing your ball out.

Basically, find a routine that works for you and use it all the time. This routine combined with picturing each and every shot will help you have a plan every day! This plan will enable you to lower your scores and feel confident about your game whether it be for fun or for prizes.

About Bruce Romberg

Bruce Romberg: The answer to better putting can start by using your belly - your belly putter, that is. A belly putter has a shaft that is longer than a traditional putter, so you can anchor the butt end of the grip into your stomach. Hence the name "belly putter."

The advantage of using this type of putter is that a golfer can use a traditional, two-handed putting stroke while having the putter secured to his or her body. This takes the hands and wrist out of the stroke, creating a stabilizing effect. PGA Tour professionals, such as Vijay Singh, Fred Couples and J.B. Holmes have used the belly putter with great success.

The belly putter came into being as many golfers experimented with the long putter and had trouble finding a consistent repeatable stroke with it. By making a putter 4 or 5 inches longer than a traditional putter, golfers found they could eliminate the nervous hands and wrists during their stroke, and swing the putter with the arms and shoulders for more control.

As players get older, the nerves come into play more and more. The belly putter can be a big advantage to all players but especially for seniors.

So if you struggle with too much wrist action, or you just want to improve your putting stroke, a belly putter may be just what you're looking for.

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By having a practice routine for the short game you will be better equipped to handle most surprises on the golf course!

First, SURVEY the area and decide the lie of the ball, terrain and conditions.

Secondly, PICTURE the shot you want to make and the "spot" on the green where you need the ball to land to end up at the pin.

Next, REHEARSE your intended swing to remind your muscles of what they need to execute.

Lastly, EXECUTE the swing that was rehearsed.

After the appropriate shot has been made, EVALUATE the result. If it was a good shot, then store it in your memory bank; if not-then practice an immediate swing correction.

Ronald Bruce Romberg Profile Ronald Bruce Romberg Profile: Many golfers shoot high scores because they follow one bad shot with another bad shot. Rarely, however, does a good player do this. Better players assess each situation and play the "smart" shot, whereas the average player tends to think he can hit a home run every at bat.

Such is often the case with the dreaded flubbed bunker shot. What you see on the PGA Tour doesn't work for everyone. Very often, average golfers try to hit miracle bunker shots that the pros practice every day. Truth is, when faced with a difficult bunker shot, the average golfer should take his medicine and just get the ball on the grass. A bogey is better than a double bogey and a double bogey is better than a triple bogey. A tip for better bunker play

When coming out of a bunker, open your stance slightly so your feet, hips and shoulders are aimed slightly left of the target. From this set-up, move your hands slightly ahead of the ball and have the clubface slightly open, (don't exaggerate the open clubface) as this will negate the bounce on your sand wedge.

The key to good bunker play is to have your swing follow along your bodyline. Concentrate on hitting two inches behind the ball and accelerating the club head through the sand. Allow the bounce of the sand wedge to determine how much sand you'll catch between the ball and clubface. Don't scoop the ball out; let the club do the work.

Trust your swing and your sand wedge. The sand wedge is designed with bounce to allow for just the right amount of sand to lift the ball.

If you have trouble getting out of bunkers it might be time to consider the bounce angle of your wedges. Sand wedges come with different bounce angles - low, mid and high - which are designed to fit different swing types. If you tend to hit fat wedge shots or have trouble getting the ball out of bunkers, a high-bounce wedge will work for you because it resists digging into the turf or sand.

If you're a golfer who tends to hit thin wedge shots or plays courses with very firm conditions, a low-bounce sand wedge will likely lead to better results. To help decide which wedge is best for you, test some wedges from your pro shop or take a sand lesson from your local golf pro.

Ronald Bruce Romberg Bio

You have a respectable game of golf that comes and goes, just like the rest of us, but even on those days that you seem to hit the ball better, your score seems to be the same.

How do you get those scores lower and, ultimately, have more fun?

Take responsibility for your score and improve your short game. By identifying your strengths and weaknesses and applying simple methods for quick skill improvement you can manage your own game and lower you scores. Also, with better shot selection and a short game 'cheat sheet' you can hit less than perfect golf shots that will still be fine and help to lower your scores without necessarily improving your skills. Techniques to lower your score by improving your short game:

1. Identify your strengths and weaknesses by taking notes during your play.

In order to lower your score you must first determine what areas of your game need the most work. As you play your rounds, make small notes on the side of your scorecard. If there are recurring problems these are the areas you should focus your practice.

2. Learn to putt and control your distance.

Becoming a good putter requires a good set up and a few basic fundamentals. Once you bend forward from your hips so that your eyes are over your golf ball and your hands hang directly below your shoulders, you will be able to isolate your upper body and make a proper putting stroke where only the triangle formed by your arms moves. Next, you have to practice to learn to control distance. Any spare time you can find to practice stroking medium to longer putts to learn to control your speed and distance will automatically help to lower your scores.

3. Putt whenever you can.

There are a lot more times when you can putt and might not realize it. Other than putting from the green you can also putt from the fringe or collar, up closely mown hills, from farther away from the green in short manicured grass or just into the rough, greenside. Because there are very few moving parts when you putt and the ball generally does not get into the air, it is a very low maintenance choice and therefore more forgiving and consistent.

4. Become a good chipper.

Other than putting, chipping is the lowest risk shot. Once your set up is proper, gripping low, stance narrow, weight and shaft of the club leaning forward, the stroke is just like that of putting. Because the stroke is relatively small, you are more likely to be more consistent and any miss will be less penalizing.

5. Only pitch the ball when you have to.

When you are in a short game situation where you need more carry in the air than there is room for the ball to roll, you will have to pitch with your sand wedge. Because a larger swing will be necessary to carry the ball a greater distance in the air, this shot will be riskier and should only be used when you have ruled out all other options