Editors Note: Each week, we receive hundreds of questions for our PGA Experts. Though we can't answer every one of them, we will take some of the most illuminating and beneficial questions and have one of the top authorities from the PGA of America to answer them for you. We are in the process of finding ways for more experts to answer more of your questions! Thank you for your support and keep the questions coming!Instruction: Jim Hardy, 2007 PGA National Teacher of the Year

Instruction: Jim Hardy, 2007 PGA National Teacher of the Year

Q: I keep PULLING my drives....I hit the ball consistently 275-300 yards but seem to pull 70% of my shots. I use the King Cobra LV 4 X driver and Cobra S9 irons. Is there a drill I can try to fix this? Thank you for your time.
Steve Stodolak

A: If you are hitting the ball that far your "pull" is caused by a flipping action of the right wrist during impact. To firm up the wrists, keep pressure at a point where the base of your right palm (heel) meets/touches the top of right thumb. At that exact point, keep pressure with your right hand against your left thumb during the hit to keep the right hand from flipping off your left thumb.

Q: I've heard several instructors say that for shots within 80 yards you need to have an open stance. Why is this and how open should the stance be?
Thanks!
Michael

A: On shorter shots, you are trying to limit the body move in the backswing so you do not hit the ball with full force and yet still allow the body to turn and "get out of the way" in the downswing. By opening up at address some (any where from 20-35 degrees) you easily achieve this.

Rules: Brad Gregory, Vice Chairman PGA Rules Committee

Q: What is the penalty if a player moves his coin out of opponent's line of putt and does not replace his coin to the original position on the green?
Walter Harrison

A: Rule 16-1b (The Putting Green; Lifting and Cleaning Ball) requires that the ball must be replaced on the spot on which it was lifted. If the player fails to replace the ball on the correct spot and makes a stroke at that ball, he incurs a loss of hole penalty in match play or two strokes in stroke play.

Up until the point of making the stroke at his ball from a wrong place, the player may correct this error and avoid the penalty. For instance: The player marks and lifts his ball, moves his coin one putterhead-length to the side, subsequently replaces his ball in front of the moved coin and lifts the coin. He can reverse his actions by replacing the coin, move the coin back to its original position and replace the ball.

Q: When play has been suspended due to a storm, does the player mark his ball on the fairway with a tee or does he mark it with something else? Also, if you are on the putting green I know you mark with a coin, but would you also use a tee if the wind is strong or pouring rain?
Al MacMillan

A: When the Committee suspends play, the player may mark and lift his ball. The Rules do not restrict the type of object used. Other than from the putting green, most players use one or several tees to mark their ball. Using several tees makes them easier to find when resuming play. On the putting green most players just use a coin. However, if play is suspended overnight a single tee pressed into the green would expedite the mowing of the green in the morning.

During these suspensions, if the tees or coins are moved either by weather, the maintenance staff, etc. the spot would be estimated and a ball would be placed (not dropped)on the estimated spot.