September 15, 2025 Zoom Session

Copyright Wright Balance® 2025

"Experience is the measurement of TRUTH"
David F. Wright, 2018

This Zoom session was edited into 3 short videos. The first video is an overview of the results of the teaching brilliance of Harvey Penick and his students. Harvey Penicks' students included:

  • Betsy Rawls 55 LPGA Tour Wins

  • Kathy Whitworth 88 LPGA Tour Wins

  • Sandra Palmer 19 LPGA Wins

  • Tom Kite 19 PGA Tour Wins

  • Ben Crenshaw 19 PGA Tour Wins**

...mention a few of Harvey Penick's numerous students**

I also discussed the current use of the latest technology for balance, ground reaction force, etc. compared to traditional instruction and how pros and amateurs have progressed in each.

There is a brief quiz that follows each of these videos. If your time is limited, please take the quiz to test your knowledge of the content presented in the video.

Harvey Penick: An Introduction to Grip

Question

Which of the following is a Harvey Penick quote?

a. "Learn to grip a putter before irons or woods"
b. "Learn to grip a short iron first"
c. "Use a yardstick to learn to grip a club"
d. "Grip the club like a live bird"

Answer

c. "Use a yardstick to learn to grip a club"

Question

The average 18 hole score for the male amateur golfer in the US is:
**
a. 105
b. 99
c. 94
d. 90

Answer

c. 94

The average 18 hole score for female amateur golfers is 99

Question

True or False

The average score for the male golfer (94) continues to decrease annually with the expanded use of modern technology (Balance Systems, Ground Reaction Force Measurements; 3D models and avatars of the players golf swing)

Answer

False

The average 18 hole score for male and female golfers (94 & 99 respectively) hasn't changed in decades. The only beneficiaries of modern technology are the elite players who use these systems to fine tune their already advanced skills.

Question

Harvey Penick's teaching included which of the following comments:

a. "Take Dead Aim"
b. "The woods are full of long hitters"
c. "During your swing you should have 100% focus on nothing but target"
d. a and b
e. none of the above
f. a, b and c

Answer

f. a, b and c

Grip: How Much Heel Pad Should be On Top?

Question

True or False

Setting the heel pad on top is simple to demonstrate with a yardstick or paint stick. As long as the player sets the heel pad on top, their hips will be square.

Answer

False

When too much or too little heel pad is set on top, the hips rotate open or closed as does the clubface. There is a correct amount of heel pad that is simple to demonstrate. Be certain to mark your students heel pad position on their palm and golf glove at the point where the yardstick or paint stick crosses the heel pad as shown in the video.

Question

The video demonstrates how important it is to practice within the Wright Balance® 8 inch Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) for the matching Core Zone when practicing the grip.

Assume the player is set in their correct stance width range (PSR) and when they cock their lead wrist, their wrist is flat and they see the edge of the colored paint stick or the edge of the clubface indicator card. What happens when the player steps wider or narrower than their 8 inch stance width range?

a. The hips rotate open or closed
b. The paint stick rotates to an open or closed clubface position
c. Neither a or b
d. Both a and b**

Answer

d. Both a and b

Review Question

During the September August 2025 Zoom sessions I covered the Wright Balance® Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) for the Upper, Middle & Lower Core Zones. What is the Wright Balance® Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) for the Middle Core Zone?

Answer

The Wright Balance® Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR) are as follows for each Core Zone:

Middle Core Zone

16 inches + or - 1 inch to 24 inches + or - 1 inch.

Upper Core Zone

8 inches + or - 1 inch to 16 inches + or - 1 inch.

Middle Core Zone

16 inches + or - 1 inch to 24 inches + or - 1 inch.

Lower Core Zone

20 inches + or - 1 inch to 28 inches + or - 1 inch.

Why the Review Question?

When using the yardstick or paint stick to practice grip, if the stance width range (PSR) used for practice does not match the Upper, Middle or Lower Core Power Spot the learning will be an incorrect grip.

Grip: Adding the Trail Hand

Question

If your student has not done the Wright Balance® Express, they can only play with ONE of 2 grips styles.

What are the two grip styles?

a. Butterfly & Tennis Grip
b. Complementary & Baseball Grip
c. Butterfly & Eagle Grip
d. Butterfly & Complementary

Answer

d. Butterfly & Complementary

Question

If the Grip Style (Complementary or Butterfly) used by your student does not fit their biomechanics, what happens to their shoulder rotation?

  1. As long as the trail thumb is on the side of the grip, rotation is not impacted
  2. The ability to rotate in the backswing and through swing is restricted
  3. A steep angle of attack through impact will result taking a large divot
  4. A shallow angle of attack through impact will result in a thin shot

Answer

  1. The ability to rotate in the backswing and through swing is restricted

The restriction of rotation in the backswing often creates a "lifting" of the handle in the backswing and a feeling of being stuck and unable to make a full shoulder turn

The restriction of rotation in the through swing will create a feeling of a "flip" of the hands. When shoulder rotation stops, the arms and hands continue in the through swing

Question

An important use of the paint stick is to determine the correct placement of the grip in the heel pad. What happens if the heel pad is too much or too little on top?

Answer

The hips and the clubface rotate open or closed creating a downswing club path (DCP) that is open or closed to the target line and an errant shot

Question

What happens if the lead hand is neutral and the trail hand is too weak (too much on top) or too strong (too much under)?

Answer

The hips and the clubface rotate open or closed creating a downswing club path (DCP) that is open or closed to the target line and an errant shot

Question

Assume your student is using a yardstick or paint stick to practice their grip. When they practice they are in their matching Performance Stance Width Range (PSR)and they observe only the top edge of the stick. This observation of the top edge of the stick confirms for them a good grip and a square face. If, after assuming their grip in their PSR, what happens if they step outside their performance stance range?

Answer

They will observe the paint stick or yardstick rotate subtly exposing one side of the stick. This means the clubface is open or closed. They will also note that their hip opened or closed changing the Downswing Club Path (DCP).

There is one exception to this observation: If the trail thumb is over the target side of the grip the correct amount, they can play from any stance width. However, the clubface will move to an open or closed position when outside the PSR and the hip line will remain square. That is an important consideration for the advanced player who wants to narrow their stance in the short game. However, I encourage higher index players to stay within their matching Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) when practicing their matching sequencing of motion. Too wide or too narrow a stance width, outside their their PSR will impacts their sequencing and result in an open or closed Downswing Club Path (DCP).