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Shot Making Tips
Video Tips on Shot Making
Premium Tips
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Swing Where Your Body is Aimed
Make sure when trying to fade or slice intentionally that you swing along the line to which your body is aiming. Your body should be aimed where you want the ball to start and your clubface should be aimed where you want the ball to end up. It's easy to get caught in the habit of swinging to your target, but when you are working the ball and trying to spin it it's important to remember to swing to the line where you want the ball to start.
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Look Down at a Closed Face When Drawing the Ball
Get used to looking at a slightly closed club face when trying to draw the ball. At first it will be visually awkward, but you have to tell yourself it's correct. It's important to set the clubface closed first and then take your grip. This way your arms and hands stay in a neutral position. If you take your grip and then try to close the clubface you will be rolling your arms over and opening your shoulders.
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When to Hit Out of Water
If you have a golf ball that is half way covered with water or less you can make a go at it. Of course this decision should only be made if you are having fun or are in a competitive round and need to pull off this shot to win. This shot is usually best pulled off with a sand wedge. To give it a try, open the clubface at address and swing back on a more vertical plane (steep). I like to imagine I'm blasting a ball out of the sand.
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Increase Your Club For Every 10 mph of Wind
When faced with high winds, choosing the correct club can be a tremendous challenge. While every situation is different and depends on a player's technique and ability, as a general rule, alter your club of choice choice by one club for every 10 mph of wind. For instance if there is a 20 mph wind in your face, go up two clubs (from a 7 iron to a 5 iron). If the wind is downwind 20 mph then go down 2 clubs (from a 7 iron to a 9 iron).
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Use Enough Loft From the Rough to Get Back in Play
When faced with a ball in deep rough it is important first and foremost to pick the right club and one with enough loft that you will be able to get the ball back out in play. Gnarly grass will want to grab your clubhead so you should also make an effort to steepen your swing plane. Standing slightly open and making more of an arms swing than a shoulder turn on your takeaway will help you make your plane more upright. Avoid turning around your body with your shoulders on a flat plane.
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When It's Breezy, Swing Easy
When hitting into a head wind swing easy. Accelerating through a shot only forces the ball to jump up high into the air. This is not ideal when you have wind in your face. To keep the ball down simply slow down your rate of rotation and take more club. For instance, if you are at a distance where you would normally hit your 7 iron, go up to a 5 iron and swing slow, but smooth.
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You Always Have 3 Choices When Behind a Tree
When you find yourself behind a tree you have 3 choices: 1) Hit over the tree 2) Hit around the tree 3) Hit under the tree Situations can vary, but hitting over a tree time and time again proves to be the most difficult choice. It's a matter of picking the perfect club, catching the ball solid and making sure that you swing in a way that will loft the ball right from the start. Hitting under a tree is not always that easy either, especially if you have low hanging branches. You will find that hitting around is often the smartest and easiest play even if you have to sacrifice distance and just punch out.
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Play it Left For Loft
To hit the ball higher move it forward in your stance. This way you will catch the ball more on the up arc with a face that has more loft. Also, make sure that your head and sternum stay well behind the ball. Getting them in front of the ball will only smother it and knock it out low. When you are behind it, again, you will be able to strike the ball with a more lofted face and a bit on the up swing which will shoot the ball out high.
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Stay Forward to Hit it Low
To hit a shot low and bring your trajectory down you must keep your sternum over or in front of the ball. When your sternum and center of gravity get back behind the ball you will shoot the ball up. To keep it down you must feel like you stay over or in front of the ball. This will help you trap the ball and de loft the face. Keep your head and sternum moving forward towards the target consistently throughout the swing. Playing the ball back in your stance will help you keep your trajectory down as well.
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Widen Your Stance to Get Lower
When faced with a ball below your feet widen your stance. This will help get you lower to the ground. Also, bend more at the waist. The number one problem with this lie is people don't get themselves low enough to start with and don't stay down throughout the shot. It's very easy to stand up on the backswing. Make an effort to get low and then keep your chest the same distance from the ball throughout the swing.
Shot Making Tips from the Ask Maria Archive
- My ball flight is very high especially with my short irons. How can I flight my shots lower?
- Should your ball position change when you are trying to hit a draw or a fade? I understand there is a different swing pattern for draw or a fade, but will changing the ball position drive different results?
- Hi Maria, Have you any good drills for distance control and do you favour the full shaft length/half shot system or going down the shaft/full speed system? Not eloquently put but I'm sure you get my drift. Cheers, Tom
- I always seem to top the ball when the second cut is over the ball. Any suggestions as to where to hit the ball when it is deep in the grass?
- How would you chip through thick grass on a downward slope into a slick rolling green? You need to get through the thick, deep grass, but don't want to hit so hard that the ball will fly off the green.
- I get good height with my irons but can't make the ball stop or come back. Any suggestions?
- How much do the hands matter in working the ball versus the set up and swing? Should my hands be the reason that causes a draw/fade?
- I read an article the other day that talked about standing more upright to hit a fade and bending more to hit a draw, does this work?
- What determines if a player has a naturally high or low ball flight?
- If I have not figured out how to consistently hit low shots, any tips for what to do on a windy day?
- I can't ever hit a low tee shot, why?
- What are the most important things I need to do to hit a low shot?
- I tend to hit my wedges too high which leads to decreased distance, any suggestions on how I can fix this?
- I hardly ever hit a straight shot It usually has some draw to it, so should I align myself based on expecting the draw to be there?
- The ball is above my feet on the side of a hill. Will the ball tend to go one way or the other?
- I have a natural draw with my irons. Should I always play the draw, or only for the longer irons?
- Draws always seem to go farther than fades, why is that?
- What is easier to improve, hitting it straighter or longer?
- What do you consider the hardest shot in golf?
- Should the average golfer ever worry about trying to fade/draw the ball?
- What is the most important thing to focus on when you have a shot with a severe uphill lie?
- What should you focus on if you have a shot with a downhill lie?
- How much does cold/warm weather affect distance?
- What does a "knock down" shot mean and when should you use it?
- They often talk about Tiger's "stinger" shot, what is it and is it something to learn?
