Golfing News & Blog Articles

A punch shot is a low-trajectory golf shot that is useful in windy conditions or when you need to keep the ball under tree branches or other obstacles. Here's how to execute a punch shot:

1. Select the Right Club: Choose a club with less loft than you would typically use for the distance you need to cover. A lower lofted club, such as a long iron or even a fairway wood, will help keep the ball trajectory low.

2. Position the Ball Back in Your Stance: Place the golf ball slightly back in your stance, closer to your back foot. This helps to deloft the club at impact, reducing the launch angle of the shot.

3. Keep Your Hands Ahead: At address and throughout the swing, focus on keeping your hands slightly ahead of the ball. This encourages a downward strike on the ball, promoting a lower ball flight.

4. Compact Swing: Take a shorter backswing than usual, with a more controlled and compact motion. This reduces the amount of height generated in the swing, further lowering the trajectory of the shot.

Practicing putting is essential for improving your golf game, and incorporating drills into your practice routine can help you develop consistency, accuracy, and confidence on the greens. Here are some effective putting drills to try:

1. Gate Drill: Set up two tees or alignment rods a few inches apart on the putting green, creating a "gate" through which your ball must pass. Practice stroking putts through the gate, focusing on keeping your putter face square at impact and maintaining a smooth, consistent stroke.

2. Clock Drill: Place several tees or markers around the hole, spaced at different distances like the numbers on a clock (e.g., 3 feet, 6 feet, 9 feet, 12 feet). Start at one marker and putt to the hole, then move to the next marker and repeat. This drill helps you develop feel and distance control for putts of varying lengths.

3. One-Handed Putting: Practice putting with only your trail hand (the right hand for right-handed golfers, left hand for left-handed golfers). This drill helps you focus on your hand and wrist control, as well as your ability to square the putter face at impact.

4. Eyes-Closed Putting: Close your eyes and putt to the hole, relying on feel and muscle memory to judge distance and direction. This drill helps you develop trust in your stroke and improve your ability to visualize the line and pace of your putts.

Practicing your short game in golf is essential for lower scores and overall improvement. The short game includes chipping, pitching, bunker shots, and putting, all of which are crucial for getting the ball closer to the hole and minimizing the number of putts you take. Here are some tips on how to practice your short game effectively:

1. Putting Practice:

• Distance Control: Work on your distance control by placing tees or alignment sticks at various distances from the hole and practice hitting putts to stop near or in the hole. This helps develop a feel for how hard to strike the ball.
• Short Putts: Spend time on short putts (3-6 feet) to build confidence and consistency in making these critical putts.
• Lag Putting: Practice long putts to improve your lag putting, which is essential for leaving yourself manageable second putts.
• Putting Drills: Use putting drills and games to add variety and challenge to your practice sessions.

2. Chipping Practice:

• Chipping Targets: Place targets (such as towels or hula hoops) at different distances and practice chipping to them. This helps you develop control over the ball's trajectory and landing spot.
• Pitching Wedge Practice: Practice with your pitching wedge to hit higher, softer shots that land softly and roll a short distance.
• Bunker Play: Spend time in the bunker working on your bunker shots, focusing on achieving clean contact with the sand and varying the distance and trajectory of your shots.
• Chipping Drills: Incorporate chipping drills that simulate real on-course situations, such as chips from rough or chips over hazards.

3. Pitching Practice:

• Pitching Distances: Practice pitching from various distances to improve your ability to control the ball's flight and spin.
• Landing Spots: Select landing spots on the green and practice pitching to those spots to get a feel for how the ball will react on the green.
• Club Selection: Experiment with different clubs for pitching (e.g., sand wedge, gap wedge) to see which works best for specific situations.

4. Bunker Play Practice:

A chip and run shot in golf is a short, low-trajectory shot that is used when you want to get the ball onto the green quickly and have it roll towards the hole. It's a handy shot to have in your golf arsenal, especially when you have a clear path to the green with no major obstacles in the way. Here's how to execute a chip and run shot effectively:

1. Club Selection: Choose a club with a lower loft, such as a pitching wedge, 9-iron, or even an 8-iron. The lower loft will help keep the ball low and rolling.

2. Ball Position: Position the golf ball slightly back in your stance, closer to the back foot. This setup encourages a downward strike on the ball, promoting a low trajectory.

3. Grip and Stance: Maintain your regular grip but favor a slightly open stance. An open stance means your front foot (left foot for right-handed golfers) is pulled back a bit compared to your back foot. This setup encourages a cleaner, descending strike on the ball.

4. Weight Distribution: Shift your weight slightly onto your front foot. This weight shift helps ensure a downward strike and prevents you from hitting the ball too high.

Reading a putt in golf is the process of determining the line and speed at which you should hit the ball to get it into the hole. It's a crucial skill that can significantly impact your overall score. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to read a putt:

1. Approach the Green: As you approach the green, take note of the overall slope and contour of the putting surface. This includes any uphill, downhill, or sidehill slopes.

2. Mark Your Ball: Before reading the putt, mark your ball's position on the green and clean it if necessary.

3. Position Yourself Behind the Ball: Stand behind your ball and look at the line between your ball and the hole. This is known as the "line of the putt."

4. Crouch Down: Crouch down behind your ball to get a lower perspective on the line. This will help you see any subtle breaks in the green.

Hitting a draw in golf involves intentionally curving the ball from right to left (for right-handed golfers) or from left to right (for left-handed golfers). This shot shape can add distance and help you navigate around obstacles on the course. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hit a draw:

1. Grip Setup: Start with a proper grip. For a draw, a slightly strong grip is preferred. This means your top hand (left hand for right-handed golfers) should rotate slightly clockwise on the club handle, promoting a closed clubface at impact.

2. Alignment: Align your feet, hips, and shoulders slightly to the right of your target (for right-handed golfers). This alignment encourages the ball to start to the right and curve back to the left.

3. Stance and Ball Position: Position the golf ball slightly forward in your stance, closer to your front foot. This setup encourages an inside-to-outside swing path, which is essential for hitting a draw.

4. Swing Path: During your backswing, focus on taking the club back along your body line, which is slightly inside the target line. On the downswing, initiate the movement from your lower body, shifting your weight to your front foot. This helps create an inside-to-outside swing path.

1. Ball Position: Position the golf ball back in your stance, closer to your back foot. This will help you hit down on the ball and produce a lower trajectory.

2. Club Selection: Use a club with less loft, such as a 3-iron or a 4-iron, as these clubs will naturally produce lower shots compared to higher lofted clubs.

3. Hands Ahead: At address, lean your weight slightly toward your target and keep your hands ahead of the ball. This promotes a downward strike at impact, creating a lower ball flight.

4. Compact Swing: Take a shorter backswing and follow-through. A compact swing will reduce the height of the shot and keep the trajectory lower.

5. Strong Grip: Consider using a slightly stronger grip (rotating both hands to the right for right-handed players) to help reduce the clubface loft at impact.