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Here’s how to practice making an on-plane downswing by better syncing your arms and body.

1. Lay down a club extending from your front foot, settle into address and place your gloved hand on your sternum, making sure your front elbow points at the target. 

2. Using only your trail arm, swing to the top, turning your upper body until your front elbow points well behind the ball. 

3. Now, the secret sauce: Shift your lower body toward the target while allowing the club to drop. This move is the exact opposite from the cast you’re probably doing now.

The goal is to keep your front elbow pointing behind the ball. If you can reach this position, all you have to do is turn through impact and release your hands. The result: big drives that never leave the target. 

Mike Malizia is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and is the director of instruction at the Club at Admirals Cove in Jupiter, Fla.

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The post 6 shots amateurs never practice — but they should appeared first on Golf.

The post 6 shots amateurs never practice — but they should appeared first on Golf.

It’s often said that we tend to practice only what we enjoy — and typically, those are the parts of the game we’re already good at. As a result, the average golfer rarely spends time working on the areas that need the most improvement.

Below are six types of shots that most golfers rarely practice. Give them a little time during your next practice session and you’ll be well on your way to shooting lower scores.

1. Lag putts with lots of break

Most players I see are only practicing longer putts and short putts on relatively flat surfaces — typically with just a 1- or 2-percent grade. But the putts we three-putt most often are the ones that come after a poor lag putt on more severe slopes.

To fine-tune your feel on the greens, try practicing putts over big humps, onto and across shelves, and on putts with significant break. When you do, the flatter putts will feel much easier, and the more difficult ones won’t leave you with a 10-foot comeback for par.

2. Shots from fairway bunkers

Golfers often get into trouble in fairway bunkers when they swing too hard, which causes excess movement and leads to hitting behind the ball. The key to hitting solid fairway bunker shots is all about club selection and controlled movement.

First, choose a club that gives you enough loft to comfortably clear the lip of the bunker. Then, if possible, go with one club stronger than you would normally use. This allows you to make a smoother, more controlled swing — reducing lower-body movement and improving consistency at impact.

Bunker Shots

Swinging at full power out of a bunker often leads to too much motion, making clean contact difficult. Instead, focus on a controlled swing and aim to strike the ball slightly thin. When you do this, you’ll typically make solid contact. Even if you do hit it thin, you’ll likely carry the green rather than chunking it 50 yards short.

A great drill to develop this shot is to visualize a stripe — like the one on a range ball — running around the equator of the ball. Take one or two extra clubs, aim slightly left, swing easy and focus on hitting that stripe. More often than not, you’ll catch the ball cleanly, and it will fly with a gentle left-to-right shape.

3. Shots on hilly lies

Most golfers only pay attention to the lie of the ball when it’s obviously poor, but understanding how uneven or hilly lies affect ball flight is essential for improving your game and achieving long-term success.

When facing a significant slope — whether uphill, downhill, or sidehill — it’s crucial to prioritize balance. One of the best ways to stay in control is by taking an extra club. This allows you to make a smoother, more controlled swing without having to overexert yourself, which can throw off your balance.

As a general rule, if the lie is even moderately to severely sloped, club up. Staying balanced and steady during your swing is far more important than trying to hit a full shot from an unstable position.

4. Shots with a fairway wood

Fairway woods are among the toughest clubs for the average golfer to hit consistently. The combination of a tight lie and a large clubhead often creates the urge to help the ball into the air — usually leading to mishits and inconsistent contact.

Instruction

Choosing the wrong fairway wood for the lie only makes matters worse. It’s essential to select the club that best suits the conditions in front of you. If the lie is tight and the ball is sitting low — barely above the ground — consider switching to a higher-lofted fairway wood or a hybrid. You want the ball to appear more accessible, with the clubhead sitting flush to the turf. This visual cue gives you more confidence and increases the chance of solid contact.

The key to hitting fairway woods well is keeping the takeaway long and low, and focusing on clipping the penny through impact. That mental image helps promote a clean strike and a shallow angle of attack — both critical to making solid contact off the fairway.

5. Shots from the rough

Most amateur golfers rarely practice from the rough, which means they lack an understanding of how different lies affect ball flight and control. Without experience, it’s difficult to make confident decisions when faced with tough lies. Let’s break it down into three common rough lies.

Ball sitting up
When the ball is sitting up nicely in the rough, it’s a green-light situation. You can use your normal swing, and the ball will typically react how you’re used to — though it may fly slightly farther due to the grass reducing spin and adding “flyer” distance. Be aware that the harder you swing, the more this flyer effect increases. With this in mind, consider taking a little off the swing or using a slightly less-lofted club to compensate.

Ball half exposed
This is a tricky lie. Sometimes the ball jumps; other times it comes out dead. This unpredictability is why practicing from the rough is so important to your development as a golfer. The more exposure you get to this type of lie, the better your instincts will be.

To improve your chances of solid contact from a half-exposed lie in the rough, start by steepening your angle of attack to minimize the amount of grass getting between the clubface and the ball. One way to do this is by moving the ball back in your stance about one inch, which helps promote a more descending strike. At address, try hovering the club slightly above the ground to encourage a cleaner takeaway. Lastly, focus on making a quicker, steeper backswing to help deliver the club on a sharper angle into the ball.

Ball sitting down
This is a challenging lie that requires a decision: play it safe with a pitch out, or go for something more aggressive. Loft is your best friend here. It’s better to come up short with a higher-lofted club than to risk using too little loft and watching the ball barely get out.

When faced with a ball sitting down in the rough, start by moving the ball back one inch in your stance to promote a steeper angle of attack. Aim slightly left to accommodate the more upright swing path that this adjustment creates. On the backswing, pick the club up more sharply to set yourself up for a descending blow, and then “chop” down on the ball to minimize the effect of the grass. Expect the shot to come out with a lower trajectory and extra rollout once it hits the ground.

6. Chips with fairway wood or hybrid

The fairway wood or hybrid is an excellent choice for getting up and down from just off the green, whether the lie is good, bad or tight. It’s especially useful when the pin is close to the edge of the green. As golf course architecture continues to evolve with collection areas around the green, you’ll see this shot used more and more on Tour.

Here’s how to set up:

By making a putting motion, you’re allowing the extra mass and length of the club to carry the ball onto the green. With practice, you’ll find that minimal effort is required to get the ball to the surface, so I recommend sticking with the same hybrid for consistency. This way, you’ll become familiar with how the club delivers the ball, making it easier to predict the outcome.

This technique is also effective on steep hills or in medium rough, where you just need to nudge the ball slightly and let gravity do the rest. A note of caution: only use this shot for very tight pin placements near the edge of the green. Longer shots require a different set of fundamentals.

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The post 6 reasons you should keep a Handicap Index appeared first on Golf.

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As part of the preparation, they asked me to send over my Handicap ID (e.g., GHIN number) so they could check my Handicap Index. Well … at that point, I didn’t have one — and hadn’t in quite some time.

The good news? I had just come back from a golf trip to Ireland with my son and had plenty of scores to enter. I found the process of establishing a handicap to be surprisingly simple — and I’m really glad I went through it.

Here’s how it works, and why I think it’s a great idea for any golfer.

1. It’s never too early to start

If you’re new to golf, the idea of having a handicap might feel a bit intimidating. But you don’t need to be playing full 18-hole rounds regularly to get started. Even if you’re just playing nine holes occasionally — or not finishing every hole — you can still begin building your handicap. It’s also a great way to track your progress. And when the time comes to try out a friendly tournament, you’ll already have the scores you need.

2. The GHIN app makes it easy

The USGA’s GHIN app (Golf Handicap Information Network) is incredibly intuitive. It’s designed so that anyone — without any training — can use it right away. The app lets you start tracking your handicap, and it also provides useful info during and after your rounds to help you improve.

3. You don’t have to belong to a country club

This is a big one. Anyone can get a handicap. Even if you’re not a member of a country club or have a course that you play regularly.  Simply go to usga.org/getahandicap and sign up in minutes; you’ll also become a member of the Allied Golf Association (AGA) that serves your local area.

4. Posting scores is simple

After you’ve signed up, download the USGA GHIN app from your app store, which allows you to begin posting scores immediately. You can post nine- or 18-hole scores easily. I prefer to enter my scores hole-by-hole because it gives great feedback — like, how I’m doing on par-3s, -4s and -5s. The app also automatically adjusts for any blow-up holes, factoring in your individual handicap to set a max score per hole.

5. It provides great feedback

One of the coolest updates to the app is the GPS functionality. It’s helpful on my home course but especially valuable when I’m playing somewhere new. It shows hole layouts, hazard yardages and distances to the front, middle and back of each green.

6. You’ll be prepared when an invite comes

Most tournaments require a current handicap, so getting started now means you’ll be ready when the opportunity arises. Tracking your handicap over time also gives you a sense of your progress — and when you might want to get a refresher lesson. Watching that number trend down (hopefully!) is both satisfying and motivating.

Start the sign-up process here.

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The post 5 holes that will decide the Masters (hint: not on the back 9) appeared first on Golf.

The post 5 holes that will decide the Masters (hint: not on the back 9) appeared first on Golf.

Statistically speaking, the two most difficult holes at Augusta National, consulting stats that go all the way back to 1942, are Nos. 10 (0.298 str0kes above par) and 11 (0.304). Add in the peril that awaits on No. 12 (a 150-yard par 4 that plays just as difficult as the 240-yard par-3 4th, according to the numbers) and it’s not hard to accept that getting off to a good start at Augusta National, especially on Sunday, is often more important than how you finish. But, in a word, it is hard.

Any golf fan knows what the leaders need to do on Nos. 13 and 15 (two of the most beautiful — and birdie-able — par 5s in major championship golf ), but for many decades those watching on TV could only see the back nine. Today, thankfully, you can see it all, and, if you watch closely this year, you’ll realize that the front nine — specifically, the first five holes — are the ones that truly make or break a player’s chances.

Adam Scott, the 2013 champion knows. In a recent interview with GOLF’s Claire Rogers, the Aussie revealed that the most nerve-racking shot in golf, year-in and year-out, is the first at Augusta. And that’s on Thursday.

I’m lucky in that my primary teaching location, Fusion ATL, is, as the name suggests, Augusta-adjacent in Atlanta. Many of my students are Augusta National members. I’ve coached some of the guys you have seen or will see play for a green jacket. And I’ve had the honor of playing there many times. Like many of my GOLF Top 100 Teacher colleagues, I know the place well. And each time I visit or walk with a player/student, I’m reminded of the same thing: The holes most fans know the least about are the ones they need to get to know better. They’re nasty. And they hit you right from the start.

No. 1: Tea Olive (Par-4)

Most golf courses open with somewhat of a “warm handshake.” Tee it up and have fun. Augusta doesn’t. The opener is a killer and has become increasingly difficult over the years with the addition of a few extra yards — and a lot of trees.

The view is nice: When you look to your left, you see the expanse of most of the entire property. Phenomenal. As you turn your gaze back to the fairway … well, not so nice.

The trees begin roughly 150 yards off the tee box, and the hole gently moves to the right. But I wouldn’t call it a dogleg, because the tee shot is pretty much straight. The best golfers in the world now can hit high fades without blinking, as six-time winner Jack Nicklaus did. Maybe you’ve heard that Augusta National favors a draw player. Not anymore. Big, long fades are the shots du jour come April in Georgia. No. 1 is a medium-length par 4 by today’s major standards, but, as you watch in person or from your couch, count how many players use anything but driver off the first tee. You’ll use the fingers only on one hand.

The bunker on the right side of the fairway on No. 1, like many bunkers at Augusta, has very clean edges. But it’s deep, which limits your options when going for the green if and when you find it. Point is, there isn’t much bailout on ANGC’s opener.

Players who get conservative off the tee are left with an extremely long second. No fun. But, say a player hits a great drive. They’re in the fairway staring at a mid-iron to the green. Here’s where you first learn what Augusta’s all about. The greens look big, as the one on No. 1 does, but really they’re only as big as the area directly surrounding the pin. Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones — geniuses. 

Par is birdie on this hole. Players who card four here are likely to gain a half shot on the entire field over four days. Maybe that doesn’t seem like a lot, but it adds up. And this is just the opener. 

No. 2: Pink Dogwood (Par-5)

On to the 2nd, Pink Dogwood. Beautiful sounding name. Beautiful hole. From the tee box you think it’s a dogleg, but it isn’t. You’ve got to hit it pretty straight off the tee — then the dogleg comes into play.

It’s a par 5. It’s early in the round. It’s potentially a birdie hole for sure. But it’s also tricky. There’s a creek that runs along the left-hand side of the hole that most fans don’t know about. But the bunker on the right—that’s the scary thing. As you stand on the tee, it’s the only thing you really see. Smart players, many of whom have green jackets in their closets, have approached the tee shot on No. 2 with the same thought: Be aggressive, but choose a conservative target. Sounds simple, but this kind of game management takes discipline. The best line: just off the left edge of the bunker. If the ball draws a little, great. If it doesn’t—and if you’re long enough—no biggie either. But for years players have thought they needed to carve something special here. You don’t. Watch Bryson or Ludvig: They’ll just pound it here.

No. 3: Flowering Peach (Par-4)

The 3rd hole at Augusta, Flowering Peach, is a fantastic, short-ish par 4. What’ll be interesting to watch this year is that the tree in the right half of the fairway is no longer there (thanks to Hurricane Helene). It was, for years, the only thing players had to worry about.

When I first played Augusta, decades ago, nobody hit driver on No. 3. Not only because of that tree but the bunkers on the left, which loomed just in driver range. In many ways, the inherent danger has probably messed up a few players over the years, derailing their chances of winning at Augusta on what should be a very simple hole. This year, take note of how many players hit pitch shots into the 3rd green. We all know how Augusta has tried to “Tiger-proof ” the course, but here’s an example where length is your friend, not some unique ability to carve a fairway wood or long iron to avoid the bunkers or the tree that may or may not be there come this Masters. Today’s players realize that hitting it as close to the green — instead of laying up to a preferred yardage — is the best route to a green jacket, especially on No. 3.

No. 4: Flowering Crabapple (Par-3)

Players reach the first par 3 at Augusta National on No. 4. The name of the hole is Flowering Crab Apple. Perfect, because it sounds sweet, but crab apples are actually very sour. It plays 240 yards — driver for you and me, but, for the competitors, it’s more like a 4- or 5-iron. Again, here’s where power pays off. If you had to guess which par 3, the 240-yard 4th or the 155- yard 12th, has the lower scoring aver – age, what would you guess? I’ll spare you the Google search: The average score on each hole since 1942 is exactly the same, give or take a decimal point.

No. 5: Magnolia (Par-4)

Now, No. 5. Players are about an hour into their rounds. Nobody used to talk about the 5th until ANGC significantly lengthened it a few years back, adding some 40 yards. For years it was a hole that simply was the one you played after No. 4 and before you teed off on No. 6.

Now, it’s a breath-taker. It’s beautiful, but it’s hard. Like Nos. 10 and 11, the goal here is to simply hold serve, which is what each of the top-five finishers (Scheffler, Åberg, Fleetwood, Homa and Morikawa) did at last year’s Masters. (DeChambeau, who placed sixth, actually birdied the thing.) At one point in tournament history, players statistically carded an average of par on this hole. Since the changes, it’s now, coincidentally, the fifth hardest hole at ANGC, averaging 0.266 strokes over par.

So how to win a green jacket? As ever, dominate the par 5s. Make it through Amen Corner. And now … manage what’s the most unheralded and least-known part of the course: the starting five. They offer no mercy and few roars. They favor length over shot-shaping. My advice? Bet on a bomber.

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The post 8 simple tips for improving your golf game appeared first on Golf.

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I look at someone like my son, who has attended ski school since he was little and has top-notch technique as a result, and I wonder how much better I could have been if I had been equipped with the right information.

Which got me thinking about all of the golfers out there who might be in the same boat, so I wanted to share my expertise and give you a few takeaways that will help you make a faster improvement. 

1. Good communication is key

A key element in improving in golf is receiving the right information in a way that ‘clicks’ for you. Having a teacher who can communicate effectively and explain concepts in a way that you understand is crucial.

While you might not notice that progress immediately, over time, you can develop a solid foundation — ensuring lasting improvement.

To find the right teacher for you, check out GOLF’s Top 100 Teachers.

2. Work on your setup

In every sport, your setup is crucial — but in golf, it’s particularly important. A proper grip and posture ensure that you can deliver a square clubface and follow the correct swing path. Whether you’re skiing or golfing, if you’re off-balance from the beginning, it becomes much harder to perform efficiently and consistently.

3. Equipment matters

Equipment plays a significant role in your success, especially when it’s been fitted to your individual proportions and swing. I recommend using fitting tools, like this one from Ping, as a great starting point to ensure your clubs are suited to you.

4. Get to the root problem

In skiing, I’ve learned that if I don’t position my weight correctly, I struggle to make an efficient turn. This weight distribution issue is the root cause of my difficulty, not the turn itself.

The same can be said for golf.  For example, an incorrect grip can lead to problems with your clubface alignment, making it harder to execute a proper swing. Identifying the root of your problem will help you avoid falling further down the rabbit hole of making quick fixes that only lead to more bad habits.

5. Drills are necessary, and not always fun

I’ve always emphasized the importance of practice drills when teaching. Though they can be tedious and sometimes difficult, drills are a fast path to improvement. I find them particularly useful when you lose your way and need to get back on track quickly.

6. Repetition with feedback

Change takes practice. To improve, you need to repeat motions and receive feedback to refine them. This process of repetition and feedback is why training aids are so valuable. For example, a divot board is an excellent tool for improving ball and turf contact, helping you understand how the club interacts with the ground and when it makes contact with the ball.

Divot Board

Introducing the Divot Board, your ultimate golfing companion for immediate feedback and swing correction. This game-changing board reads your divots, providing real-time data on ball flight and helping you improve your technique. Experience the power of instant feedback and elevate your game with this portable and user-friendly device. Perfect for golfers of all levels. Get the Divot Board and take your golfing journey to new heights.

$99.99 from Fairway Jockey

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7. Try saying it differently

As a teacher, I find that changing the way I explain a concept can make a huge difference in my students’ understanding. The next time something isn’t working, remember, it might not be you. It might be how you’re receiving the information. The same idea, phrased in a different way, can often be the key to finally having your breakthrough. 

8. Embrace the ups and downs

There’s nothing quite like that feeling of “I’ve got it!” — when everything clicks into place. However, it can also be frustrating when that feeling fades, and the skills seem to vanish. This is normal and part of the process. 

The more you experience those moments of success, the more likely you are to make them habitual. I learned a lot about this at a PGA educational event from Ian Highfield, whose insights on teaching and learning have proven helpful in both my golf and skiing improvement journeys.

Improving at golf — or any sport — requires time, effort, and a willingness to learn. Embrace the process, trust your teacher, practice diligently, and before long, you’ll see the improvements you’ve been working toward.

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The post This common mistake kills your bunker game. Here’s how to fix it appeared first on Golf.

The post This common mistake kills your bunker game. Here’s how to fix it appeared first on Golf.

Bunker shots are a huge struggle for lots of recreational golfers. While the pros make the shots look easy, weekend warriors make them seem borderline impossible.

Part of this struggle happens because of a lack of practice. At other times, it’s because casual golfers have a fundamental misunderstanding of the technique needed to hit a proper bunker shot. Today, we’re going to cover a little bit of both.

In the text and video below, Top 100 Teacher Mark Durland explains a common mistake he sees that kills the recreational player’s ability to escape the sand — along with a few tips on how to practice the right technique.

The common bunker flaw

What are you doing that’s killing your bunker game?  You’re hitting way too far behind the golf ball! 

The reason it’s so hard to identify this mistake is that it results in two completely different misses. One miss is simple to detect and occurs when the ball lands two or three feet in front of you. This clearly happens because you take too much sand. 

The opposite miss is when you send the golf ball into the trees or the water on the other side of the green. This often is the result of the same swing fault — but golfers fail to diagnose it properly because the result is so different. They convince themselves it must come from a completely different swing error. 

The reality is you’re still hitting way too far behind the golf ball, but instead of digging, the clubhead is bouncing into the golf ball. Below, I’ve got three great ways you can practice correcting this fault.

1. Use a line

A great way to improve your bunker play is by drawing a six-inch line to the outside of the golf ball. This will help you identify your clubhead’s entry point into the sand after your shot. You’ll quickly discover you hit way farther behind the ball than you think! 

The other benefit to using the line is you’ll hit a proper bunker shot and discover the correct distance behind the ball you should be hitting, whether it’s two, three, or even four inches behind the ball. Once you understand how far behind the golf ball you should hit for a successful bunker shot, simply draw a six-to-eight-foot line in the bunker and get really efficient at hitting the proper amount behind the line. 

It’s a penalty to touch the sand in a bunker on the golf course, but it’s not a penalty in a practice area, so swing away! Learn how and what it feels like to interact with the sand properly and take that knowledge out on the course.

2. Splash some sand

Creating a proper weight transfer is another way to stop hitting too far behind the golf ball in the bunker. A lot of golfers stay on their trail foot in the bunker, or they create a reverse weight shift to scoop the golf ball into the air. 

A great way to stay aggressive and transfer your weight in the bunker is splashing some sand onto the green. This helps you finish with your trail toe in the ground and your belt buckle facing toward the target. A lot of golfers make a wonderful backswing and then hit the sand and stop. The reason they do this is that they’ve seen the ball go way too far. 

To become a great bunker player, you must make a lengthy swing. So, stay aggressive!

3. Erase the dot

Another way you can stop hitting too far behind the golf ball in the bunker is by drawing a small dot in the sand just in front of your ball with the butt end of your club. Of course, you’ll only do this in a practice bunker and not on the golf course. This helps to draw your focus in front of the golf ball to prevent hitting too far behind it.

Conventional bunker wisdom is to focus on a grain of sand behind the golf ball, but unfortunately this leads to some golfers hitting way too far behind it. So next time you’re in the practice bunker, put a dot in front of the golf ball and focus on erasing it on your follow through. This will help you hit closer to the golf ball for some sizzling bunker shots.

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The post Follow these 6 keys for better contact with your wedges appeared first on Golf.

Follow the six keys below from GOLF Top 100 teacher Kellie Stenzel and you’ll be making consistently pure contact in no time.

1. Nail your posture and setup

For all golf shots, especially short game shots with less swing speed, having the proper setup and posture is crucial. Bend from your hips so that your arms hang naturally below your shoulders. This creates the necessary space between your hands and thighs, which helps prevent the club from being too long relative to your body. If you’re too upright and crowded, your club will get stuck in the ground when your arms extend. I encourage my students to find the optimal distance between their hands and thighs when they make solid contact and then apply that distance consistently across all shots.

2. Engage the bounce

For the ball to get airborne, the bottom of the club must make contact with the ground, using the loft to lift the ball. To achieve this, it’s vital to set the club down properly with the leading edge perpendicular to the target line. Avoid twisting the club face, as a closed face can catch the ground and get stuck.

If you find this challenging, consider using a club designed to assist with setup. Ping’s new BunkR wedge, for example, features a high loft and bounce, which makes setting the club properly on the ground easier.

PING BunkR Custom Wedge

The BunkR is engineered to help golfers who struggle out of bunkers make an easy exit and land the ball close. Because of its loft, wide sole, and iconic EYE2-style shaping, you’re able to employ a normal, square-faced technique to get up and down from the bunker. Easy Escapes Relying on the confidence-inspiring Eye2 shaping, extra loft and the wide sole of the BunkR, getting the ball onto the green has never been easier. Friendly Bounce With 14.5° of bounce, the club moves easily through the sand and generates more ball speed to launch the ball high and out of trouble.  Lots of Loft With 64° of loft, the BunkR helps pop the ball up high and onto the green with ease, setting you up for more-makeable putts.

$179 from Fairway Jockey

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3. Find the correct ball position

Ball position plays a key role in short game shots. If you tend to strike the ground too soon or too often, the ball’s position is critical. Placing the ball too far back in your stance can cause the leading edge to dig into the ground. However, placing it too far forward can result in hitting the ground before the ball.

To find your ideal ball position, take a practice swing and note where the club hits the ground relative to your feet. Once you identify the bottom of your swing arc, position the ball just behind that spot during your setup.

4. Adjust your grip

If you have a strong grip and tend to hook or draw the ball, you may want to adjust your grip for short game shots. A strong grip can cause the club face to close, which works fine for full swings but can lead to digging with slower, shorter swings.

By rotating your hands slightly toward the target, you can keep the face from closing too much, allowing the club to glide better through the turf. While this may feel odd or weak at first, it can be the key to preventing the club from getting stuck.

5. Learn the difference between a chip and pitch

Proper setup is essential for both chip and pitch shots. A chip shot is typically low and designed to roll more than it flies. When hitting a chip, avoid leaning the club handle too far forward — aim to keep your body weight evenly distributed.

For a pitch shot, which requires more carry and less roll, using the bounce of the club is crucial. You can use a lob, sand, or gap wedge for this type of shot, as these clubs have a rounded sole designed to glide through the turf without digging in. Make sure your wedges are properly fitted for your swing, as the right clubs make a significant difference.

I recommend my students get fitted at TrueSpec Golf, where they can be properly fitted on grass, which is essential for wedge fitting.

6. Have a balanced finish

A forward swing with good momentum and a balanced finish is key to ensuring the club doesn’t get stuck. Remember: objects in motion stay in motion. A smooth, forward swing allows the club to glide through the turf and bottom out at the correct spot. A balanced finish also helps you ensure that you’ve transferred your weight correctly to your front foot.

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In my experience, there are five errors you can make to chunk one: 1) a strong grip, which invites the lead edge of the club to dig in too early; 2) titling your shoulders like you’re setting up to hit driver — that again can cause a dig behind the ball; 3) swaying on or off the ball; 4) swinging too far in-to-out; and 5) unduly closing the face on the backswing.

Fixing No. 1 is easy — take a slightly weaker grip. The next two? Set up with even shoulders and keep your nose in front of the ball from start to finish. The last two? A chunk-proofing chipping station can help.

Grab a wedge and place one of your irons behind the ball, pointing down your target line. Your goal: Allow the toe of the club to “rise” toward the sky as you swing back while keeping your swing just inside the club on the ground.

Feel like you’re going more up than around? Then retrace this path on the way back down. Copy what you learned here and you’ll catch every chip crisp every time.

Ed Oldham is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and is the director of instruction at the Ranch CC in Westminster, Colo.

The post 5 reasons you chunk chip shots — and how to fix them appeared first on Golf.

The post Stop straightening your trail arm before impact for better contact appeared first on Golf.

The post Stop straightening your trail arm before impact for better contact appeared first on Golf.

Grab one of your lower lofted wedges and set up to the ball. As you take the club back, make a wide turn and avoid hinging your wrists. Pause slightly at chest height, then swing forward using only your legs and core. Similar to your backswing, finish below chest height.

This load through drill is a dramatic version of a real swing, but, by overdoing these feels, you’ll find a happy medium when you’re on the course making full and partial swings. Among many things, it helps you keep your trail arm loaded on top of the club longer.

That’s when you get that smash. 

Jerry King is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and is the director of instruction at El Dorado Golf & Beach Club in Los Cabos, Mexico, and Gozzer Ranch Golf & Lake Club in Harrison, Idaho.

The post Stop straightening your trail arm before impact for better contact appeared first on Golf.

The post 4 top teachers explain what causes a slice — and how to fix it appeared first on Golf.

The post 4 top teachers explain what causes a slice — and how to fix it appeared first on Golf.

A slice might be the most frustrating miss in golf. Sometimes it seems like no matter what you do, that big, frustrating left-to-right (for righties) ball flight is inevitable, and the harder you try, the worse it gets.

While we all know what a slice is, most amateurs are surprisingly stumped when it comes to knowing what causes this unforgiving shot pattern. So we reached out to a few of the most knowledgeable teachers in the game to find out exactly what causes your slice.

Keep reading to better understand why you’re producing this frustrating miss and figure out how to fix it.

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Master the side-to-side move

“Your face is open or late to the ball. Generally, the player’s path isn’t moving down enough. The grip of the club is moving out, or over the top, in transition. Most recreational players rotate too much, too early in their downswing while elite ball strikers move side to side initially in the downswing.” – Jon Tattersall 

Shift the lower body, let the head drop

“There is no simple fix as the anatomy of each case is different. However, a good feel for many amateurs off the tee is to shift the lower body in transition and allow the head to drop back. This helps to improve the plane, path and attack angle.” – Jonathan Yarwood

Strengthen your grip, release the club head

“Strengthening the grip and learning to release the club head as soon as possible is an effective and quick slice-fix. Most slices are caused by the player’s path being over the top. This restricts the player from releasing the club. I tell my students to think about hitting it left, which frees their brain up to work on the path of the swing.” – Eric Johnson

Get the toe to lead the heel at impact

“A slice occurs when the clubface is open to the path at impact. So, you need to determine where the clubface is getting open in the swing. In my experience, most players open the clubface in their downswing and a slice is usually a result of the clubhead traveling on an out-to-in path as it approaches the ball. The easiest way to fix a clubface that is opening in the downswing is by attempting to close the clubface prior to impact. An effective swing cue you can use is to imagine that the toe of the club is leading the heel at impact. If that doesn’t work, think about rotating your arms through impact to produce the same result.” – Eric Alpenfels

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The post 4 top teachers explain what causes a slice — and how to fix it appeared first on Golf.