Versatility Is The Key With Rory McIlroy

Picking the right shot at the right time is very important and I do have a tendency sometimes to grab the 60º lob wedge whatever the challenge I’m faced with. Michael has been trying to get me to be more versatile and to go with the percentage option rather than the crowd pleasing one! So here’s the bump and run, a slightly boring shot I think, but a very useful one nonetheless, especially for amateurs.

I’m playing it here with an 8-iron, back of centre in the stance, with my hands forward – from there it’s just all shoulders. Think of maintaining that triangle formed between the shoulders and the hands.

Keep your wrists firm and make sure your weight is on the left side so that the club comes back to the same place every time. Move your weight about and you can hit this heavy, which is careless really.

It’s fun to be entertaining and I often think of the crowd. I mean the bump and run… does anyone really want to see that? I had a shot on Baltray’s 18th in the Irish Open. I was front right with a bunker to go over and the pin was back left. I pitched it about 10 feet passed and spun it back to three feet. I thought as I played it, ‘Hmm, the crowd will like this!’ I played a bump and run shot at The Players in Sawgrass and I said to my caddie: “At least Michael will be pleased with me!”