When I’m stood in the middle of the fairway, my shot selection is determined by where the pin is. If it’s a front pin and I’m going to have a hard time getting it to stop, I’ll try and hit it a high one that lands softly and spins. If it’s a back pin I’ll normally hit it a little lower, trying to pitch it short and run it out to take the back edge and being short-sided out of play. I hit a lot of different shots out there as I like shaping the ball, so fades into pins cut on the right and draws into pins cut on the left. Whatever type of shot you want to hit be sure to make the adjustments in your set-up so you don’t have to alter your swing.

Hit it hard
You have to hit this shot at full power, really committing to it. If you go at it half-hearted you won’t get the height required. Remember, the harder you hit it the higher it will go..

I step back a little with my right foot so the weight is more centred than usual. In turn, this brings the ball forward in my stance, allowing me to add loft without trying to help the ball up. This stops that scooping or flicking action that I see in lots of amateurs who strike it inconsistently. You shouldn’t feel like you are leaning back, just more centred than on a normal shot and narrower stance when you favour the left side.

Short stop
The ball is about half a ball further back in my stance than normal to give me a little more shaft lean. After impact I want to stop my follow-through short to make sure it comes out low enough to run out.

To finish shorter I have to retain that forward press and wrist angle as an early release will result in a finish that is too full. A firmer grip will help you minimise wrist rotation to promote a lower flight.

NEXT: Chipping on hard greens >>