Shot shaping

[MrFreeze]

Hello all,

tonight at my lesson I was taught how to "start" to shape my shots. Just the basics of having my shots leak right and left. I can't remember the term for the ball leaking left. To the right is a Fade, right?

I have been doing lessons for the past couple of months and have a fairly strong, and repeatable, normal swing/shot.

Can you help with, first - the name of the left leaking shot. :) It isn't a hook. So...

Next what other things are out there?

I have:

A pure swing / straight shots through the bag

A punch shot with the 5i through 7i

1/2 and 1/4 strength shot (can't remember the names) Pitch?

Bump and run with the 8i

Chip shot

Sand trap shot close to the green.

Would like to know how to do the flop

theory behind the fairway bunker shot...

Anything else that you all would like to share... :)

Thank you

[chdduncan]

The leaking to the left shot is called a draw.

To do a flop shot you got to open up your stance quite a bit and open the clubface a lot as well. Set up open like that with the ball a little forward than center in your stance and swing back low and keep the tempo rythmic... when I say rhythmic I mean not choppy or decelerating. You must accelerate through the ball. Its similar to playing a bunker shot from close to the green.

I play a fairway shot by first going up a club because you will lose a little distance in the sand. I open my stance and my clubface very minimally. I'm pointing generally 5 yards left of the spot I am aiming at. I tend to hit a small fade as well. I also put the ball a little further back in my stance to permit a ball first then sand contact. You do not want to hit the sand first like in a greenside bunker. Your distance will be terrible.

As well, I tend to go for the fat part of the green from a fairway bunker. Its never fun going from bunker to bunker.

Other tips. I would suggest you to stick with one shot shape for now. I suggest a fade but I am a Nicklaus kind of guy anyways. Its all about feel. Whatever shot shape you feel more comfortable with you should go with.

Going with one shot shape makes golf into a percentage game. Think about it this way. If you aim on the left side of the fairway and hit a fade it will go into the middle of the fairway right. If you hit it straight it will go on the left side of the fairway, or if you slice, it will end up on the right side of the fairway. Either way your in the fairway. Make sense?

Its the same way with hitting to a green. It just provides more room for error when you stick to a shot shape. When you get down to single digits with your handicap you can then worry about working the ball into tight pin positions and dogleg fairways. But for now I suggest sticking to your best shot shape.

Hope this helps

[chdduncan]

A bump and run is the same as a chip in my mind. Their both the same in regards to low flight time and max ground time.

[WUTiger]

Originally Posted by chdduncan

A bump and run is the same as a chip in my mind. Their both the same in regards to low flight time and max ground time.

Both are low running shots, but with differences in where they land.

A bump and run seeks to clip the bank by the green - or edge of the green - to take some of the momentum off a shot. The shot lands just off the green and runs on. This shot works better on linksland courses or greens with firm turf.

A chip shot lands on a level spot on the green and rolls toward the cup. Generally, the distance of a chip shot is easier to plan and control.