Place your club on the flat part between the heel and the toe, with a square face for the irons. With the woods, don’t look for a square face, just let the sole lie on the ground.
- The ball is in the middle of the stance for the irons, from the pitching wedge to the 6 iron. It’s closer to your front foot with a 5 iron and the woods, and just inside of your front foot with the driver.
5 oct : During the swing
After the “take away”, when the left arm has to be straight, the right arm has to be straight as well going forward.
- Don’t forget to keep your elbows close to the body during all the swing
- To avoid the pain in the left elbow, make sure to put the sole of the club flat on the ground, allowing then your shoulders to work instead of your elbows.
12 oct: iron shot vs wood shot
12 oct: iron shot vs wood shot
Because the woods are longer than the irons, There are 2 differences :
- * Stance with the ball in the middle for the irons (up to the 5th), and the ball closer to the front foot with the woods (just inside the front foot for the driver)
- * Your distance from the club, which is one hand for an iron, and one hand plus the thumb for the woods
Then, the swing is the same for both irons and woods
9 nov : alignment
- - Take one point on the ground on the line between your ball and your target
- Put your club on the ground, holding it with your left hand, and the club head facing this point
- Stand with your feet together behind with the club in the middle of your stance, they should be on a perpendicular to the shaft of the club
- Open your feet, one after the other keeping the iron in the middle of the stance, the width between the feet should not exceed your shoulder width)
Then, you are ready to hit, don’t move your feet anymore, if you think you are aiming wrong, start all the routine again, as a few degrees change can mean 50 yards away from your target!!!
15 nov : choice of the club
The main reason for choosing a club should not be the distance, but the lie of the ball.
For example, if there is a bump (even a little one) behind the ball, never choose a wood. The round and fat sole of a wood does not allow the club head to go under the ball. In this case, depending of the distance take an 7 to sand iron.
Don’t always look for the green in 2 shots, most of the time, a drive and two 7 iron shots will get you to the green.
Another difficulty is the slope
On any slope, only take half a swing as a full swing will overbalance you.
On any slope, only take half a swing as a full swing will overbalance you.
- on an uphill lie (the ball is going to a higher level than your feet)
· more weight on your back foot causes you to hit the ball to the left, therefore you have to aim to the right if you are right-handed
· position of the ball is forward of the center of the stance
- on an downhill lie (the ball is going to a lower level than your feet)
· more weight on your front foot causes you to hit the ball to the right, therefore you have to aim to the left if you are right-handed
· position of the ball is back from the center of the stance
- feet higher than the ball in setup
· aim more left for a right hander
· use a longer club (lower numbered club)
· bend knees and keep your shoulders over the ball
· arms only swing
- feet lower than the ball in setup
· aim more right for a right hander
· hold your club further down the shaft
The wind is another thing to think about. You may need to take a lower numbered club when hitting against the wind.
8 Feb 2011 : Chipping
Whatever the club you choose ( 8, 9 or wedge), you always have to options:
- If you have to cover a long distance on the green, you want your ball to run, in this case :
· Put the face of the club facing the pin, stand with joint feet
· Open your left leg towards the left, keeping the ball inside your right foot
· Open your left foot and then go slightly backwards with it
· Put 80% of your weight on your left foot, keeping the shaft of the club in direction of your left leg, this will close the face of the club
· Make a “putter swing” (just use your shoulders) , your shot will be low and then run on the green
- If the distance to cover on the green is short , the only difference is that the ball will be sitting in the middle of your stance instead of inside the back foot. This will allow you to lift your ball which is going to fly and not run as much.
