Trouble Shots

Whether it is specialist shortgame shots or hitting a low hook from behind a tree we all need to get the ball out of trouble from time to time. Understanding what impact conditions cause a ball flight can make these shots a lot easier to produce.

• The first stage is learning to control the flight. Whether it is right to left, left to right, high, low or anything in between, getting the ball to fly with the shape you need is paramount. Some players do this with changes to their set up, some through ‘feel’. I personally use a combination of both.
• Once you can create the desired flight you need to be able to start it in the right direction with the desired shape. Generally speaking the ball will always start close to where the face is pointing at impact. The old adage of aiming the face where you want it to finish and swinging where you want it to start is fundamentally wrong (however it is a simple way to initially learn how to get the ball curving, just don’t expect it to finish where you wanted it to!).
• Although you will hopefully not have to hit these shots too often, they are fun to practice and over time will give you much better control of the club face and path in your golf swing, which will hopefully help you to hit it straighter anyway! Just as every great tennis player has control of the racket so they can hit top spin shots and slices, every great golfer has control of their clubface.