Golfing For Novices: Part Four

We’ve all the seen the incredibly long yet accurate drives of Tiger Woods. The ball flies through the air and lands in the middle of the fairway, 300 yards away.

The green-eyed monster of envy rises in us as we wonder if we could ever possibly hope to drive like that. Fortunately, long drives are not the be-all-and-end-all of the game of golf.

So, we get to the ’short game’ because without decent short game skills, all those great long drives are not worth a candle.

We call the ’short game’ those shots that get you onto the green from roughly a hundred feet away from the hole, no matter whether it’s from the fairway, a bunker, the rough or a drop zone. It includes all chips, sand shots and pitches.

It is in this middle stage of the game of golf that you get to use the higher numbered clubs, your pitching iron and sand wedge or lob wedge.

You will find practice areas on most golf courses. You really must spend some time working on hitting the ball onto the green from various distances. Try to hit a ten-foot circle in the centre of the green at first. Experiment using your wedges, but remember that what works well for one person, might not work so well for you and your particular swing.

After you have got into the habit of being able to perform this skill consistently, it’s time to start practising in a sand bunker. Being able to get the ball out of a bunker can cut your score dramatically.

The way to get out of a bunker is to place your feet firmly in the sand with your left foot turned to point towards the hole. Draw an imaginary 4-inch circle around the ball and try to hit the outer edge of that circle with a short, sharp chip.

Take lots of sand with your ball and swing through completely. Don’t decelerate at all when or after you hit the ball. It should pop up onto the green and stop. This doesn’t work well though unless the sand is dry, soft and powdery. On hard surfaces, you might need to avoid actually hitting the sand at all.

However, as in every skill in the game of golf, it is only continual practice that will help you to improve your game.

Are you a rookie to golfing?? We have some great tips for the beginner golfer at Golfing Tips for Beginners

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