Tips & Hints from our Head Pro
 

How to control the ball out of the rough

A short-iron approach shot from thick rough can be almost as hard as a long-iron approach, especially when there's a difficult pin position and your opponent is already on the green looking to extend his lead in the match.

In a situation like that you still have to exercise good judgment: Play to the large part of the green.

The key is to hit it high to limit roll.
You should play the ball a little closer to your left foot than normal and open the clubface slightly. Swing back steeper, then hit down and through the shot, making sure the toe of the club doesn't turn over until you release it naturally through impact. Finish your swing with your hands high. That's proof that you've accelerated through impact and released the club naturally. The result? A nice, high, soft shot from a tough lie.

Think "light", not "tight" on bunker shots

There is an old saying that the bunker shot should be one of the easiest in golf because you're intentionally trying to miss the ball. It isn't. Most high-handicappers tense up at the very sight of the ball lying in the sand. Most likely they've got a hard grip on the sand wedge, which gives them no chance at successfully executing the shot.

You should give very light grip pressure on bunker shots - a 2 or 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being barely holding onto the club and 10 being tight enough to bust a banana. You want to feel the weight of the clubhead, the sand wedge is the heaviest club in your bag, and let it work for you.

Light grip pressure increases clubhead speed. That's how the pros are able to slide the clubhead underneath the ball to a nice, full finish with such an effortless swing.