Shaping Your Shots

Advanced players are always looking for that special shot, something that will give them an edge in their next match. Here are two of my favorite secret shots that you can try.

When you have to hit a low left-to-right shot, the kind you might need to curve under a branch and around a tree, you can't simply open the face of the club and make a normal swing. The ball will slice or fade, but by opening the clubface you are adding loft to the club, which will produce a higher-trajectory ball flight. Conversely, when you need to hit a high hook that goes right to left, maybe to navigate a narrow dogleg, you can't simply close the clubface. It will deloft the club, and the shot will fly too low to carry the obstacle.

Instead, I'll show you the correct way to play these shots and work the ball. To make it more fun, I like to play a game called "hitting for the cycle." At the end of a practice session, I sometimes try to hit a low, medium and high hook followed by a low, medium and high slice.