Golf Tips From The Professional

Enjoy Good Contact

People play golf for many different reasons.  However, everyone enjoys the thrill of hitting those solid shots where the ball effortlessly jumps off the clubface.  Therefore, it is easy to understand that solid contact is important to the enjoyment of the game and that those thin and fat shots can contribute to the frustration of the game.  However, instead of getting frustrated after a topped shot or a swing where the earth goes farther than the ball, it is extremely important to watch the direction of the poor contact shot in order to learn where you should spend your practice time so that you can enjoy the feeling of solid contact during your next round of golf.

Now here comes the fun part.  After a poor contact shot, instead of sheepishly turning away or reaching for another golf ball, it is important to watch and keep note as to whether the ball travels to the right or left of the intended target (the following verbiage is intended for a player using right handed clubs who stands to the left of the golf ball).  If the golf ball’s initial direction is to the right of the target, the chances are the club’s angle of approach was too shallow.  If the golf ball’s initial direction is to the left of the target, the club’s angle of approach was probably too steep.

If you are not enjoying those fat and thin shots, but they are consistently traveling to the right of the target line, it is time to practice on a downhill lie.  When standing on a downhill lie the lead foot and shoulder are below the trailing foot and shoulder.  For practice, start off with an eight or nine iron depending on the severity of the slope.  By practicing on the downhill lie you will get immediate feedback on your angle of approach.  This means if you swing too shallow on a downhill lie your clubhead will bottom out way behind the ball and/or the clubhead will swing up above the ball and contact might be non-existent.  However, after a few practice swings feeling the club swing along the slope (mainly down the slope on the through swing), you will begin to experience those sweet and solid shots.  Also, there are other ways to determine if you should spend your practice time on a downhill lie.  For instance, if you prefer to strike the ball when it is teed up in the air, or if you prefer the ball to be sitting up on a fluffy piece of turf, or if you are known for sweeping the grass and never taking any divots on any shots, it is time to try the downhill lie.

If those fat and thin shots are rolling their way to the left of the intended target line, try spending your practice time on an uphill lie.  On an uphill lie the lead foot and lead shoulder are actually higher than the trail foot and trail shoulder.  By practicing on an uphill lie with a six or seven iron you will get immediate feedback on your club’s angle of approach.  If you swing too steeply on an uphill lie, the feedback will be a very large and steep divot into the hill.  Therefore, after some practice swings on an uphill lie where you feel the club swinging along the slope, you will be able to produce the necessary impact conditions for solid contact.  Also, there are other ways to determine if you should spend your practice time on an uphill lie.  For instance, if you are afraid of popping up or skying tee shots so you tee the ball very low, or if you prefer the ball sitting slightly down in the grass or on a tight lie, or if you take excessively large and deep divots on the majority of all your golf shots, it is time to practice on an uphill lie.

People are usually surprised to find that they can learn from their fat and thin shots and that they can improve their contact by practicing on uneven lies.  If the tops or fat shots are going to the right, try to find a downhill lie for your next bucket of golf balls.  If the tops or fat shots are going to the left, try to find an uphill lie for your next practice session.  If you feel that you have great success with one of these uneven lies, bring a big shoe box with you onto the course and be creative by making every shot an uneven lie (just kidding of course).  It is important to be creative when trying to locate these uneven lies to practice on.  Look for them out on the golf course, around the teeing areas, and even at the practice tees.  By attending one of our John Jacobs’ Golf Schools you will leave being able to diagnose your own golf shots, which is the first step towards being able to correct them and enjoy better golf.

Robbie Fritz, PGA
Director of Instruction
John Jacobs’ Golf School
at Port Royal Golf Club
10 Clubhouse Dr.
Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
rfritz@jacobsgolf.com
(919) 971-5099