Here's a golf tip I learned a long time ago: Approach every shot in golf as a target shot involving distance and direction. If you're going to cut strokes from your scores and trim your golf handicap down to size, you must learn to hit your targets. That means adjusting your shot not only for the right direction, but also for the correct distance. Thus, the ultimate measure of a shot is how close the ball actually finishes to its target.
Unfortunately, some weekend golfers treat shots as direction shots only. They envision the ball flight they want, but they don’t calculate the distance. It's like the golfer who aims her 5-iron down the center. She's accounts for the shot's direction but not its distance and usually ends up short. It's no surprise she's struggling to cut her digit golf handicap down to size, despite taking numerous golf lessons. When approach shots matter, distance deserves equal billing as direction.
Develop Consistent Contact:
Increasing accuracy is great, but first your must develop consistent contact. It's critical to achieving both direction and distance control. Is there are secret to developing consistent contact other than hours and hours of practice? There is. Commit yourself to holding the club gently in your hands and making your arms feel soft and supple when you play. Holding the club softly encourages your arms to work together when making a full swing. Below are four other tips on increasing distance control.
Let The Lie Determine Ball Position
Your lie determines the angle of your shot. Your goal is to make impact with the ball with a minimum amount of interference from the grass. The worse the lie you have, the more downward the blow you'll need for the same result, generally speaking. Move the ball back in your stance slightly to increase the steepness of the your downswing. If you're right handed that means moving the ball more toward your right shoulder.
Choose Enough Club To Swing Softly
One point I stress when giving golf lessons is to use one more to reach your target. If you need 7-iron, use a 6-iron. Many weekend golfers choose clubs that require them to swing hard to hit their target. Swinging hard like that often throws or your swing, forcing you out of balance. Instead, choose a club that lets you swing leisurely and softly, and allows you to retain constant but light grip pressure.
Chose Club Based On Trajectory
On full shots into the green, base your club selection on the trajectory you want for your shot. If you have a poor lie and you're playing the ball back in your stance, you've subtracted loft from the club. If you've selected a wedge, the shot will have the trajectory of an 8-iron or 9-iron. When the lie is good, opt for a club that allows you to make a less than full shot, yet gives you the right trajectory.
Work On Distance Control In Practice
If you're hitting shots at a practice green, don’t forget about distance control. Hit full shots to imaginary greens. Hit chips and pitches to imaginary circles surrounding your target. Just make sure you vary the targets and the distances on every shot. Try to make the practice session as close to actual play as possible. That increases the value of the practice sessions, enabling you to get more out of each session, just like they preach in golf lessons.
These five tips on hitting full shots will teach you distance control. When combined with direction control, distance control is a powerful tool for cutting strokes from you golf handicap. The key is focusing on both distance and direction when you have a full shot into the green.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.
