November 2006 Issue of Golf Magazine
In The Thick Of Things
David F Wright, Ph.D., Arroyo Trabuco GC, Mission Viejo, Calif.
QUESTION:
I've been facing a lot of tricky shots around the green, especially from thick rough with little room between my ball and the pin. No matter what I try, I always end up way past the cup. What's the right play?
Tim C., via email
Finish your swing at impact. Executed properly, your ball will pop up, land softly and toll out a few feet. With a little practice you'll be ale to hit the shot close to your intended landing area, especially if you use the mental image of the landing spot as you swing, not thoughts on technique. The chart below will how you how to do it.
| 1 Walk around the pin, check the break, then pick your landing spot |
Most golfers in the rough think about nothing except getting the ball out. Try thinking backward — where you want your ball to land should determine the type of shot you hit. |
| 2 Increase pressure in the left fingers and right thumb and index finger. |
Increased grip pressure in the last three fingers of your left hand and your right thumb and index finger will prevent your clubface from closing if you happen to catch the rough before impact. |
| 3 Set your weight on your front foot, but distribute it evenly across that foot. |
Your swing path changes as your heel-to-toe balance changes — if your weight goes to your toes, your path will move to the outside. On a tricky shot such as this there's no time for plane switches. |
| 4 Swing down sharply and try to contact the back of you ball. |
A steep downswing angle increases the probability of the club impacting your ball before it contacts the grass. If you catch grass before your ball, you'll lose distance control. |
| 5 As you swing, hold an image of the landing spot in your mind's eye. |
Holding this image will control the tempo and length of your swing. It's like throwing a ball. You don't think about how far to extend your arm — the target automatically controls your throw. |
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