Basic Golfing Tips For Beginners: 4
We have all the seen the bewilderingly long and yet accurate drives of Tiger Woods. When he hits the ball, it flies through the air only to land in the bang middle of the fairway, 300 odd metres away.
It is difficult not to let jealousy rise in us as we wonder if we could ever dare to hope to drive like that. Luckily, long drives are not the crux of the game of golf.
So, we get to the ‘short game’ because without decent short game skills, all those great long drives are not worth a candle.
The short game consists of those shots that get you onto the green from about one hundred feet out, be it from the fairway, a bunker, the rough or a drop zone and includes chips, sand shots and pitches.
It is in this middle stage of the game of golf that you get to use the higher numbered clubs, your pitching iron and sand wedge or lob wedge.
Most golf courses have practice areas as well as a driving range. You should spend some time working on hitting the ball onto the green from different distances. Aim for a ten-foot circle in the center of the green at first. Experiment using your wedges, but what works for someone else, might not work for you and your particular swing.
After you get accustomed to performing this drill consistently, it’s time to start practising in a sand trap. Knowing how to get the ball out of a trap will cut your score dramatically.
Plant your feet firmly into the sand with your left foot turned toward the hole. Imagine a 4-inch circle around the ball and try to hit the edge of the circle that is furthest away from the ball.
Kick up lots of sand with the ball and swing completely through as normal. Don’t slow down the swing at all when or after you hit the ball. It should jump up onto the green and stop almost dead. This doesn’t work very well though unless the sand is soft and dry. On hard, compacted surfaces, you might need to avoid actually hitting the sand all together.
As in all aspects of golf, only practice will help you to improve.
Are you new to golf? We have some great our website at tips for the beginner golfer on our website at Golfing Tips for Beginners. This article, Basic Golfing Tips For Beginners: 4 is available for free reprint.






