There are few worse feelings in golf than seeing your ball fly helplessly past the white stakes out of bounds, or hitting a poor strike over a forced carry followed by the comically timed 'plop' of your ball disappearing forever.
Luckily, all those feelings can be a thing of the past, as Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Keith Wood outlines four top tips to help you avoid danger on the golf course...
1) Acknowledge the danger
I'll give you an example of a situation we often face on the course. You’re standing on the tee and there is trouble the entire length of one side. The danger it poses to your scorecard is obvious, so you need to be smart.
Some psychologists will tell you to ignore the trouble and focus on the shot, but in my experience this is impossible as you can’t trick your mind into forgetting that it’s there! Instead, you need to look at it, acknowledge it and then devise a gameplan to help you feel as comfortable as possible.
A great quick tip is to tee it up on the same side as the danger, as this will ensure that you are playing away from the trouble as much as possible.
2) Complete swing checks
Whether you suffer with a slice or a hook, the thing you really need to avoid is allowing for that shape by adjusting your alignment.
If you had a scenario where you had trouble left, you’d be aiming further right to allow for the hook, but by doing so, you are only going to accentuate the right-to-left ball flight.
Head to the range and hit shots from a perfectly square, or even slightly open, address position. This will get your swing working on a much better path and should help straighten out the hook.
Likewise, if you are struggling with a slice, set up square or even slightly closed. The same rules apply in reverse. This approach is your first step towards eradicating your bad shot.
3) Use more loft
As you take a look at the hole and devise your strategy, think about your club selection. You don’t have to do what your playing partners are doing and
if you choose a club with more loft (a hybrid or a 3-wood) you’ll generate less sidespin and more backspin.
These clubs are shorter in length, and more manageable, meaning you’ll hit them straighter due to the spin they produce. Also, it is sometimes more powerful to hit the ball through the air rather than relying on run... so make sure you think strategically!
4) Plan and commit
If there’s a troublesome hole at your course, do a little extra homework and annotate your own course planner. The more knowledge you have, the more likely you are to make a good decision. On any given day, in any given conditions, you’ll be able to judge which clubs will carry, or come up short, of the trouble.
Once you have looked at the planner and made your choice, commit to the shot. This means making a full and committed swing. Being tentative and guiding or steering the club through impact rarely results in a straight shot.
Keith's Danger Avoidance Checklist
1) Acknowledge the danger and position yourself to avoid it
2) Complete swing checks and feel confident in the shot you are hitting
3) Take a more lofted club to create less sidespin and more backspin
4) Plan and commit to your shot... being tentative will not help!
