Trouble Shots
With proper golf instruction, the game's trouble shots don't have to sink your scorecard. The golf lessons from our team of instructors can help improve your game.
Getting out of the sand can be a day at the beach with mental imagery, practice and technique
Bunkers, sand traps, hazards. None of these words describe a place you want to find yourself on the golf course. The question becomes, "How do you make the great escape?" B.J. Hathaway, one of the leading junior golf instructors in the Southeast and one of the top mental game coaches in the country, offers some suggestions.
... full article »How to flop it like Tiger Woods on the 16th hole at the Memorial
Tiger Woods' dramatic chip-in on the 16th hole at at Muirfield Village was undoubtedly the shot that led to his 73rd victory on the PGA Tour, a momentum grabber, an attention getter and a glimpse of the Tiger of old. It was also a shot that was ridiculously difficult by even his standards. So how did he hit the shot that makes mere mortals break into a deep sweat? Here are the steps you need to use to learn the Tiger Flop ...
... full article »Curve your ball, control your golf game
During a round of golf, most golfers experience a number of shots where they need to be able to curve the ball. The ability to "work" the ball is much easier than you think, but most golfers have no idea how to perfect this part of their game. The following tips will teach you how to work the ball "on demand" by simply changing your grip and setup.
... full article »Greenside bunker shots: Using the sand to your advantage
When most golfers see their ball flying toward a greenside bunker they begin to panic. Why? Because the greenside bunker shot is one of the most intimidating shots for most amateur players. On the other side of the coin, better players actually prefer to be in a greenside bunker than chipping from rough around the green. Why? Because they do not fear the bunker shot and they use the sand to their advantage.
... full article »Eliminate the skull shot while chipping - forever
Regardless of how good a player you are, you'll eventually find yourself faced with a little chip shot where you will skull the ball over the green. The good news is you can eliminate these shots from your game by using the proper technique.
... full article »Landed in a bunker? Don't compound a bad shot with another bad shot
Many golfers shoot high scores because they follow one bad shot with another bad shot. Such is often the case with the dreaded flubbed bunker shot. Very often, average golfers try to hit miracle bunker shots that the pros practice every day. Truth is, when faced with a difficult bunker shot, the average golfer should take his medicine and just get the ball on the grass.
... full article »How to get out of a bunker
Despite what many PGA Tour pros say, the bunker shot is NOT the easiest shot in golf. In fact, according to PGA Professional Charlie King, it is one of the hardest shots for his students. In this video, King offers tips and instructions on how to improve your bunker play and send the ball sailing out of the sand.
... full article »Jim McLean offers advice on playing in bad weather
Tom Watson is considered one of the best poor weather players in the history of the game. Jim McLean shares a few of Watson's mental tips that will improve your ability to play golf in any type of weather.
... full article »Brandel Chamblee on how to deal with buried bunker lies
Brandel Chamblee offers advice on how to play from a buried bunker lie. Rather than closing the clubface in an attempt to wedge it underneath the ball, which is how most golfers handle buried bunker lies, Chamblee recommends keeping the clubface fairly square and even slightly open.
... full article »Brandel Chamblee on hitting chip-and-run shots with a 3-iron
Brandel Chamblee demonstrates how to execute a successful chip-and-run shot with a 3-iron. For the set up of the shot, he advises placing the ball forward in your stance, almost as if with a putter and the 3-iron upright.
... full article »Jim Flick on tackling difficult bunker shots
Getting the ball out of a bunker is difficult enough, but sometimes there are added elements that can make it even more challenging. In this video golf lesson, Jim Flick demonstrates how to handle some of those challenges.
... full article »Rick Barry on short- and long-distance bunker shots
Instructor Rick Barry shares how to play from a sand trap for both short and long distances. For the correct position, make sure the ball is back in your stance by aligning it with the inside of the back foot.
... full article »Brad Worthington on how to get out of a 50-yard bunker
This video golf lesson features Brad Worthington explaining the benefits of using a 6-iron on long bunker shots. When confronted with this type of shot, most golfers tend to use a pitching wedge to try to pick the ball off the sand, which has many possibilities for hitting the ball either too thin or too fat.
... full article »Jim Flick and Phil Blackmar on how to get out of a greenside rough, no matter your handicap
This video golf lesson shows any level handicapper how to get out of difficult greenside roughs. PGA Professional Jim Flick and Phil Blackmar lend their expertise to offer advice that is specific to your handicap level.
... full article »Blake Cathey shows how to hit out of pine straw
Blake Cathey demonstrates how to successfully hit shots out of pine straw in this video lesson. He creates two scenarios that are common with pine straw: one where the ball can be lofted and another using a chip shot to get the ball out.
... full article »Jack Olson breaks down the proper short pitch shot
This video lesson features Jack Olson demonstrating a short pitch shot. According to Olson, many golfers have trouble with this type of shot, but it is not as difficult as it seems.
... full article »Peter Krause on what to do when the ball lies above your feet
PGA Professional Peter Krause shows how to handle a shot where the ball lies above the feet. Although this is a tricky shot, it is easily remedied by remembering two important things.
... full article »Frank Nobilo offers tips for hitting from downhill lies
A particularly troublesome area for many golfers is downhill lies. In this video golf lesson, Frank Nobilo has a few tips that will give you better results when dealing with them.
... full article »Frank Nobilo shows you how to hit from an uphill lie
Frank Nobilo shows you how to deal with tricky shots from an uphill lie. The most important thing to remember when facing an uphill lie is that the increase in the slope requires an increase in the loft of the club, which is the angle of the clubface.
... full article »Phil Blackmar offers advice for high handicappers on handling deep grass
In this video golf lesson, Phil Blackmar offers advice for high-handicappers who have trouble getting the ball out of problematic deep grass. He says most beginning golfers make the mistake of taking too short of a swing and then coming at the ball hard.
... full article »- Find the proper lay-up for fairway bunker shots
- Take the fear out of your bunker play
- Jim Furyk on long-distance bunker shots
- The type of bunker sand in use can mean the difference between victory and defeat
- More to Club selection than meets the eye
- A four-point plan for curing a golfer's slice
- Five golf tips to help get you pull off bad-lie bunker shots
- Five easy steps to dealing with good-lie bunker shots
- Keep your head still and you will keep slicing the ball
- Improve your trouble shots to lower your scores
- Understanding your sand wedge and lob wedge is key to playing the wet bunker shot
- Master the trouble shots from high grass
- Don't dread the sand: Help for golfers stuck in the bunker
