Helping you play better golf

Better Golf: Lockdown Edition

Get up and down more often

I sincerely hope that the golf courses will open up very soon. I have never had such a long break from the game since I started 40 years ago. Most golfers probably feel the same and can’t wait to get back on the course. Let us stay positive and in the meantime, work on the parts of our game we can.

Today I am going to teach you how to play the lob shot.

At Boschenmeer most of the greens are built up and when you miss them with your approach shots, you often need a lofted chip shot to get the ball up and stop quickly on the green. Many golfers are not confident to play this shot, opting for the safe option by just playing a normal chip shot somewhere onto the green. With a little bit of practice, you can master this shot, giving you a much better chance to get the ball closer to the flag.

How to play the lob shot:

1. Which club to use

You will always use the club in your bag with the most loft, which will either be a sand wedge (54 to 56 degrees) or a lob wedge (58 to 62 degrees).

2. The setup

You can have your feet a little further apart than for a normal chip shot. Place the ball a bit further forward in your stance. Open your stance by aiming further left (for right-handed golfer). Depending on the club you use and how high you want to hit the ball, you can also open the club face to add more loft. Important note: You normally need a decent lie to attempt this shot.

Feet slightly further apart	Open stance

Open the club face

3. The technique

You need a longer back swing for this shot, therefore you need to hinge your wrists when you swing the club back. Keep the club face open on the way through and use the bounce of your wedge to slide through the grass. Imagine that the ball has legs and you have to knock out the legs under the ball. What most people find difficult with this shot is to make such a big swing for a short shot. Remember the loft on the club face will transfer energy upwards and ony slightly forward.

Backswing

Impact

Follow through

Final thought: With some practice you will find your rhythm and begin to trust your strike, which will lead to controlling your flight and distances.

Good luck and stay safe. I hope to see you all soon.

Contact Ben if you would like more tips or drills on how you can improve your golf during the lockdown period.

Golf’s next generation.

Playing to improve.

Once juniors have learned and practised the fundamentals of the golf swing for several years, it’s important that we start to emphasise fitness too. In athlete development models, this stage of a junior golfer’s journey occurs between 12 and 16 years old, and is called “play to improve”.

Playing additional sports

Rather than prescribing fitness exercises to improve physical conditioning, one of the best things young golfers can do is play a sport that also complements golf. Tennis is a great example. It strengthens aerobic fitness, agility and speed, as well as hand-eye coordination.

Happy, healthy children

When a junior starts to master golf skills, we see them experience joy and excitement. They become more self-confident. They are happy and eager to learn. That’s what golf can do for your child. If you have a child who could benefit from the game, when we next see you, let’s talk about it, or

Start a conversation now >

Come back stronger.

Improve ball striking.

It’s possible to improve your golf game from home. Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and certain exercises are particularly good for your swing.

Solid, consistent ball striking requires a smooth swing plane. Strong glutes (buttocks) stabilise your pelvis, and this helps you to swing on plane more consistently. When your glutes are strong, it also helps to reduce lower back pain.