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Course management

Posted: 11 May 2007
by GolfMagic

The thinking man's golf...the15th club in your bag...the strategy of the game. It's all here in various guises. You don't have to be a thrasher or a technician. Play to your strengths - and your handicap - by plotting your way around the golf course.

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A skill lacking in most club handicap players is the ability to plot their way round a course making the most of their limited skills

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At Golfmagic we've had years of experience accumulating some hints and tips gleaned from pros, coaches and low handicap amateurs.

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Our mood - usually one of frantic anticipation and fear of a mishit - tends to be reflected in our first swing of the day.

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Discuss this story

Stewart Horne

I can deliberatly fade a ball, but have trouble trying to draw when needed. Has anyone any easy tips please.

Stewart Horne
Posted: 25/07/2007 14:48

Ossie (7.1)

easy tip.... do the opposite of what you do when you deliberately fade the ball.
Posted: 25/07/2007 15:19

monster3wood (15)

Main difference from a fade wher you hold your hands open is you need to really focus on releasing the hands early and start the swing inside a little IMO.
Posted: 25/07/2007 16:32

The23rdman

I find it helps to really stay down through the shot and feel you cover the ball more with your body.
Posted: 25/07/2007 16:52

JimP (7.5)

One tip given to me years ago which helped.

If you want to hit a fade, hit it hard

If you to hit a draw hit it easy.

One other tip, for the range, is to hit ball with the ball teed up very high ie driver tee height and hit with a 5 iron.
Posted: 25/07/2007 20:44

Sarnia (12)

I used to fade the ball, with a slice as my bad shot, but over the last couple of years i've changed to a draw with a hook as a bad shot. I can fade the ball fine on the range, but on the course tend to block it sometimes.

To draw the ball, I changed to more of a one plane swing, with my arms swinging more around my body than up over my shoulder (Jim Hardy One Plane Swing). That way i'm always hitting the ball from slightly inside, so as long as the clubhead is square it draws nicely.

One other thing that works for me, is to feel like I hit the ball with a throwing motion with my right hand for a draw, but to fade I feel like I pull down towards the ground with my left arm/hand.
Posted: 25/07/2007 21:40

Trapster

Two tips...
1. Imagine hitting a forehand winner down the line at tennis as you swing. This one really works for me.
2. Address as normal then move the right foot back a few inches (presuming you are a right hander) in order to close the stance justa little.
Posted: 26/07/2007 09:24

Topslicehookpullfart

Easiest method I use is to set your clubface pointing at your target where you want the ball to finish. Set your feet and shoulders slightly closed pointing the direction you want the ball to start and just swing along the line of your feet. To fade, mirror the setup and swing through an open stance. For bigger bends, open the clubface for a fade, close for a hook.
I've tried the other roll your hands, strengthen your grip, swing from the inside stuff which works for the better player, but has intermittent success for me.
Hope I'm not giving you duff advice but worth a try on the range!
Good point about the swing hard / soft bit JimP - I only slice the ball when I try to melt one!
Posted: 26/07/2007 09:58

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Course management

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