The 6 Golf Shots Every Player Should Know
Most golfers are comfortable repeating the same swing. This often leads to a shot shape that usually doesn’t change much. For instance, if your ball typically starts left of the target and then curves toward the target as it travels, you’ll likely want to play that shot all the time because you know what the ball will do.
However, it’s important for golfers to learn how to play shots that aren’t natural for them because every golf course presents different challenges. Some holes might favor a shot that comes in from the left because of the contour of the greens while other holes might favor a shot that arrives from the right. Other times, a low shot might be preferable to a high shot. The conditions of the course and the weather could play a factor in what type of shot works best.
Every golfer should be able to change the way the ball travels off the club. It will lead to lower scores. This article will examine some golf shots that can help you improve.
Different Types of Golf Shots
There are different variables that can affect which way your ball moves when it leaves the club. A few are the wind speed and its direction, how your ball lies in the fairway, and the distance of the shot. Sometimes, your swing naturally moves the ball one way or another. Below is a description of the 3 primary types of shots for a player.
Fade: A fade is when the golf ball moves from left to right for a right-handed golfer and from right to left for a left-handed golfer. A high fade, also called a cut, is a shot that many professional golfers play because it’s easier to control. A high fade produces backspin when the ball travels in the air. Backspin makes the ball land softer, which means it won’t roll out as much. That allows golfers to aim close to their intended target. A low fade is when you hit the ball close to the ground and the ball fades.
Draw: A draw is a shot where the ball moves from right to left for a right-handed player and left to right for a left-handed player. A draw is a shot players use to maximize their shot's distance. For instance, if you’re playing a long par 5, you might want to try to draw the shot from the tee with your driver. A draw produces overspin. That means when the ball lands, it spins forward and runs out. More distance off the tee means you’ll be closer to the green. A draw is sometimes harder to control than a fade because the ball moves more once it hits the ground. To play a draw accurately, a golfer usually lands the ball farther away from their target and lets it roll to the target.
Straight: Very few players hit the ball without any curve. Most hit some type of fade or draw. However, there’re a small percentage of players that don’t have any movement on their golf ball. When the ball leaves the club, it doesn’t go left or right. It goes toward the target.
There are times when you’ll likely be forced to play a fade, a draw, or a straight shot. Most golfers favor one of these types of shots. It fits their swing better. They’ll likely play the shot they favor most of the time. Some professionals, like Jordan Spieth, like to “work” the ball. That means they’ll play the shot that fits the hole's layout. For example, Spieth, a right-handed golfer, would likely hit a fade to a pin on the right side of the green. Spieth is ambidextrous. He throws a baseball with his left hand but plays golf from the right side. A left-handed golfer from the same position might play a draw. That would give them the best chance of getting close to the hole.
Specialty Golf Shots
Specialty shots are different from regular shots usually because you must hit the ball in a different way than a normal shot. Every golfer should have an idea of how to play the basic specialty shots listed below:
Bunker Shot: A bunker shot is when you must play the ball out of the sand. There’s one main difference between a bunker shot next to the green and a regular shot. You don’t try to hit the ball first on a bunker shot. You hit an inch or so behind the ball, and let the sand push the golf ball to the hole.
Flop Shot: A flop shot is when you open the face of the club up and swing underneath the golf ball to get it to go straight up in the air. Golfers typically use this close to the green when they need to land a ball that stops when it hits the ground. It’s a difficult shot to learn.
Punch Shot: A punch shot is when you purposely hit the ball low. Golfers often “punch” the ball into the wind. Keeping the ball low into a prevailing wind makes it easier for golfers to control where the ball goes. The wind affects the direction of high shots more than it does low shots. Golfers also use a punch shot to keep the ball under tree limbs that might be in their path.
Types of Shots to Avoid
Bad golf shots usually put players in a position where they’re blocked from their target. Typically, a bad shot costs a player 1 stroke. They’ll often have to hit a recovery shot to get to a place where they can play toward their intended target. Below are 5 shots that can cost you strokes.
Slice: If a golfer over fades a shot, it’s called a slice. A slice is when you lose control of the ball to the right of your target for a right-handed golfer and to the left of your target for a left-handed golfer. It’s an exaggerated fade.
Hook: A hook is when a golfer overdraws the ball. That’s when it goes too far left for a left-handed golfer and too far right for a right-handed golfer. It’s an exaggerated draw.
Topping: Topping the golf ball is when you hit the upper part of the ball. You’re supposed to hit the ball in the middle. This causes a low, weak shot.
Fat Shots: Hitting fat is when you hit the ground first with your club and then hit the ball. A fat shot usually falls short of its intended target.
Shank: A shank is when you almost miss the ball with your club. For a right-handed golfer, the ball goes extremely offline to the right. The ball goes left for a left-handed golfer. A shank is one of the worst missed shots in golf.
Every golfer makes bad shots. You can’t be perfect or even great all the time. You should, however, try to minimize your bad shots.