| There are several ways to play this game, even though the goal is the same each time. If you watched any of the British Open, you know what I mean. However, just because you don't have the opportunity to travel to Scotland to play golf doesn't mean that you don't need some of the shots that you witnessed on TV.
The fact is, how these professionals chose to play the course is a perfect example of how most weekend golfers play on any course. How many pros did you see hitting 7 irons to greens and spinning the ball back? The answer is probably none. Now ask yourself how many times a round do you spin back an iron shot. If you pay close attention, you will see a lot of pros playing for position off of the tees with irons. This part of their game may or may not be an option for you, but the planning and execution of their iron or wood shots to the green will serve you well if copied. Due to your technique and the type of ball you are playing, a ball that lands short of the green and bounces on can give you better results than one that is intended to land on the flag.
The basic technique for playing a run up shot is as such. Play the ball back in your stance and, by keeping your hands leading in front of the ball, take chopping type swing. This swing will cause the ball to fly off of the club face like a bullet, low and fast. Use this routine to ensure that you get the ball air born and to your target.
Say you are 150 yards from the flag. You normally hit your 6 iron. Take out your 8 iron, or whatever club is two clubs less than your normal. Set the 8 iron behind the ball with your normal stance. Now push your hands toward your target so that the face of the 8 iron now looks like a 6 iron. Then shuffle your body forward, so that your hands are in the middle of your stance, just like normal. You are now set up correctly. Take a swing and see what happens. It is like adding extra clubs to your bag. The ability to recover from adversity or to capitalize on good shots is what sets the good players apart from the rest.
Good luck in golf and life, and remember...
Creativity on the golf course is more than telling the best golf stories, it's about lowering scores.
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