1st Key: Know Your Distance There are few feelings better in golf than hitting a great drive straight down the fairway.
One of those things is hitting an even better approach shot.
Golfing is a sport of finesse and no shot requires more than your approach to the green.
One of the pitfalls most run into is that they don't know how far they actually need.
They eyeball the distance and are often surprised at how far off they are.
The first key to making a great approach shot in golf is to know your distance.
Most courses have markers to help.
You would be wise to make use of them.
A yard is typically an average stride.
Use the marker find the basic distance of your golf ball and walk the rest.
Note: You should also take into account pin location as those markers are typically to the center of the green or the green's easiest pin locale.
Making these small adjustments will help you pick the right club to get exactly where you want to go.
2nd Key: Know Your Golf Course The second key to hitting great approach shots is to know the course you are playing on.
Not only the length of the golf course, but also the conditions.
A wet golf course isn't going to play the same way a dry one will.
Wind can be a huge factor in your approach as the ball is hit high, and with less velocity than a drive.
Special Notice: Understanding the slope of the golf green and fringe is also important if you want to be able to execute a proper approach.
Knowing the particulars about the golf course is the only way to make smart choices.
You can swing perfectly and still end up with a golf ball in the bunker if you don't take these things into account.
These factors are more important with your approach than any other shot because golf greens are so small.
Failing to account for these natural occurrences will cost you valuable strokes on your game regardless of how well you play.
3rd Key: No Check Swings When you are close to the pin, golfers tend to break off from their natural swing.
This is a sure-fire way to mess up your approach.
While checking your swing is a valuable tool in chipping, it does no good on an approach shot.
The Concept: When you know you need to shorten the distance of your golf stroke, slow it down.
Continue the same pendulum of your natural swing, but take away pace.
This is the essence of distance control.
You do not change your golf swing; you simply adjust the pace of it.
This will allow any golfer to utilize the full range of their clubs.
All Together Now: If you know your distance, understand your golf course, and swing through the ball, you will find that your approach shots will improve with every swing.
One of those things is hitting an even better approach shot.
Golfing is a sport of finesse and no shot requires more than your approach to the green.
One of the pitfalls most run into is that they don't know how far they actually need.
They eyeball the distance and are often surprised at how far off they are.
The first key to making a great approach shot in golf is to know your distance.
Most courses have markers to help.
You would be wise to make use of them.
A yard is typically an average stride.
Use the marker find the basic distance of your golf ball and walk the rest.
Note: You should also take into account pin location as those markers are typically to the center of the green or the green's easiest pin locale.
Making these small adjustments will help you pick the right club to get exactly where you want to go.
2nd Key: Know Your Golf Course The second key to hitting great approach shots is to know the course you are playing on.
Not only the length of the golf course, but also the conditions.
A wet golf course isn't going to play the same way a dry one will.
Wind can be a huge factor in your approach as the ball is hit high, and with less velocity than a drive.
Special Notice: Understanding the slope of the golf green and fringe is also important if you want to be able to execute a proper approach.
Knowing the particulars about the golf course is the only way to make smart choices.
You can swing perfectly and still end up with a golf ball in the bunker if you don't take these things into account.
These factors are more important with your approach than any other shot because golf greens are so small.
Failing to account for these natural occurrences will cost you valuable strokes on your game regardless of how well you play.
3rd Key: No Check Swings When you are close to the pin, golfers tend to break off from their natural swing.
This is a sure-fire way to mess up your approach.
While checking your swing is a valuable tool in chipping, it does no good on an approach shot.
The Concept: When you know you need to shorten the distance of your golf stroke, slow it down.
Continue the same pendulum of your natural swing, but take away pace.
This is the essence of distance control.
You do not change your golf swing; you simply adjust the pace of it.
This will allow any golfer to utilize the full range of their clubs.
All Together Now: If you know your distance, understand your golf course, and swing through the ball, you will find that your approach shots will improve with every swing.
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