Hit a Golf Ball

There's more than one way to hit a golf ball, but when all is said and done, the way you hit the ball is largely determined by the club you use and how you swing it. You will also need to master a variety of shots in order to perfect your golf game.

Steps

Select the Right Golf Club

1. Use woods for distance shots. Woods will give you the greatest distance and are typically used when you need to make a shot from a distance between 200 and 350 yards (183 and 320 m).
   • Even though woods were once made of wood, nowadays, they are usually made of steel, titanium, or other metal alloys.
   • Woods can be separated into two broad subcategories: drivers and fairway woods.
   • A driver is also known as the "1 wood." It will give you the greatest distance possible.
   • Fairway woods are your 3, 5, and 7 woods. The higher the number, the more loft your shot will get and the shorter the distance will become.
2. Go for irons for a mid-range shot. If you are not within putting range but the green is less than 200 yards (183 m) away, an iron is usually the best club to choose.
   • Irons tend to be a little heavier than woods and have a greater loft than woods have.
   • Your irons will be numbered 1 through 9. The long irons are 1, 2, and 3 irons, and they have greater distance yet minimal loft. The middle irons are 4, 5, and 6 irons, and these tend to be used when the ball is 150 to 170 yards (137 to 155 m) from the green. Short irons are the 7, 8, and 9 irons.
   • There are two basic types of irons: cavity backs and blades. Cavity backs are easier for new golfers to use, while blades tend to be more difficult.
3. Consider a hybrid club. A hybrid club is a mix between a wood and an iron. The shape is similar to that of a wood, but the loft and distance is similar to that of an iron, so hybrids are usually used as replacements for irons.
   • Usually, 3 and 4 irons are the ones most frequently swapped out for hybrids.
4. Try a wedge when you need height. A wedge can give you a loft between 46 and 64 degrees. These clubs are usually used when you need to clear a hazard within a fairly short distance.
   • Technically speaking, wedges are a type of iron. They have the same basic appearance and build, but wedges are usually designed to produce a greater loft.
   • Wedges also have "bounce," which is the angle between the leading edge to the bottom of the sole of the club. As a result, it is easier to get the club to bounce off the ground instead of digging into it.
   • There are several types of wedges, but the most common include the pitching wedge, sand wedge, gap wedge, and lob wedge.
     • The pitching wedge lofts between 44 and 50 degrees. Use it on fairways and for chip shots around the green.
     • Sand wedges are used for sand traps. They loft between 55 and 59 degrees.
     • Gap wedges fill the distance gap between pitching and sand wedges and usually loft between 51 and 54 degrees. You will get greater distance with a gap wedge than a sand wedge, but less distance than you would with a pitching wedge.
     • A lob wedge lofts between 60 and 64 degrees. Use a lob wedge if you need to get the ball over a bunker, water hazard, or other hazard and need to do so over a very short distance.
5. Stick with putters when facing a short distance. Once you reach the green, switch to a putter to help you land the ball in the hole.
   • The club face of a putter is flat and small. As a result, you can gently tap the ball more easily without causing loft or creating much distance.
   • You should always use a putter if you are on the green, and you may even need to use it if you are just a little ways off the green, as well.

Make the Right Shot

1. Make your tee shot. A tee shot is the first shot you make. Use a driver or an iron to hit the ball off the tee and in the general direction of the green.
   • Use a driver for long holes or an iron for short holes.
   • Tee shots for long holes need to have shallow height but a long flight path, while tee shots for shorter holes need to fly higher and stop quicker.
2. Practice your fairway shots. Fairway shots are made from a long to mid-range distance and are usually made with a fairway wood. Playing from the fairway can be difficult, though.
   • When you are playing on a narrow fairway or when the green is approaching, switch to an iron, which will give you better precision and less distance.
3. Get yourself out a trap with a bunker shot. A bunker shot refers to the type of shot you need to make in order to get yourself out of a sand trap.
   • To make a good bunker shot, choke down on the club with your right index finger 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the bottom of the grip. This will give you greater control of the club.
   • Narrow you stance and play the ball a big more forward than usual.
   • Dig into the sand with your feet and keep your body still. Swing with your arms, and make the swing vertical with the grip butt pointing and the ball during your backswing. Your left arm should be parallel to the ground.
   • Focus on hitting the sand 1 inch (2.5 cm) behind the ball on your downswing.
   • The idea is to get a steep angle to lift the ball out. Distance is not the aim here.
4. Putt around the green. #Putt around the green. Once you get the ball to the green, you need to switch your club to a putter and tap the ball toward the hole.
   • Change your grip for a putt. Place your hands on the grip in a way that focuses the energy of the shot in your shoulders and arms, rather than in your hands. You should only move your shoulders and arms for a putt. Do not move your hands and wrists.
   • Keep your head still.
   • Visualize the line your ball needs to travel to reach the hole before making your putt. This shot needs to be a little more precise than many of the others.
   • Your backswing and downswing should take the same amount of distance and time to make.
5. Play into the green from the outside using an approach shot. Approach shots give you greater distance than a putt but less distance than a mid-range shot. The most common types of approach shots are pitches, flops, and chips.
   • A pitch is a high approach shot that forces the ball to fly high and roll very little upon hitting the ground. Make it with a pitch wedge.
   • A flop gets even more height and stops almost immediately upon hitting the ground. This shot is usually used to play over obstacles on the green. Use a sand wedge or lob wedge for this type of shot.
   • A chip is a low shot, also called a low punch. The ball gets very little height and gently rolls onto the green. Play it off the back of the foot farthest from the target, and use a wedge or a short iron for this type of shot.
6. Work on straight shots. A straight shot can be incredibly difficult to master because you must give the ball no sidespin as you hit it.
   • In order to do this, the club face must be perfectly square to the ball at the moment of impact. Your swing plane, or the angle your club approaches the ball from, must also be square with the ball.
7. Curve the ball with a fade, draw, slice, or hook. Each of these shots produce slight to dramatic curves, which can help get the ball closer to the green if it strays too far.
   • A fade is a mild curve from left to right. They tend to be easy to produce, and they roll less upon landing than many other types of shots. Produce a fade with an open club face or but drawing across the ball from the outside to the inside upon impact.
   • A draw is a mild curve from right to left. They tend to be more difficult than fades, but they can give you greater distance and more roll. Closed club faces produce draws, or you can cut across the ball from the inside out as you strike it.
   • A slice is a large curve from left to right. A hook is a large curve from right to left. Both do not travel far and tend to go out of control, so they are usually avoided. If you cut across the ball too severely when you strike it, you will get a slice or a hook.

Additional Notes

1. Master the basic stance. You need to stand with your dominant leg facing forward so that your dominant arm can control the direction of the club more readily.
   • Your legs should be shoulder-width apart.
   • Keep your legs, torso, and shoulders square with the ball.
   • Grip the club tightly enough to keep it secure in your hands, but keep your hands tension-free.
   • You should maintain the angle of your dominant hand throughout the entire stroke.
2. Control the amount of force you use. A drive will need more force than a putt, so you need to make sure that the amount of force you apply to the ball is proportional to the amount of distance you need.
   • No matter what, the start of your downswing should be calm. Build up speed gradually before striking the ball.
   • If you need more power, you should shift your weight backward on your backswing. Do not do this if you are only trying to putt or tap the ball, though.
3. Adjust for wind. If the wind is particularly strong when you play, you will need to adjust your shots accordingly.
   • When playing into the wind or in cross winds, give your ball less spin. Widen your stance, play the ball further back, and grip down on the club. You should also swing easier rather than swinging harder.
   • If you are playing downwind, focus on getting height into your shots over distance.
   • If putting into the wind, you need to have a wider stance and more bend at your waist. The putt will have a tendency to move in the same direction as the wind, so adjust it accordingly to prevent the ball from straying too far to one side.
4. Practice. As with anything else, practicing your golf game is the best way to get good at it. Do drills to help familiarize yourself with different clubs and shot types, and experiment on your own to find techniques that feel comfortable and natural while producing consistent results.

Things You'll Need

• Set of golf clubs: woods, irons, wedges, and putter
• Golf balls
• Golf tee

Sources and Citations

See also

• Get a Better Golf Swing
• Swing a Golf Club
• Hit a Draw or Fade
• Add More Power to Your Golf Swing
• Hold a Golf Club
• Drive a Golf Ball Straight
• Swing a Driver

What links here

• Become a Professional Golfer