Three shots you need for better scores

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

Korea Times Golf Columnist

If you are still shooting high scores, you are probably neglecting to learn to hit long approach shots and some special shots that are called for in particular situations. Here are three shots that are absolutely needed for better scores. If your scores are not living up to your expectations, despite your heart always set on being a wizard player, you have to learn to take successful fairway wood shots, punch shots and lob shots.

Fairway wood shot

Fairway woods are hard clubs to use accurately but to improve your score you need to learn them properly. They have relatively low lofts and longer shafts than irons. This leaves you with lower chances of hitting shots as solidly as you want.

Typically, recreational golfers tend to straighten up through impact when trying to lift the ball into the air, or prematurely raise their head to watch the result of a shot. That makes the fairway woods even more difficult clubs to use. Straightening up prior to impact results in a thin contact.

After all, hitting up on the ball to get it airborne or making any up-and-down body motion during the swing thwarts solid impact. You need to hit up only when the ball is on the tee. You have to hit with a descending blow when the ball is sitting on the ground.

Despite a theory that you need to hit the ball with a sweeping motion when using fairway woods, you need to hit it with a slightly downward blow, making a shallow divot. That stops topping, facilitating striking the ball more solidly.

As with all other clubs, also crucial here is to avoid swinging too hard with brute strength. As the lower loft of fairway woods results in lower shots, you need a fast swing speed, but still you should not try to swing too hard for extra swing speed.

Swinging fairway woods too hard with your right hand and arm spells poor results including off-center contact. You must swing with about 75 percent of your potential power.

Toward this end, once you've completed your backswing, just turn your belly forward toward the target at the start of the downswing. This enables you to make a simple swing that is smooth, rhythmic and controlled. Granted, you will always get satisfying results. To hit the ball with a tad downward blow you'd better play the ball off the logo of your shirt.

Punch shot

A punch shot, also called knockdown shot or squeeze, can be a good choice you can make when the ball is lying under a tree or when you find it difficult to make a full swing. The punch shot is also invaluable when the wind is blowing very hard in the face as it helps keep the ball low to the ground. Better yet, it can be a matchless selection when you're in between clubs and need to control your distance.

The hardest part of the punch shot, though, is controlling the distance with each club. You are required to practice a lot with various clubs. Begin experimenting with your pitching wedge through on up to a 5-iron, in an effort to get a nice, solid feel at impact.

Play the ball from the rear of your stance to keep it down with your hands well forward toward the target. This decreases the loft of the clubface, helping keep the ball down.

Make a small backswing, finishing with an abbreviated follow-through. Find out how far the ball flies with each club. You need to avoid swinging your hands no more than shoulder high on the backswing and during the follow-through.

Briefly, hit the ball with a compact swing that is short, simple and easy to repeat.

High lob shot off a tight lie

An easy way to hit the ball high is to use a lob wedge, which has less bounce but more loft. This is particularly true when you have to hit a high shot off a tight lie.

With a lob wedge in your hands set up with the majority of your bodyweight on the left side and keep it there constantly from start to finish. Also crucial is to avoid shifting your weight during the swing. Simply rotate your body back and through, finishing the swing with the buttons on your shirt facing the target. You need to keep your lower body including hips, feet and legs quiet during the backswing and on the downswing.

Avoid trying to get the club under the ball with the hands to hit it high. Simply focus on hitting the back of the ball by turning your upper body toward the target and the club's loft will get the ball high in the air.

Crucially, just regard even the tightest lie as a regular one. Otherwise, there is no getting what you want from the shot.