Sometimes you need to shape your photos to achieve the rolled pins.
GOLF.com
Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.
We would all love it if the hole was always cut right in the center of the green. With plenty of room on either side to lose, our scoring average is likely to drop.
As we all know, however, a hole location right in the center of the green is quite rare. Often, the hole is cut closer to one side of the green or on the other side, tucked behind the bunkers of the water hazards.
When a pin gets stuck like this, it can make getting the ball close to the hole a challenging proposition – even with a wedge in hand. However, if you know how to do it manipulate the flight of the ball from your shots on the course can make it much easier to attack stacked pins.
How to shape your shots on the pitch
Shaping your peak shots to access the rolled pins is a high-level skill to master, but the technique is actually quite simple.
“It’s the kind of thing they do on Tour to access the pins,” he says GOLF Top 100 Teachers Jonathan Yarwood. “It’s advanced, but it’s not as hard to do as you think.”
In order to start learning the skill, all you have to do is manipulate a few things in your setup and move to make the ball work with the pull or cut spin.
Cut the pitch
Let’s start with a pitch that moves from left to right (for a right-handed golfer). At address, you want to open up the clubface and then open up your stance a little bit as well. Bring the grip a little closer to your lead foot and stick the club out a little on the delivery. On the downswing, focus on rotating your body and pulling the club handle toward your lead pocket, keeping the entire clubface as open as possible.
“Effectively you’re pulling the trail to the left and keeping the face open,” Yarwood says. “That thing goes left to right in the air, lands on the green and checks right.”
Draw the step
The draw step is great for getting a little spin off your fairway shot, especially when you have a front fake protecting the green. To start, take a little more of the club than usual and then focus on a longer and wider swing. On the downswing, roll your toe in and use a slow tempo as you transition from impact.
“It negates (and) reduces some of the backspin,” says Yarwood.
The pros hit these shots every week as they compete on Tour—and with a little practice, you can add them to your arsenal, too.
