Nick Faldo on Wednesday at the British Masters.
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Think differently about hitting greens, says a young star.
Think differently about the club that plays around the green, says a six-time major winner.
Think differently on the green, says a DP World Tour pro.
Makes you think at least, doesn’t it? The three players, along with four others, were speaking out this week in a video shared by the DP World Tour’s social media team (which you can watch in full here), and thoughts seemingly followed a relatively easy question: What’s a way to shorten the strokes per round? However, the responses were understandably unique. Getting advice from the pros is a fun exercise, as we not only learn, but get a little glimpse into what the world’s best prioritize.
But enough with the introduction of this story. Below are the seven tips, with some thoughts below each.
‘Chip old-school’
“So if you want to get rid of a shot, grind your 8-iron a little more,” he said. Nick Faldoa six-time major winner. “Because it’s great, especially when you have a little bit of a bad stretch from the green, the ball is sitting a little bit. And you have this wonderful beam here, and you use it almost like a little iron. And I raise my hands up, the weight is here (lifts my right leg up) and I put the ball from my right toe. And I’m going to kick it off the toe, because that’s going to get that ball out of the little lie, you see. And it’s like deciding. Here’s your shot. So it’s just a little bit more – just a brush stroke.
Author’s note: Notably, Faldo didn’t hit 60 degrees. An 8-iron can also be a hit-and-run game.
“five percent”
“This is how to lose a round by managing your expectations,” he said Rasmus Hojgaarda 23-year-old professional. “For us professionals, let’s say we are 100 meters away from the flag. If we hit it within five percent of the distance, which would be five meters or 15 feet, we win in strokes gained. So for us, when you think about it, hitting it within five yards, it doesn’t look that good from the fairway, but you’re actually winning on the field by hitting it that distance. So I think for amateurs in order to manage their expectations, don’t feel like you have to hit it to 10 feet every time if you have a wedge in your hand. It’s a good rule of thumb to remember that if you hit it about five percent of the distance you have, you’ve hit a pretty good shot.”
Author’s Note: From some old school thinking, to some new school math. This was really good.
“If you’ve got the shots, it’s using them”
“This is how to save a shot off the tee, per round,” said Connor Syme, a seven-year pro currently playing on the DP World Tour. “You’re trying to take the bunkers out of the game, take the hazards out of the game. Especially if you have shots, you are using them to your advantage. So it can be a 3-wood from this tee, so you always have a full shot on the green. And so I would save a shot in a round.”
Author’s note: Bombs-and-gaugers may disagree. But there’s nothing wrong with playing it safe.
‘Aim for the bright side’
“This is how to save a shot from the fairway,” he said Adrian Otaeguia 13-year pro currently playing on the DP World Tour. “I think for amateurs you can save a shot or even more. Instead of aiming for the pin every time, you aim for the bright side. So obviously if the pin is tight on the left, you can aim a bit on the right side. So if you miss a shot, you don’t miss on the wrong side and you don’t miss shots there.”
Author’s Note: Another safe play thought. Birds are nice. Doubles are not.
‘Watch your pace’
“That’s how I would advise an amateur to hit the green,” said Vincent Norrman, a four-year professional who has played the last two seasons on the PGA Tour. “I see many amateurs who fall in love with the line and go too fast. I would just advise them to first be careful with the pace before reading and then try to kill them. bonus.”
Author’s note: There is more than one part to put.
‘Don’t be afraid to poop’
“If I were to help you save a shot around the greens, don’t be afraid to putt the barrel out,” said Tyrrell Hattona Ryder Cupper three times. “Your worst shot is better than your worst chip. Use the shooter.”
Author’s Note: This show is a personal favorite of mine, especially if the grass is short and dry.
“This is how you can cut a stroke out of your round,” said Marco Penge, a 26-year-old professional. “I think most amateurs think they hit a 9-iron or an 8-iron farther than they actually do. So I would recommend to all amateur players to get an extra club, and hopefully that will help you.”
Author’s Note: Using a boot monitor can open some eyes.
