February 2011www.insidegolf.com.au 51...........................................................................................................................................................oncourseinstruction

Tee off to successMarkVictorsenI managed to interview Steve Williams when Tiger Woods came to australia in 2009 and Steve had some very interesting things to say about how Tiger plans his way around the course. He said that Tiger plays the course the way the designer had intended. That is, if the hole requires a draw off the tee he hits a draw; if the hole needs a fade tee shot that’s what he tries to do.

To hit a draw/hook tee shot, tee the ball up higher than normal, play the ball more forward (i.e towards the target) and get the feeling that you are keeping the body well “behind the ball” through impact. This will allow the arms/clubface to cross over early through impact and produce hook or draw spin. Remember to adjust your aim to allow the draw to finish at your target.

To hit a fade/slice tee shot, tee the ball much lower than normal (this will force you to keep the face open) as the instinctive thing to do is add loft and the open the clubface, creating the shot shape you need. Try to resist the rotation of the arm/clubface through impact and remember to aim and allow for the fade.

mark Victorsen is the Senior Teacher at Pacific golf Club Brisbane, and was QLd Pga Teacher of the Year in 2008. www.pacificgolf.com.au

LeeHarringtonmanY people attempt to pitch like they are taking a small version of their full swing. This is not correct and will lead to poor contact, distance control and directional issues.

The lofted pitch shot is played with a lot less moving parts than the full swing. The main points to consider next time you practice are:Setup1. Your weight starts and stays on the front

leg during the entire shot. 2. The left hand is in a weaker position

(left thumb pointing down shaft as shown) to stop the club head releasing and closing.

3. align body open to the target, clubhead remains pointing at the target. Ball position is inside left heel (which is where your body centre of gravity is situated through weight being forward in setup).

The Pitching Action1. The Club path travels parallel to your

body alignment, which is left of the target.

2. In the takeaway, check clubface at about hip height to make sure you have not shut the loft down (this will lead to shots going low and left).

3. In the downswing the club head trails the shaft, which comes by clearing the left hip as the first move back to the ball.

Pitching tips

Lee is a Pga member and is also the development Officer at golf Queensland. Her passion for teaching and an eye for detail is recognised in her reputation as a leading female teacher in australia. Lee’s experience in teaching provide a basis for programs delivered The golf School, a Queensland-based teaching facility. Lee teaches at both the gold Coast Carrara and Oxley facility weekly. www.thegolfschool.com.au. email: admin@thegolfschool.com.au, or phone (07) 5596 3373.

a good way to think of the finish is to see if you can sit a glass on the clubface at the finish. This means you have created the right angles to slide the clubface under the ball and achieve a soft high pitched shot.

Short game skills can save you many shots so do not neglect this part of your game when practicing. getting a short game lesson from

your local professional will make putting all these angles into practice a lot easier.

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