how to play a golf course if you're a short hitter

The long and the short of it is (YUP PUN INTENDED)~ play to your strengths. If you are a short hitter, don’t think about hitting par 5’s in two or how far you have into the hole. Work on your short game, work on keeping it the fairway, and get the job done on the greens.

Full Answer

What is a hitter in golf?

The PGA Golf Glossary defines a hitter as "A player who favors a forceful, aggressive style of swing." Hitters aren’t known for smooth, fluid swings. Rather, their motion "appears to be more violent," says golf instructor Martin Green.

What are the best swing tips for short golfers?

Shorter Golfers: Use Leverage to Your Advantage – Golf Swing Tip. The stance gets slightly narrower with each successively shorter club. This will not only enhance your balance, it will create a wider swing arc for greater distance. Learn to hit a draw: Short golfers tend to have flatter (more horizontal) swings,...

How to hit the ball longer with the club?

To hit the ball long distances, you have to lag the club behind your hands. While there are a number of different ways you can swing the club to produce quality shots, there is no room for negotiation when it comes to lag. If you lag the club, you will be capable of producing some powerful shots.

How can Langer’s Blueprint be applied to the short hitter game?

And while Langer has years of experience under his belt, the blueprint he used is one that can be applied to any short hitter’s game if they want to be successful despite a distance disadvantage. Here’s how. 1. Find the fairway consistently Hitting fairways is always important, but if you’re a short hitter it is absolutely crucial.

What does it mean to hit more wedges in golf?

How important is hitting fairways?

Who kept up with his playing competitors despite a length deficiency off the tee?

How many fairways did Langer hit in the Masters?

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Why are my drives so short?

Golfers who are tense or anxious when they address the ball have trouble generating maximum clubhead speed. Tight muscles cause the swing to be shorter and slower. Your goal is a long, loose swing not a short, tight one. Consciously think about relaxing your shoulders before you begin your swing.

What is considered a long hitter in golf?

A long drive for a man is probably considered to be some 280-300 yards but in reality golfers aren't getting anywhere near that figure. Driving distance figures from the R&A and USGA's most recent Distance Report show that the average hit by an amateur male club golfer is 215 yards.

How do you become a long hitter in golf?

10 things golfers need to do to hit longer drivesGroove center contact. While it may seem a bit obvious, hitting your driver properly in the center of the face makes a huge difference. ... Get a good setup. ... Turn your torso. ... Get a good grip. ... Swing in a circle. ... Speed with your hands and arms. ... Get fit. ... Try Speed Training.More items...•

What is a short in golf?

The term short game refers to the category of golf shots that are made when the golfer is located relatively near the green, or on the green itself.

Who is the shortest hitter on tour?

David Toms, the tour's shortest hitter, averaged a mere 270 yards per poke.

Who is the shortest golf player?

Tadd Fujikawa Tadd Fujikawa is the shortest golf professional on our list. Fujikawa is just 5'1” tall, but he is still able to compete and win on the PGA Tour. The interesting thing about Fujikawa is that there is a story behind his height and smaller stature. Fujikawa was born weighing just under two pounds.

How do I increase my swing speed?

Four ways to boost your swing speed—without sacrificing accuracyGET THE TOE OF THE CLUBHEAD TO THE BALL FIRST.MAKE YOUR DRIVES SIZZLE WITH THIS MID-PRACTICE DRILL.RELAX THE LEAD ARM FOR A TENSION-FREE BACKSWING.

How do you hit longer drives off the tee?

To hit longer drives you need only one thing: to change your angle of attack from negative to positive. An upward angle of attack will impart less spin on the ball, launch it higher off the tee and, as a result, make it travel farther through the air.

How do I get more distance off the tee?

0:321:54Rory McIlroy's Best Tip for More Distance Off the Tee - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipA little further forward in your stance try to sort of have it just inside your your sort of leftMoreA little further forward in your stance try to sort of have it just inside your your sort of left heel there. And sort of try to i think try to angle.

How can I improve my short in golf?

5 Ways to Improve Your Golf Short GameSoften Your Hands for Chip Shots. A common mistake most novice golfers make is having too tight a grip. ... Allow Your Body to Rotate. ... Find the Right Tempo. ... Take Advantage of the Bounce. ... Focus on Your Left Arm. ... Take Your Golf Short Game to the Next Level.

How can I practice my short game at home?

0:426:53How to Improve Your Short Game AT HOME! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBelow set the ladder down on the ground five to ten yards away from you and the aim is to chip andMoreBelow set the ladder down on the ground five to ten yards away from you and the aim is to chip and land the ball into the first run of the ladder.

What is a good golf score for beginners?

According to National Golf Foundation data, 45% of all golfers average more than 100 strokes per round. With that said, it is believed that a 108 is considered to be a good score for a beginner golfer, which equates to double bogey on each hole of a par 72 course.

jdsuowner

I have been playing quite a while but consider myself a short hitter, only hitting my driver about 220 max and 5iron 150-160. I find myself never able to break 80. On the longer holes its very difficult having to come into a green with a long iron and be accurate where most people use a wedge or so. My putting and short game is very good i think.

Swordfish

I am the shortest hitter in my group that I play with regularly and have the lowest handicap. We play blue tees (one from tips) and I usually have to hit a much longer iron on my second than everyone else but I have a short game and can putt so I very often beat the guys. My handicap is 7 and most of my games are between 75-81...

Carolina Golfer 2

As others have said, 220 is not that short for most of us weekend warriors, unless you are intent on playing 7000+ courses. I would say a good drive for me is 240 these days but most fall in the 230 range. The tees I play depending on the course usually range from 6100 to 6700.

williamevanl

Sounds like you are right about at the standard for a 5 iron (which is listed at 160 for an amateur). Thats easy to forget when you are looking at internet distances all day.

jbrunone

Sounds like you are right about at the standard for a 5 iron (which is listed at 160 for an amateur). Thats easy to forget when you are looking at internet distances all day.

MtlJeff

i have a very good friend who hits his clubs pretty much the same as you. He breaks 80 somewhat regularly on courses under 6400yds-ish. He struggles at 6500 and above especially if there are bunkers fronting greens or water hazards or the like. He doesn't really practice that much and could be better

isaacbm

With that distance, you should be playing from about 6000-6200 yards. You can shoot in the 70 regularily but a lot of things have to go right.

Feedback

All due respect but if you've been working with a "pro" for a year and a half and only getting 160 with your driver (half the time) as an apparently athletic 32 y/o; you need to fire that person and find someone who knows what they're doing.

Feedback

There're almost certainly numerous things wrong with your swing that need to be addressed before you'd even be capable of chasing distance.

Feedback

Until you get this sorted out with your pro, I would use a large face 3 wood (Cobra Big Tour or a Mini Driver) to get to 180-190, which will make many par 4's playable. These clubs are easier to control, than a 460 cc driver.

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How to hit a long distance golf ball?

To hit the ball long distances, you have to lag the club behind your hands. While there are a number of different ways you can swing the club to produce quality shots, there is no room for negotiation when it comes to lag. If you lag the club, you will be capable of producing some powerful shots.

What happens if your golf clubs are too long?

If your clubs are too long and/or upright, you'll be forced to adjust away from a swing that's natural for you. Set up with a wide stance: When hitting the driver, the insides of your feet should be underneath the outsides of your shoulders. The stance gets slightly narrower with each successively shorter club.

What happens if you lag the club?

If you lag the club, you will be capable of producing some powerful shots. If you don't, you will always be a short hitter. In order to add any significant amount of distance to your golf shots, you are going to have to tackle the issue of lag in your swing once and for all.

What is the main form of leverage in golf?

The main form of leverage available to golfers comes in the relationship between your arms and the club. When you are able to form an angle between your lead arm and the shaft of the club, you will be creating the potential for energy that can be release right at the moment of impact.

What does it mean when you use your hands to downswing?

A large majority of amateur golfers use their hands to start the downswing, which is exactly the move that robs you of power. If you allow your hands to take over right from the top of the swing, the angle you created will be gone and your only option will be to drag the club through the hitting area.

How to fix a faulty downswing?

To fix your faulty start to the downswing, focus on using your lower body to initiate the action. Just like the latter stages of your backswing, the hands should stay quiet in the early part of the downswing, so you will need to use your legs to get everything in motion.

Can you improve your leverage in golf?

Improving the leverage in your swing can actually be a relatively simple thing, however many golfers are never able to make it happen. Only when you understand where leverage can be found in your swing, and how you can unlock it, will you really be able to live up to your full potential on the course.

How to putt golf?

A good, basic putting posture is to bow from your hips, have your eyes over the ball and your arms hanging below your shoulders. After that, remember that your back stroke length controls distance .

What is the hardest shot to hit in golf?

Sand shots are some of the hardest for beginner golfers. And like we talked about earlier: Remember that to hit the ball up, you need to hit the ground. This means overriding any instinct you have to lifting the ball up, and commit to hitting the sand instead.

How many golf balls should I have in my bag?

Beginner golfers need to be prepared with the necessary tools that you’ll use on the course. You should plan on having six to 12 golf balls in your bag, a golf glove (if you wear one) and tees and a ball marker in your pocket and ready to go. Being ready to go when it’s your turn to hit is an important part of golf.

What do you need to know about golf?

It is also not a bad idea to know a few of golf’s basic rules: Familiarize yourself with the official way to drop a ball, to take relief from an unplayable lie, what to do if your ball is out of bounds and what to do if you hit your ball into a hazard.

How to get a ball in the air?

The basic concept is that in order to get the ball in the air, you need to hit the ground. Get into good posture, bending from the hips, and feel like your extending both arms into the ground during your swing, like you’re throwing a ball (as you see me demonstrating below).

Does stroke length affect distance?

After that, remember that your back stroke length controls distance. In other words, smaller strokes make the putter swing slower and larger strokes help the putter swing naturally faster. And while this may be extremely basic, it can help with the concept that stroke size controls distance and get you started.

Do you need to hit a chip to play golf?

Be able to hit a basic golf chip. As a beginner, you need to be able to hit a basic chip, This shot doesn’t need to be perfect and as a newer golfer, I would not expect you to have perfect distance control. Your goal is to have a go-to shot when you’re close to the green.

What is a hitter in golf?

Hitter. The PGA Golf Glossary defines a hitter as "A player who favors a forceful, aggressive style of swing.". Hitters aren’t known for smooth, fluid swings. Rather, their motion "appears to be more violent," says golf instructor Martin Green. More graceful-looking players are typically referred to as "swingers.".

Which arm does the hitter push the club through?

While the swinger pulls the club head through the stroke, emphasizing the left arm (for right-handed players), the hitter pushes the club through, emphasizing the right arm to muscle the club into and through the impact zone.

How to play a sweeping shot?

To play a sweeping shot, place the ball more forward than usual in your stance and swing with a shallow arc. To develop a sweeping shot, all-time PGA Tour great Tom Watson suggests taking practice swings without a ball while focusing on hitting the turf "just forward of the center at the bottom of your arc.".

What stroke does a sweeper hit?

Sweeper. Sweepers tend to hit the ball with a level or upward stroke , sweeping the ball off the ground or tee. While this is the normal hitting stroke with a driver or a fairway wood, a true sweeper also plays iron shots with a sweeping motion, taking little or no divot from the fairway.

What does it mean to hit more wedges in golf?

Golf is a game of misses, and even Langer mentioned this was an element of his success. 3. Dial in your wedges. Longer shots into greens means more missed greens, and more missed greens means hitting more wedges, so become extremely comfortable with these clubs in your hand.

How important is hitting fairways?

Hitting fairways is always important, but if you’re a short hitter it is absolutely crucial. Short and crooked is perhaps the worst combination you can have. You’ll likely be hitting many longer clubs into greens and doing that from the rough — often times with difficult angles — is just too difficult to give yourself consistent scoring opportunities. Langer hit 49 of 56 fairways for the week at the Masters, good for 87.5 percent. If he didn’t find fairways at such a high clip, his excellent play never has a chance. It all starts off the tee.

Who kept up with his playing competitors despite a length deficiency off the tee?

Bernhard Langer kept up with his playing competitors despite a length deficiency off the tee. Distance is key in golf these days. If you can bomb the ball down the fairway, you have a distinct advantage over your competitors.

How many fairways did Langer hit in the Masters?

Langer hit 49 of 56 fairways for the week at the Masters, good for 87.5 percent. If he didn’t find fairways at such a high clip, his excellent play never has a chance. It all starts off the tee. 2. Manage your misses. Without the weapon of distance in your bag, you will be hitting many longer clubs in your bag.