Short game: Tee up a wedge

An easy way to stop chopping at your chip shots

An easy way to stop chopping at your chip shots.

Fault: Poor strike and distance control, caused by a steep attack angle Fix: Hit balls off a tee to shallow out your delivery

No doubt you’ve read that when it comes to irons, you need to squeeze the ball for the perfect strike. While it’s true a downward attack is ideal for iron shots, that angle only needs to be fairly subtle. A slight downward hit allows you to present the maker’s loft to the ball, and lets you use the forgiving sole bounce; but turn a slight squeeze into a steep chop and you deloft the club and invite a snagging impact with the club’s sharp leading edge. To find the correct attack angle, try this four-ball drill.

Bruise the turf By the time you reach the fourth ball – on the turf – your body and arms will be primed to create a shallower attack. Make that flatterbased action on this final ball and you’ll bruise the turf after impact, rather than taking a divot....