TIP OF THE WEEK

With Curlewis pro Steve Brodie

WHEN you play golf you are going to get into trouble. The difference with better players is they know how to get out of trouble and generally don’t go for the miracle shot.

The key skill to getting out of trouble effectively is being able to shape your shots. The concept of making the ball curve through the air is often over-complicated by golfers.

The biggest influence and almost the only consideration is the angle of the club face. Simply put, if the face is aimed to the right at impact, the ball will curve right.

If the face is aimed left at impact, the ball will curve left.

Having this shot-shaping skill is something you will have to practise — like most skills you need to play golf well.

If you want to curve the ball, start with the face pointing in the direction you want it to curve. Do this at address, open or close the face, then take your normal grip and make your normal swing.

Be patient when you first try this as your hand/eye coordination will most likely try to correct the face subconsciously. This is because the different face angle will feel really strange.

Hit shots and angle the face more or less until you get the desired amount of curve.

Persevere until you get the hang of it.

A few things to remember — very lofted clubs will not slice very much but will hook; straight face clubs won’t hook much but will slice; sliced shots will fly higher and less distance than normal; hooked shots will fly lower and go further than normal. I find practising shotshaping really good fun and it is good for my scores … give it a try.

STEVE BRODIE IS A PGA PROFESSIONAL AT CURLEWIS