BREAK 80 3-wood strike

If you aspire to be shooting in the 70s, you should have the speed and skill to strike out for the green without taking any undue risks. Unless you’re very powerful, that means a 3-wood. The general advice here is to sweep the ball clean, but in my experience this intention leads to thin, weak contact that’s low in the face. So instead I advise a pinching attack similar to the hybrid, with the sole of the 3-wood brushing the grass after impact. This may take a degree or two of loft out of the clubface, but it promotes a sweeter, more powerful strike.

1. Set-up: The ideal attack

Of course with only 15 or so degrees to play with, we can’t afford to get too steep with a 3-wood. So play the ball just inside the lead heel, forward in your stance. Near the bottom of the arc of the swing, this ball position promotes a reasonably level attack angle. But as we will see here, your intention should be to pinch the ball against the turf from this position, rather than sweep it off the surface.

2. Head still

Normally we encourage some lateral movement – away from the target – during the backswing to help shift weight and build power. But this move is more in keeping with the level-to-up, sweeping strike that works when the ball is teed up. Here, with the ball on the ground, you will find it easier to find that turf-pinching strike when you turn more on top of the ball, your head holding position. This helps you keep the swing’s low point at or even slightly holeside of the ball, encouraging the turf-grazing strike that helps you get the meat of the clubface behind the ball.