Wouldn’t you just love to be able to emulate the professionals and get your approach shot to hit the green a few feet from the hole and then for your ball to magically backspin its way right up to, if not into, the cup?

Unfortunately, the perfect backspin is a difficult shot to perform and, apart from the scenario above, there are not many times when you will need to use it and so it tends to be something which the novice and intermediate golfer does not spent a lot of time practicing. However, it is something which you should add into your practice sessions and gradually over time try to perfect.

So what exactly do we mean by the perfect backspin? Well, the answer will probably depend on who you ask but, for me, the perfect backspin is not in fact a ball which overshoots and then magically rolls back towards its target but is in fact an approach shot which falls short of its target, bounces once and then stops dead when it lands for the second time.

So just how can you get this to happen?

The first thing you need before even attempting to put backspin on your shot are the right conditions and there are certain things which you must look for. For example, you will need to be on the fairway and aiming at a green which is in perfect condition with the grass trimmed very short. You will also need to ensure that you have dry conditions with absolutely no moisture on your club face, the ball or the ground. If these conditions do not exist then you should not try to use backspin on your approach shot.

If the conditions are right however then you can create the backspin you want by hitting the bottom portion of your ball with a good fast swing speed and a downward motion to your swing with ‘pinches’ the ball between the club face and the ground.

If this sounds difficult then that is because it is and this is a technique which you need to take time to practice before trying to employ it on the course. Indeed, this is definitely not something to try for the first time out on the course because, if you get it wrong, then your shot will be a lot worse than simply hitting a normal approach shot a little bit short or long.

One final piece of advice when it comes to trying to backspin shot out for the first time. You will find it a lot easier if you use a reasonably new, clean and well maintained golf club with a lot of grip on the club face, together with one of the recently introduced ‘soft cover’ golf balls.

By: Donald Saunders

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How many times have you had a bunch of trees slightly blocking your ball’s path to the pin? Wouldn’t it have been nice to be able to fade or draw the shot accordingly? It will take a bit of time at the range; but after a bit of practice, you will be confident in fading or drawing your shot.

The Draw:

A draw (for a right handed player), is when the golf ball curves slightly to the left when hit. It is less severe, and more desirable than a hook; which is when the golf ball sharply curves to the left (and often ends up in a pond or the woods).

How to Draw the Golf Ball:

o Stand with a slightly closed stance. This means that if you placed your club even with your feet, the club would be pointed slightly to the right of the target. You will therefore feel as if you are aiming to the right of the target.

o Close the club-face slightly, relative to how you are standing. This means the face of your club will be pointed at the target.

o Play around with this. Go to the range and try playing around with how much you close your stance, this will determine how much the ball will draw.

The whole idea of “closing your stance” causes your swing to have a slight “in-to-out” swing path; which is what causes the ball to curve to the left when hit. The club will make contact with the ball slightly below the ball’s equator (looking down on it).

The Fade:

A fade (for a right handed player), is the opposite of a draw; when the ball curves slightly to the right when hit. The fade is the more controlled form of a slice; which is when the ball wildly veers off to the right when hit.

How to Fade the Golf Ball:

o Just like you had a slightly closed stance with the draw, this time you will have a slightly open club face. Have your feet align slightly to the left of the target. You will feel as if you are aiming to hit the ball to the left.

o Open the club-face slightly, relative to how you are standing. It will again be pointed at the target.

o Again, practice this at the range. Test to see how much the ball curves relative to how open your stance is; the more you do this, the more confident you will be in judging how to fade the golf ball out on the course.

“Opening your stance” forces you to hit the ball on an “out-to-in” swing path. This means making contact with the golf ball slightly above the ball’s equator (looking down on it). The “out-to-in” swing path is what gives it proper spin to fade to the right.

Fading and drawing your golf shots may be tricky at first, but keep on playing around with it, and you will be able to fade or draw your shot around those trees with confidence and finesse. Those are the types of shots people “ooh” and “ahh” over, so get practicing!

By: Savannah Durbin

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Today its slowly becoming commonplace to see tour professionals putting with their eyes closed in tournaments. In fact a growing number of players use this golf putting technique in practice. Another common trick is to look at the hole rather than at the ball while putting. The golfer Johnny Miller used the technique at the 1994 Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The technique is widely believed to be helpful to golfers with yips.

Medical research has indicated that golf players with yips have rapid eye movements (REM) during the stroke. It is the eyes which transmit necessary information to the brain. Golfers who use the eyes closed or focused on the hole technique receive information about the club head, putter momentum and stroke path through the hands.

Why do players adopt this golf putting technique and what are the advantages of using the closed eye technique for golfers? These techniques are most commonly used by golfers who struggle with their stroke during their golf putting practice. When a player is low on confidence, he can get relief by focusing on the hole rather than the ball or by closing their eyes completely. This technique leads to mental clarity, almost like getting physically away from the pressure of the situation. Moreover it allows the golfers’ own confidence and feel for the course to take over and dispatch the ball to its destination.

Here is a golf putting tip with closed eyes technique. Place three balls 10 feet from the cup, and three more each at a distance of 20 and 30 feet. At 10 feet putt the first ball as you normally would with your eyes open. As you putt the second ball, start as you normally do with your eyes open. Before you actually putt, close your eyes. Try and focus on the feel of the putter head during the stroke. Mentally guess where the ball will end up once it stops rolling. Repeat the procedure for the third ball from 30 feet and close your eyes just before making the stroke. Repeat the procedure at each three-ball station. When you incorporate this golf putting drill into your practice routine, you will steadily develop a better feel on the greens.

Can individual golfers use these techniques? As far as individual golfers are concerned, experts believe it’s probably not a great idea for an individual golfer to close his or her eyes during play. However the recreational golfer can certainly use the closed eye technique in their golf putting practice routines. This golf putting technique should help golfers develop better feel in their putting stroke.

For More information on putting, check out this collection of putting tips: Golf Putting Technique

By: John Davenport

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The best golfers have an all around game and they know how to hit a variety of shots. One of the most crucial parts of any established golfer’s game is the ability to hit a draw. The draw is often dubbed as the most powerful shot in golf. The draw, or sometimes called by other people as hook, starts right and then curves left. It is supposed to be used when a direct shot at your target is blocked. Usually, regular golfers find themselves at a crossroads when they are in such a situation, This shot is one of the many shots that separate the amateur golfers from the professionals.

The most experienced golfers that are usually at the PGA level are able to hit this shot when put in the certain predicament. For example, this shot may need to be used on a dogleg hole or if one needs to curve a shot around some trees that are in the way. The draw is more of a subtle curve than the hook, which often end up in the rough. Usually when one calculates their risk and sees that it may be better to play their game form the rough than where they are currently. Usually, only the best golfers do this and they have a reason as this is a deliberate and calculated risk. When this shot is executed correctly, the draw will start off pretty straight and then gradually start to fall of to the left.

Golfers that also want the ball to give the ball a forward spin will do this, whatever their reason for such a ball may be. Not only will the ball have a forward spin but it will travel much further than the regular ball because when it initially lands it puts a forward spin on the ball. The draw is a shot that may be easier for people who are right handed dominant to pull off because the shot is taught from that approach rather than a left handed approach.

To pull off this shot, one must first set up their golf shot with their usual alignment and grip. Then they must adjust their feet to aim to the right of their target. The angle of the person’s feet will depend on their normal golf swing and desired results, and can range from 5 to 45 degrees. The only aberration between this and a regular swing is that one must start ten to fifteen degrees to the right to start. For left handed people, it is the same from a left handed perspective. Then the next step is to aim the club face at your target directly and use your normal grip. Then one should swing normally, from the beginning of the swing to the follow through. This is one of the tactics that can transform a middle of the road golfer into an upper echelon golfer. Not all golfers can full claim this trait to their attributes so a golfer with this shot has a distinct advantage.

By: Ewen Chia

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