Club Selection

Better players will use a sand wedge or even a lob wedge. The average golfer may want to try a pitching wedge or even an 8 iron.

Stance

Set up with the ball even and about three club head lengths away from your right toe. You should feel 60-70 % of  your weight in your left foot, with your feet not much wider than the length of the club head. Your arms should hang straight with your hands leaning the shaft slightly forward. (photo one)

Grip

You may use your normal grip, but I prefer my putting grip (reverse overlap). This will promote a one lever stroke using less hands and wrists.

The Stroke

The stroke has a slight arc shape to it, while in the back swing keep your weight in your left foot and your left wrist solid and be sure the club head never gets as high as your waist. (photo two) Your finish is as long as your back swing and as you feel a slight body rotation through the ball  your weight is still in your left foot. Be sure your left wrist is still solid and flat. Do not scoop and hold your finish with your hips slightly facing target. Notice my left wrist is flat when holding my finish. (photo three)

Basic Fundamentals  to Focus On

* zero hands or wrist movement

*maintain a flat left wrist throughout

*most of weight must remain in left foot

*zero body motion in back swing-only arms and shoulders

*back swing an follow through should equal and below waist

*the stroke has a slight arc

*always focus where to land ball well short of the hole

photo one easy chip

The backswing photo two

The finish photo three

If you can’t hit the fairway, check your grip first. Better yet, just check your left thumb. You might know that no other body part affects the ball flight directly more than the hands, therefore, strengthening or weakening the grip to some degree can affect your release point (impact).

If you prefer a draw or less of a draw, even a fade, try adjusting your left thumb grip the following ways:

A Draw:

• relaxed, long left thumb
• left thumb position at 1:00 on handle
• up of left thumb a good inch below your left index finger (photo 1)
• will encourage more left arm rotation
• more club face rotation, producing right to left side spin (photo 2)

Straightball or Slight Fade

• position left thumb between 1:00 and 12:00
• shorten left thumb so that tip of thumb is about even with knuckle of left index finger (photo 3)
• this should limit rotation of the left arm and clubface, thus producing little or no curve (photo 4)
• try practicing with a 6 or 7 iron using left thumb positions or variations of – and shape your shots that are suitable for your game