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 Recreation
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Golf
Ignoring
Those Water Hazards
 Executing
a successful golf shot over a water hazard is a common complaint
and a couple of suggestions come to mind. One of them is to simply
avoid playing any courses with water hazards.
If you are
unable to do that, then I suggest you try hitting the ball "down
into the water" rather than "up and over it."
Most golfers
with this problem try to help the ball up and over the water by
lifting. This is a natural reaction as in most round ball sports
or games in order to get a ball "up and over" something
we must lift it.
In golf the
loft of the clubface does the lifting, any lifting on our part
totally defeats this purpose. When facing something like a water
hazard, where we want the ball to get up and over, we instinctively
feel this need to lift and automatically do it. However, when
we lift, we lift all of the club including the clubface and head,
which then hits only the upper portion of the ball, resulting
in a topped shot. Consequently, a topped shot goes downward and
directly into the water.
The opposite
of lifting is to feel like you are hitting the ball downwards
and into the water. When you do this, you actually drive the clubhead
down under the ball and the lofted club face lifts the ball up
and over the water.
So, on your
next round, try to hit the ball directly into the water. Once
you successfully do this, you will know it works, and your fear
of water hazards will stop.
Sincerely,
a friend to any golfer... Pat Dolan Golf Pro
About
the Author...
Pat Dolan, Golf Professional, specialized in teaching for over
42 years. The late Pat Dolan taught golf at such prestigious golf
courses as "The Colonial Country Club" in Fort Worth,
Texas, "The Country Club" in Salt Lake City, Utah and
"The Palm Springs Country Club" in the world famous
golfing resort of Palm Springs, California. He was the Head Professional
at the "The Russell Municipal Golf Course" in Russell,
Kansas, "The Jal Country Club" in Jal, New Mexico and
"The Riveria Golf Course" in Palm Springs, California.
He graduated from the second P.G.A. school in January 1958.
More about golf water hazards around the Web:
The
Rules of Golf - Water Hazards
BBC
Sports - Water Hazards
Sports
 Golf
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