Blackwater Valley Golf Centre

1. Set up with your weight on the balls of your feet, and your feet shoulder width apart.
2. If your stance is much wider than your shoulders, it will stop you from rotating and shifting your weight effectively during the swing, leaving you stuck in the middle, so you lose distance on your shot.
3. Stand with the ball just inside your left heel when using a low numbered club, and between your heel and the middle of your stance for the higher numbers.
4. Lean your upper body slightly to the right, behind the ball. This makes it easier to turn rotate your body right and upwards in the back swing, shifting your weight onto your right foot as you do so, and reaching a powerful position from which to shift your weight left during the down swing, directing all the force of the shot forward towards the target.

Step 2: The swing

1. A full turn into the backswing also allows you to swing the club head into the ball in a shallow plane, sweeping the ball away.
2. Make sure that your body rotates to lead your arms and hands through a nice wide arc. Keep your muscles relaxed throughout the swing for a smooth, flowing motion.
3. At the point of impact, return your shoulders to the set-up position, square to the target line, to ensure the club head swings straight into the ball.
4. At the same time, release your hands, maximising the speed of the club head through the ball for a long, straight shot.

Step 1: Losing height at set-up

1. The first cause of fat shots is putting your body too low at set-up.
2. This can happen if you do not keep your left arm straight enough at set-up.
3. The weight of the clubface will straighten your arms out in the downswing.
4. So if you don’t compensate by raising your body, you will hit the ground behind the ball.

Step 2: Bending your knees too much at set-up

1. If you set up with your knees too bent, it is likely that your weight will be on your heels and your upper body upright.
2. In this swing plane, the club travels much lower than if you swing it straight, and will hit the ground before it reaches the ball.

Step 3: Bad foot position at set-up

1. If you set up to the ball with your right foot pointing outwards, your weight will naturally shift to the outside of your right foot during the back swing.
2. It is then difficult to transfer your weight across to your left foot on the down swing, so your centre of gravity stays too far behind the ball and you hit a fat shot.

Step 1: Key one

Don’t make a slow backswing. The basic movement in the swing is a body rotation. It doesn’t take long to turn your body back and forwards through your swing. To swing the club slowly you must interrupt your rotation during your backswing. This means that at some later point you need to start accelerating; as a result there is no flow to the swing. A slow backswing might cause you to start your downswing too early, if you become eager to hit the ball. When this happens, many people think their swing is too fast and will try to slow down, making the rhythm even worse.

Step 2: Key two

This brings us to key two: Complete your backswing before starting your downswing. Maintaining the rhythm and tempo of your body rotation makes it easier to complete the movement in the backswing. In turn, that makes it easier to get back to the ball with your shoulders square to the target as you strike it, helping your hands to accelerate the club head through the ball. When your rhythm is good, the space between your backswing and downswing is the slowest part of your swing. If it is too fast, your club will have slowed down by the time it reaches the ball.

Step 1: Position the putter

Firstly, place the putter head flat on the ground behind the ball, aiming at the target.

Let the whole club sole rest on the ground.

Step 2: Adopt your stance

Stand parallel to your target, keeping the ball slightly in front of the middle of your stance.

This will ensure better connection on your upswing.

Your feet should be approximately shoulder width apart. It can be a little less or a little more, as long as you’re comfortable.

Now, simply lean forward from the hips until your eyes are directly over the ball. Keep your eye line parallel to your target.

This gives you the best position to see where you are aiming.

Now, keeping your weight on the balls of your feet, just flex your knees slightly without reducing your height. Yours arms will hang free in front of your body.

Tip: Don’t bend at the knees or hunch over the ball. The lower your position, the more difficult to judge the distance.

Step 3: The grip

We’re going to show you the two most common grips used by golf pros, or you can use your normal grip if you prefer.

Start with your arms hanging naturally, and place your palms on either side of the grip.

Tip: Always grip your club lightly to get the best feeling for distance and a smooth putt.

GRIP 1:

The first grip is with your left hand on top and right hand underneath. Simply place your left forefinger over the first two fingers of your right hand.

Then, with your thumb pointing straight down, slide it into the groove of your right hand.

This grip allows you to control the stroke from the shoulder and not the wrist.

GRIP 2:

An alternative is the reverse grip. Put the right hand on top of the left. The right forefinger is over the first two fingers of the left hand.

This grip will naturally raise your left shoulder, angling your upper body into position behind the ball.

Then slip your right thumb into the groove of your left hand.

Some right-handed people find this grip easier to get their shoulders square, leading the swing with the right hand.

Step 1: The set-up

1. Aim between 5 and 10 yards to the right of your target, depending on how much you plan to curve the ball.
2. Place the club head square behind the ball, and take your set-up aiming parallel to the line along which your club is facing.
3. Close the clubface, turning it to the left until it aims directly at the target, and then grip your club as normal.

Step 2: The swing

1. Play the shot with your normal swing, rotating your body around its spinal axis so it leads your arms and hands throughout.
2. It is important to turn your body well into the back swing, and make sure your torso and shoulders return to a square position at the moment of impact. This allows the club to swing naturally into the ball from the inside, so your hands can release the club head through the ball, making it curve from right to left.
3. To ensure a good body turn, focus on turning your belt and navel fully to the right in the back swing. Imagine that the end of the club is sticking into your navel and stays there until halfway through the back swing.
4. Make a nice flowing swing and keep your head behind the ball through impact, drawing the ball nicely onto the green.