Greetings Golfers,

Everyone loves to talk about the golf swing. But no one talks about how to use a golf club.

Here’s what I mean: a driver doesn’t look like a wedge … that’s because they are used in different ways.

A driver off a tee is more of a “swing”.

A shot using a wedge is more of a “punch”.

Clubs are designed for different purposes … and used in different ways. Too many people think that they need to learn a perfect “golf swing” … and then they just plug it in and use it for every shot. Wrong. You have to think of a golf club as a tool to use … such as a hammer or a screwdriver … and use the right tool for the right shot.

For example: if your ball is sitting in a divot, a driver isn’t going to be very helpful. But a wedge, with its loft and sharp leading edge, can be used to beat down on the ball and punch it successfully out of a divot.

If your ball is sitting up on a tee and you try to punch it with your wedge like the divot shot … you’ll miss the ball or pop it weakly up in the air.

Too many people use their driver like a wedge and take divots with their driver.

Too many people use their wedge like a driver and top their wedge shots.

A driver swing is longer, slower, more of a sweep, and has more club-face rotation.

A wedge shot is shorter, quicker, more of a steep punch, and has no club-face rotation.

Those are the two basic ways to use a golf club … and every other shot is a variation of the two.

Putting is even a combination of the two shots. Short putts are more of a punch (like Brandt Snedeker) and long putts are more of a swing (like John Daly).

The worse your lie and shorter the shot – more of a punch.

The better your lie and longer the shot – more of a swing.

The clubs are made differently for a reason. They need to be used in the way that they were created. Golf is about shotmaking … not a “perfect golf swing”.

Cheers,

 

Tom Abts

GM and Head Golf Professional

tabts@deerrungolf.com