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- By Tiger Woods with Pete McDaniel
Photos By J.D. Cuban May 2008
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Thinking too much over the ball can be as big a problem as not thinking at all. That's what I see in my amateur partners, who appear paralyzed from too much analysis. Some of them can't make even the easiest shot without running through a checklist.
I've learned that having a few simple keys is more effective. That's how my dad taught me. "Putt to the picture," he'd say, trying to get me to focus on the target and not on stroke mechanics.
Check out my three keys for hitting each of the basic full-swing shots. I don't use them all on every swing; I might focus on only one. Remember, keep it as simple as you can.
MY DRIVER
START STABLE
Take a wide stance, about shoulder width, and play the ball opposite your front heel.
CREATE THE COIL
Make a full shoulder turn going back, with your left shoulder turning all the way behind the ball at the top. Try to turn your hips no more than half as far as your shoulders.
GET THE ORDER RIGHT
Begin your downswing from the ground up: Shift your weight to your front foot, rotate your hips, then shoulders (above). Your arms and hands come through last, releasing the clubhead for full extension with your hands.
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- HANK SAYS
"Notice how Tiger is looking at the back of the golf ball. This is a good way to make sure that you sweep the ball off the tee."
MY 3-WOOD
- GET SET
Bend forward comfortably from your hips.
HINGE UP
Start the clubhead back so that it comes up off the ground right away, a result of your wrists cocking. This will keep the club in front of you, not letting it move too quickly to the inside. Maintain this width all the way to the top.
SWING 90 PERCENT
Shift to your front side, and swing the club with a little more downward motion than you would for a driver. Off the tee, swing at no more than 90 percent, and make sure you swing all the way through the ball to a full finish.
HANK SAYS
"Amateurs need to make sure the ball position isn't too far forward with the 3-wood. Hit it at the bottom of your arc, not on the upswing."
MY 5-WOOD
TILT BACK
Play the ball a few inches inside your front heel, and set up with your rear shoulder slightly lower than your front shoulder.
STAY TALL
Keep your chin up, and maintain your height as you swing back and through. Head movement up and down makes it tough to return the clubhead to the ball with consistency.
TAKE A THIN DIVOT
Swing in control, with your feet staying grounded through the ball. Don't be afraid to cut a thin divot after impact (above) -- this proves you're making a slightly descending blow.
HANK SAYS
"Stand an inch closer to the ball with your 5-wood, and swing the same as with your 3-wood."
MY LONG IRONS
EVEN YOUR SHOULDERS
Set up more "on top" of the ball than you do with your woods, and position the ball slightly ahead of center in your stance.
SWING UP THE PLANE
Your setup and the shorter iron shaft will naturally create a more upright backswing plane, but be sure to keep your arms extended as you go back.
HOLD THE HINGE
Coming down, maintain your wrist hinge; don't try to help the ball in the air by scooping. Turn all the way through the ball, and finish with your weight all the way to your left side.
HANK SAYS
"Unless you drive the ball at least 275 yards, your long irons should be hybrids. They're much easier to get in the air for almost all golfers."
MY SHORT IRONS
- SET UP LEVEL
Position the ball in the middle to slightly back in your stance, which will set your shoulders more level at address.
TURN TO THE TOP
Take a three-quarter backswing, and be sure to turn your shoulders and not just lift your arms. Your weight should basically stay centered during the backswing.
TRAP IT
Stay in your posture on the downswing, and feel as if you're trapping the ball against the turf. Accelerate the clubhead through the shot, sending your divot toward the target (above).
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HANK SAYS
"Control is the key to hitting short irons. To have more control, take a shorter swing. Three-quarters is plenty. Think short iron, short swing."
MY ROUGH SHOT
MOVE IT BACK
Position the ball back in your stance: in the center for middle irons and slightly back for the shorter irons.
OPEN THE FACE
The rough will tend to grab the hosel and flip the clubface closed, so open the face a touch at address. Grip a little tighter to keep the club stable through the thick grass (left).
GET STEEP
In deep rough, pick the club up steeply in the backswing, and let the big muscles of your thighs, hips and shoulders pull the club down, powering the ball out of the heavy grass.
HANK SAYS
"In the rough you need a steeper angle of approach, so open the face a little and swing across the ball, like you're hitting a cut shot."
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MY FADE
- SQUARE THE FACE
Aim the clubface directly at the target, and open your feet and shoulders relative to the target line.
CUT ACROSS IT
Swing the club back and through along your stance line, letting it track outside the target line on the backswing and move from out to in through impact.
HOLD IT OFF
Keep your arms and wrists firm through impact, holding off the release of the club. Don't let the clubface flip past your hands. Swing your hands high at the finish.
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HANK SAYS "When you're trying to fade the ball, finish like Tiger does in this picture. He's swung more to the left and really held the face open."
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OPEN THE FACE
Close your feet and shoulders slightly relative to the target line. Aim the face slightly to the right of your target; this allows the ball to start to the right, and the open face sends a message to close it as you come through.
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HIT FROM INSIDE
Swing back and through along your stance line, the club tracking inside the target line on the backswing and in to out through impact.
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ROTATE THE CLUBFACE
Release the club through the shot, with the back of your left hand squaring the clubface slightly before you get to impact.
HANK SAYS
"Like Tiger is doing above, finish with the right arm more rotated over the left than you would for a fade."
