Golf Digest April 2016

“I think I’m starting to get the hang of this.” What first attracted me to the golf life were the nicknames. Pottsn-Pans, Stiff-arm, Pete the Fireman, Chollie Binoculars, Jimmy Cigars, Fatman, Stetson, Plucker, Sparrow, Wa-wa, Jack Scats, Moon Man, Trader Joe— they came spilling out of the clubhouse every morning ready for action with faces and body types like Danny DeVito and Joe Pesci. “Clubhouse” is probably overstating the shell of a concrete building at our municipal course that more resembled a London target after the Blitz. We played gin rummy upstairs, pitched quarters on the porch, threw the ball for dollars on the putting green, and negotiated nine-hole matches on the first tee. “I’ll take Bear and wheel the field,” I’d announce amid catcalls and insults. After 18 we went round…

IF YOU’VE EVER WONDERED why you can do no wrong with your short irons but struggle with the longer ones, the answer is probably physics. Longer clubs with less loft make it more difficult to hit a good shot. Plus, faults are exaggerated. A swing that produces a five-yard miss with a wedge can be a 30-yard slice with a 5-iron. A big issue golfers have with longer clubs is making sure everything is moving in the right order, so I’ll help you with sequencing on the following pages. But first, I want to give you a swing thought to hit these shots more solidly. In this photo, look how my right shoulder is lower than my left. As you swing down, think: Drop the right shoulder and keep it…

Is this like one of those Magic Eye pictures? Golf is hard. Don’t make it any harder by turning good swings into bad results because you’re not aiming properly. Looking back at the great players, you see lots of different swings. But virtually all of these players aimed the same way, starting behind the ball and picturing where and how they wanted it to fly. Many amateurs get in their stance first, then look up, see some trouble and move their feet around to try to aim away from it. Or they take one look at the target, then focus all their attention down at the ball. Try this instead. Stand behind the ball, facing the target, and see the line you want to start your shot on. Pick an intermediate target a few…

Are you happy being 1 up, or do you want to get to 2 up? The most popular format among weekend golfers is match play. You can play head to head (singles) or with a partner (better ball). It’s a kinder game than stroke play because big numbers are less disastrous, and it’s fun because there’s another layer of strategy. In addition to understanding how your skills fit a particular hole, you weigh what the other player or team is capable of. Match play gets exciting when there are two or three ways to play a hole. More permutations exist for your shot to affect your opponent’s next move. On the fourth tee at Old Corkscrew Golf Club, a course I designed in Estero, Fla., you have three choices. How the match…

Ever have one of those days when you’re driving it great but can’t putt? Or your irons are dialed in, but you keep dumping chips? It’s hard to be a complete player because different shots require different mind-sets and skills. That being said, there are easy adjustments you can make to transition from one part of the game to another. Here I’ve used song titles from the 1980s to make the points easy to remember. Work on these moves in practice, then recall the songs when you play. You’ll strengthen the weak links in your game. —WITH RON KASPRISKE “I can see two knuckles on my left hand—check.” HOW LONG CAN YOU HOLD THIS POSE? 1 FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED Posing your finish with the driver means you didn’t rush down from the top of…

After a long break, how long before you get back to form? ▶ 1-2 rounds ▶ 3-5 rounds ▶ A couple range marathons ▶ 9 holes SOURCE: GOLF DIGEST R EADERS You bomb a drive, but when you get to the ball, you find it smack in the middle of an old divot. First thing: Get over it. It’s probably not as bad as you think. Especially if the hole has been filled with sand, you can play a normal shot—with a few adjustments. The secret to making good contact here is hitting down on the ball. Play it back an inch or two in your stance, and put more weight on your front foot. That promotes a steeper backswing, which, in turn, steepens the downswing. You’ll catch the ball first and drive it out (below). Also, open…