Weekly Golf Tip as seen in The Winnipeg Sun --

August 7th , 2007

Contact key for 100-yard wedge

Being able to hit the green from 100 yards out is an important key to making more pars and lowering your scores.

In many cases, we should be aiming for the middle of the green which would leave you a putt of 25 feet or less. Research shows that the most important stat that relates to score is greens in regulation. If you hit more greens in regulation, you shoot lower scores -- it is that easy!

If you multiply your GIR by two and minus 95, it should be your score almost all the time. Try it with your stats and see if the formula works for you.

Notice in Photo 1, I am by the 100-yard marker and I have selected my 56-degree sand wedge. It may be a pitching wedge for you or even a 9 iron, but it does not matter.

In Photo 2, you can see I play the ball just forward of the centre of my stance and I have the shaft of the club leaning slightly forward towards the target.

In Photo 3, you can see that I have taken the club back to a nice a position, not full. This is a control shot and I am not hitting it as hard as I can but rather trying to hit it the correct distance.

I have maintained the forward shaft lean that I started with in my set up, meaning this is a clean solid shot, as seen in photo 4. It does not look like I am hitting it with all of my might!

Looking down the target line, you can see a nice balanced set up position aiming pretty much right down the target line.

I get back to a good impact position in Photo 5 and into a balanced, controlled a follow-through in Photo 6. Also, notice how I have maintained the same spine angle as I started with in my set-up position.

Remember not to try to hit it too hard, just pick the right club that allows you to swing in a balanced, a swing so solid contact is a guarantee. And pick a target, knowing that hitting greens in regulation, ensures lower scores. That target will mostly be in the middle of the green leaving easy pars and the occasional birdie.

Derek Ingram is the Head Teaching Professional at the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is a past winner of the Canadian PGA's Teacher of the Year and one of the top High Performance Golf Coaches in the World.

- Derek Ingram