Golf Tips
IntoTheRough.co.uk is your top source of Golf tips and lessons. Designed to be in easy to remember bite-size chunks, we know there's a lot of information out there to bewilder a beginner golfer. Try some of these swing tips and you're sure to improve your golf game.
Why do I keep slicing the ball?
The bane of the amateur golfer, a slice starts left of the target but quickly bends right a great deal. For this reason it is sometimes called a "banana shot". Read more to cure your slice
Why do I keep hooking the ball?
The hook is a common shot for golfers, the ball starts travelling to the right of the target but quickly hooks left. Try our tips to eliminate your hook shot.
Why do I keep topping the ball?
Topping is when you hit the ball at the wrong angle; the "top" of the ball, usually resulting in it skimming along the ground. This is a common mistake among beginners, read this tutorial to see where you're going wrong
How to fix your push shot
A push shot is one that goes to the right of the target and is usually the result of an out-to-in swing path. Read our diagnosis and tips to get rid of your push.
How to hit a fade shot
The fade is a shot which starts to the left of the target and moves right in flight back towards the target. It can come in handy for playing around obstacles.
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How to hit a draw shot
The draw is a shot which starts to the right of the target and moves left in flight back towards the target. It can come in handy for playing around obstacles.
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How to hit a punch shot
A punch shot is a low, running shot with less climb and less spin. Commonly used when obstacles or wind impede more lofted shots.
HOW TO: delicate chip around the green
A delicate chip around the green can be tough because the player fears hitting the shot too hard, or simply fluffs it. This guide should help you play delicate chips with confidence.
How to play a standard bunker shot
Bunker shots in and around the green can be tricky for newbie golfers; it's a shot you must hit heavy and hard without fear. Read on to find out how.
Align yourself properly
When aiming for your target, make sure you're aiming from where the ball is, and not where you are standing. This drill shows you how to align your golf swing properly.
HOW TO: ball below your feet
With this shot, the ball is further away from you than normal. This means sitting down to it and gripping a little further up the club shaft. You won't be able to make a full body turn and there is an increased potential of a sliced shot.
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HOW TO: ball above your feet
This position means the ball is actually nearer to the player, much easier than when the golf ball is below your feet. This guide gives you tips on how to play the shot.
Keeping your drives consistent
The driver can be the most difficult club in the bag to keep consistent. Why is this? Well, it's the longest for one - making it more difficult to control. Also it's the lowest lofted club, meaning less air time and more difficult to control.
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Hitting high shots
Sometimes you need to get more air on the ball - to clear an obstacle or to enable more spin on the green. Read on to see how to get a higher trajectory and more spin.
How do I hit a flop shot?
The flop shot is a high lob, hit with one of your most lofted clubs which spins a lot and goes high in the air. We show you how with this golf guide.
Stop being afraid of your Long Irons
Long irons are still an important part of a complete golfer's game - despite the propensity of players to use hybrid clubs these days.
The basic chip shot
The chip is a close relative of the putt, only the first part of the flight is in the air, the rest should run towards the flag. Players often chip when they have lost confidence in their pitching ability, but a good chip is just as useful in the right hands.
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Smooth & long drives
The driver is one of the most difficul clubs to hit, because of its length and lower loft. With these tips you should be able to hit more consistently with the big stick:
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HOW TO: the bump and run shot
More shots are lost in a poor short game than anywhere else on the golf course. People practise their drives and long irons at the range but really a good short game is even more important.
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How to grip the golf club
Grip is an important fundamental of the golf swing. There are three common grip types. We go through each one and help decide which one is for you.
The Ultimate Rough Recovery Guide
The ultimate guide to playing out of the rough - long, short, fairway or greenside.
How do I put backspin on a golf ball?
Follow these tips to get your shots to spin more and land softer
The 9 Strikes: Fix Your Golf Swing
Finding out the case of a fault in your swing is much easier if you develop an understanding of how the clubface strikes the ball. If you spray the ball to all points of the compass, don't simply curse your luck and move on. Ask yourself why your shots fly off target.
Read moreCharge or die putting
To achive a consistent putting game on sloping greens, it is important to know when to attack and when to defend. A firmly struck, aggressive putt aimed at the back of the hole is called a charge. For a die putt you need a more calculating, cautious approach - the aim being to roll the ball gently up to the hole so it just topples into the cup.
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Building a good golf stance
A good stance is vitally important for a solid and consistent swing. Think of it as the foundation that your golf shots are built on. If your foundations are weak, chances are your shot will be too.
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Short game tips
Aside from putting, the short game is perhaps the most important part of a good scoring round, especially for higher handicap players. If you can't land a 200-yard 5-iron on the green consistently, you'll be digging the wedges out time and again. So it's vitally important you work on your short game. Follow our tips to lower your scores and be a demon around the greens.
Read moreStop topping the golf ball
A topped golf shot is one that runs a short distance and doesn't get any height. This generally results from the point of impact being too high and striking the top of the ball.
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Get more loft on your shots
We all love to see the professionals like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods hit fabulous-looking lofted shots from around the green and further out. They travel high and land with extra spin. So how do you get the ball up in the air so quickly?
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Using a sand wedge from the rough
The sand wege is particularly useful from thick rough because it has a heavy soleplate which helps you swing through grass, weeds, brambles and whatever else is around the ball. A golf ball can be stopped dead in the rough, and that won't be pretty.
Putting in a stiff breeze
A stiff cross-wind can blow a slowly turning putt off-line by several inches. Follow these tips when putting in the wind.