How do I play the ball when it is buried in a greenside bunker?
How do I stop topping the ball?
How do I play the ball out of wet sand?
What clubs can I use in a fairway bunker?
How do female golfers get more distance?
How can I putt more consistently from long distance?
How can I hit more fairways?
If the pin is on the top tier should I pitch or chip and run?
How do I strike the ball more consistently out of fairway bunkers?
From a short distance in - say 80 yards - should I use a longer swing with lofted clubs or a shorter swing with less lofted clubs?
What's the best way to square your putter for the hole on short straight putts?
How do I strike fairway woods more consistently?
If I'm in-between distance how do I take distance off the longer club?
How can I get more spin on the golf ball?
How can I hit more greens when they are baked hard, is it better to pitch and run or spin with a softer ball?
Where should you aim for the pin in a cross wind?
How can I hit it further off the tee?
How do I stop myself fatting chip shots?
Any personal tips for when you're nervous on the first tee?
How do you determine which club to use in a given situation?

Please feel free to send us your questions to add to this list.

Q - How do I play the ball when it is buried in a greenside bunker?
- Dave, HCP 15

A - Adopt the following strategy:
position the ball in the centre of the stance, and align the body a little to the right (closed) of your intended target
close the clubface slightly before assuming the grip - this has the effect of eliminating the bounce reaction of the sand iron
play the stroke aggressively attempting to strike around 2 inches behind and under the ball
be conscious of attempting to make a follow through so ensuring that there is no quitting or deceleration through impact
note that there is little control with this shot and be aware that the ball will come out with top spin so this should be taken into account when attempting to judge the shot distance
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Q - How do I stop topping the ball?
- Tina, HCP 22

A - A top can come from various elements within the swing
1) the misconception that the head is being lifted - in fact the head may rise but it is actually the premature raising of the spinal angle through impact that causes the top. Understanding this at least gives an understanding of which part of the swing needs work
2) having the ball positioned too far back or too far forward in the stance can also cause a top (see Fundamentals - ball position)
3) too much tension in the setup and swing has the effect of shortening the muscles which is another common cause of topping
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Q - How do I play the ball out of wet sand?
- Shaun, HCP 16

A - There is no difference in the technique for playing wet and dry bunker shots, however, it should be noted that
if the sand is wet it is heavier; therefore it is harder to get the clubhead through and underneath the sand - this suggests that more acceleration and commitment are necessary in the shot
if the sand is shallow and wet then it compacts considerably and when the sand is shallow the clubhead strikes closer to the ball therefore creating more power - this must be taken into account when judging the distance of the shot
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Q - What clubs can I use in a fairway bunker?
- Daz, HCP 11

A - Any club can be used from a fairway bunker, however, the priority should be to look at the lip of the bunker
see how close to it the ball is and take a sufficiently lofted club to clear it
if there is no lip then almost any club can be used
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Q - How do female golfers get more distance?
- Debbie, HCP 21

A - The areas upon which lady golfers can work to generate distance are flexibility in the backswing and wrist action through impact.
1) Flexibility in the backswing
Power in the golf swing comes from the storing up of energy in the back swing. The body needs to behave like a coiling spring by offering resistance to the rotation and creating tension in the 'coil' so that it can spring back towards the ball with the necessary force. Ladies tend to be naturally loose and flexible and find difficulty in generating the required resistance and tension in the backswing. Instead they tend to overswing or over-rotate, specifically:
turning out the right foot (to one o'clock) allowing extra rotation
raising the left heel encouraging unwanted rotation of the hips
collapsing (bending) the left arm at the top

Three simple adjustments will help to overcome these problems by promoting a more tightly coiling backswing
check that the right foot points directly away from the body to the 'twelve o'clock' position at setup
keep the left heel fixed to the ground during the backswing
keep the left arm extended (but not tensed) throughout the backswing to provide width

Try to create the feeling that you are unable to hold the position at the top of the backswing feeling an irresistible urge to uncoil

2) Wrist action through impact
The power on a golf swing is transferred to the club (and so to the ball) through the wrists (via the hands) and good wrist action generates extra clubhead speed. The wrists should hinge as the club is raised above waist height in the backswing and unhinge as the club descends below waist height in the downswing and progresses naturally through to impact. Ladies tend either to unhinge their wrists too early on the downswing or to fail to unhinge their wrist to their full potential

A simple practice routine will help to overcome these problems - checkout the Fundamentals Section.
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Q - How can I putt more consistently from long distance?
- Tim, HCP 12

A - This question is often put to me and my response is to ask how often does the golfer practice their putting? The usual reply of course is never. Think how many times you use a putter in a round perhaps between 30 and 40 yet you expect to be good without practice. Anyone can have a good technique but without "feel" it's worth very little. Practice by numbering 3 golf balls 1, 2 and 3 placing them down in a line and making your first putt - do not look to see how far it has gone but simply address the next ball and attempt to hit this one the same distance, do the same with ball 3. You can then look up and assess your judgement making adjustments to allow for the tendency to be either short or long. Repeat varying the distance and see your feel on the greens improve dramatically.
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Q - How can I hit more fairways?
- Max, HCP 15

A - By developing a sounder technique is the obvious answer which means spending time with a reputable PGA Professional. However if that is not possible, try:
1) using a more lofted golf club to tee off.
2) simply gripping a little lower on the club - what little distance if any you lose will be made up for through more accuracy
3) developing better course management - for example assessing side winds to decide which side of the tee to tee up from
if the wind is off the left then tee up on the right hand side of the tee, by doing this you are hitting slightly more into the wind rather than across the wind.
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Q - If the pin is on the top tier should I pitch or chip and run?
- Alison, HCP 17

A - To pitch a ball under this situation would mean the possibility of pitching the ball into the slope. How would the ball react? Would it stop dead? Would it roll back down the hill? Would it kick to the side? All these are definite possibilities and questions which must be asked of the pitch shot - however the only question to be asked of the chip and run shot is how hard to hit it? I know which option I would be playing if at all possible.
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Q - How do I strike the ball more consistently out of fairway bunkers?
- Alan, HCP 15

A - Firstly ensure you have a sufficiently lofted golf club to clear the lip of the bunker. Wriggle the feet in to the sand but only enough to secure a stable platform. Grip down on the golf club. Position the ball centrally between the feet. Make a three quarter backswing with little wrist hinge and accelerate down and through impact to the full follow through.
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Q - From a short distance in-say 80 yards- should I use a longer swing with lofted clubs or a shorter swing with less lofted clubs?
- Dale, HCP 12

A - This question can only be answered by considering the particular situation with which you are faced in making the shot. Understanding the characteristics of the different options can lead you to making the right decision. A lofted shot will have little roll upon landing whereas a lower shot will have more roll upon landing. If for example there is a hazard in front of the green then you would have to opt for the longer swing with a lofted club to enable you to carry the hazard and stop the ball on the green. If there is no hazard at the front of the green and the fairway is flat then potentially you could opt for a shorter swing with a less lofted club and roll the ball in.
Take weather conditions into account - in wind you would be better off playing a shorter swing with a less lofted club so that the wind affects the ball flight less, or if it is extremely wet then a longer swing with a more lofted flight would carry the damp wet ground so taking out the unpredictability of how the ball might roll through wet ground.
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Q - What's the best way to square your putter for the hole on short straight putts?
- Geoff, HCP 12

A - Line the putt up from directly behind the ball picking a point only a foot in front of the ball whereby if you were to hit the putt straight over that point it would go straight to the back of the hole. You now have an imaginary line between a point on the ground and the ball to use to set your toe line (parallel) and your clubface (perpendicular). Positioning your toes both directly away from you ( not splayed out at all ) helps with alignment. Line the body (knees, hips, shoulders) in sympathy with the toes.
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Q - How do I strike fairway woods more consistently?
- Mark, HCP 16

A - The most common problem I notice with fairway woods is the inconsistent positioning of the ball. I would normally position the ball opposite the inside of the left heel for all fairway woods. Only if there is a clear need to increase the angle of attack because say the lie is a little poor would I change the ball position to the centre of the stance, gripping an inch lower on the club to accommodate the change.
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Q - If I'm in-between distance how do I take distance off the longer club?
- Andy, HCP 21

A - Gripping a little lower on the club will shorten the potential distance of the shot. The next thing to consider is shortening the backswing. To encourage this you may narrow the stance and also align your feet a little to the left of your intended target - remember to think about the practice swing and attempt to play the desired shot therefore getting a feel for the required backswing length.
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Q - How can I get more spin on the golf ball?
- Martin, HCP 20

A - The requirements for spin are:
1) The correct golf ball
2) The right type of green (usually sand based)
3) A lofted golf club
4) The correct angle of attack
The angle of attack is simply the angle at which the clubhead comes down and meets the golf ball. To increase the angle of attack simply move the golf ball a little further back towards the right foot.
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Q - How can I hit more greens when they are baked hard, is it better to pitch and run or spin with a softer ball?
- Paul, HCP 15

A - Spinning a ball is very difficult without the added problems of baked greens so for the average golfer the only shot to play is the pitch and run shot. Judging distance and roll is by no means easy but it is probably your best option.This is the kind of shot which can be practiced at your local range instead of just making pointless full swings.
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Q - Where should you aim for the pin in a cross wind?
- Phil, HCP 6

A - There is a knack to playing in a cross wind - the typical problem I encounter is more to do with visualisation than actual play. As the golfer aims the body and the club off to the left for example for a left to right wind their mind is still focused on the target. As the shot is played the clubface opens and the wind takes the ball way off to the right - sound familiar? So the knack is to aim to the left, how much depends on the strength of the wind. Align the blade that way as well then make your swing visualising a straight shot to your new left of target, target. As you hit the straight shot then of course the wind will take your shot off to the actual target.
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Q - How can I hit it further off the tee?
- Kevin, HCP 13

A - Ensure the ball position is forward in your stance to ensure the ball is struck on the upswing. Also to encourage this at setup, position the body weight 60/40 favouring the right side and look more at the back of the ball. Work on a wide take away keeping the club close to the ground for the first part of the golf swing.
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Q - How do I stop myself fatting chip shots?
- Jane, HCP 15

A - Sounds like the ball position is too far forward in the stance with the hands behind the ball at setup. Position the ball back in the stance opposite the right big toe with the hands opposite the inside of the left thigh. This positions the hands well ahead of the ball. Also position the body weight 60/40 favouring the left side. During the backswing make no attempt to hinge the wrists but take the club away close to the ground and sweep back and through on the downswing.
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Q - Any personal tips for when you're nervous on the first tee?
- John, HCP 10

A - Firstly regardless of how long they have been playing or the importance of the match most people are nervous on the first tee. This is the time when you have to trust your golf swing which only comes through practice. Make no attempt to guide the ball down the fairway as this is when it often goes all wrong.
Choose your best friend, a club you feel happy with and tell yourself what's the worst that can happen? Just trust your swing and go for it!!!
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Q - How do you determine which club to use in a given situation?
- JFC53@aol.com

A - Club Choice is almost always determined by the distance of shot required. If you are only setting out then a reliable, consistent strike is your first priority with a full swing. You can then begin to practice and assess your average distance per golf club. Note that longer irons (low numbers) go further than shorter irons (high numbers) and woods go further than irons. From this average you can work out the distance of other clubs eg 7 iron average - 130yards. Each individual will vary slightly but in general add 10 yards per club therefore 6 iron will go 140yards, 8 iron 120 yards and so on. This is just the tip of the iceberg but a starting point without too much over complication. Master this first and then ask some more questions.
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Please feel free to send us your questions to add to this list.