You’ve decided to start playing golf and have just acquired your first set of clubs. Now, you need to learn how to play the game before you venture out onto the golf course. Besides receiving lessons, I recommend familiarizing yourself with the rules, etiquette, and types of golf shots on offer.

The aim of this post is to highlight different types of golf shots. I will explain which club suits which shot and how to best execute each. This information will help you get your ball from the tee to the putting green with ease. In addition, I’ll touch on the mechanics of advanced shot shapes to give you something to work towards.

The 7 Basic Shots in Golf

1. Drive

A drive describes a tee shot, where you use a low lofted driver to maximize your distance on a par 4 or 5. Your drives go further than any other shot in your arsenal. However, the longer shots have a higher propensity to slice or hook offline. Leading to unflattering accuracy.

Hitting a fairway wood off the tee instead of the big stick is also seen as a drive. But, technically speaking, a drive can only be executed with a driver.

Clubs:

Tips to master this shot:

High handicappers and beginners often struggle to produce consistent distance and accuracy with a driver because of its low loft and long shaft.

Our tutorial on golf driving tips offers a detailed rundown of how to hit the golf ball further. However, I will focus on four elements to get you started.

1) Loft

First off, let’s discuss loft. Players with super-fast swing speeds exceeding 105-mph may prefer a low lofted driver around 9-degrees. The closed clubface helps you reduce backspin to deliver low ball flight for increased control and distance.

Conversely, if your driver’s swing speed averages 84 to 96-mph, a 10.5 to 12-degree should help produce a mid to high launch. Those slower swing speeds than those mentioned above should consider anything higher than 12-degrees.

The weaker the driver’s loft is, the easier it is for a golfer to launch the ball consistently high off the tee for optimal carry distance.

2) Shaft Flex

The next area to consider is shaft flex. According to True Spec Golf, players with extra fast swing speeds are best equipped to handle an extra stiff shaft. However, those with a moderate full swing speed should consider a regular shaft.

If the shaft of your driver is excessively stiff for your swing, you will struggle to launch your shot. Conversely, if your shaft is too flexible, you may generate excess spin and balloon your tee shot, losing distance.

3) Tee Height

Teeing the ball up the wrong height can prompt a low or high flying shot. Both can cost you distance. Golf Magazine suggests that you tee the ball up approximately 1.5-inches for a driver and half an inch for a fairway wood.

4) Ball Position

When you tee your ball up, it requires your clubface to connect the ball on your upswing. That is different from an iron shot, where you strike the ball at the low point of your swing to optimize compression.

For a successful tee shot, position the ball on the inside of your front foot. This makes it easier for you to strike the ball after the low point in your swing, to send your tee shots high and long.

2. Lay Up

A layup is a viable shot option if you cannot reach the green or wish to avoid a hazard. The most common example of a layup occurs on par 5’s where there are bunkers, hazards, or rough between the green and your ball. Therefore, you decide to lay up to a safe distance for an easy third shot.

I’m not proud to admit that I have played more than my fair share of layups on par 4’s as well. When you get into trouble off the tee and do not want to risk hitting your approach shot into the water, it makes sense to lay up.

The clubs you use to layup depend on the obstacles in your target line and the distance to the layup zone. Most often, players use a short iron or wedge for an easy shot.

Clubs:

• Mid Irons
• Short Irons
• Wedges

Tips to master this shot:

A layup is one of the simplest shots in golf. The pressure is off somewhat, and all you need to do is swing easily and get the ball into your preferred area of the fairway.

The main concern with a layup is distance control. If you opt for insufficient club, you may leave yourself too many yards for the next shot. Contrarily, hitting too much club can send your ball into the hazard you tried to avoid in the first place.

3. Approach

An approach shot describes your second into a par 4 or your third into a par 5. It requires a full swing with an iron, hybrid, or fairway wood to reach the green. If your approach shot finishes on the putting surface, it means you reached the green in regulation.

Clubs:

• Fairway woods
• Hybrids
• Long irons
• Mid irons
• Short irons

Tips to master this shot:

Approach shots are impacted by your swing speed, loft, and shaft flex, just like your drives, a. Slower swinging players may struggle to launch long irons such as a 3 or 4-iron. Stemming from their strong lofts and compact profiles.

Furthermore, golfers struggle to consistently strike their iron shots. That’s because they position the ball in the wrong part of the stance.

If you find that long irons are not for you, hybrids are an excellent alternative. This golf club features a low CG and superb turf interaction promoting high, consistent shots that land softly.

When you are striking a full iron, hybrid, or fairway wood off the fairway, you need to position the ball back in your stance compared to a tee shot. I explained this in my post on tips to hit your irons pure, so I will only recap it here.

Instead of striking the ball on the up, you need to catch it at the low point of your swing to enhance the compression of the ball. That is why you need to position the ball slightly towards the center of your stance to give yourself the best chance of a pure strike.

4. Punch Shot

When your long game is as erratic as mine, you need to know how to recover and walk away unscathed. A punch shot helps you keep the ball below tree branches to help you get back into a favorable position.

In addition, you can play a punch shot to keep the ball low in windy conditions to avoid distance and accuracy loss.

Clubs:

• Long irons
• Mid irons
• Short irons

Tips to master this shot:

There are multiple steps required to effectively execute a punch shot. I’ve laid them out below.

1) Extra Club

In the video below, legendary instructor David Leadbetter suggests that you take two clubs extra when playing a punch shot to increase the chance of keeping the ball low. You can further deloft the club by closing the clubface angle to reduce the risk of the ball ballooning.

2) Position The Ball Back

Your hands need to lead the clubhead coming into the ball, to prompt a low shot trajectory. The best way to achieve this is to position the ball 2-inches back in your stance than usual. When the ball is at the back of your stance, your clubface catches it with reduced loft, prompting a low flight.

3) Half To Three-Quarter Swing

Leadbetter further recommends that you grip down on the club and take an easy half to three-quarter swing. That reduces your clubhead speed and enables you to shorten your follow-through to initiate a lower flight.

5. Pitch Shot

A pitch shot flies further than it rolls and allows you to get the ball close to the pin from around 50-yards out. Golfers typically use a pitching or sand wedge to play these shots.

Clubs:

• Pitching wedge
• Sand Wedge

Tips to master this shot:

1) Low Pitch

If you intend to keep your ball low and optimize roll, you will need to set up as if you were hitting a punch shot.

Place the ball slightly back in your stance, and press the shaft and your hands ahead of the dimples. Strike your ball with reduced loft to prompt a low flying pitch.

2) Medium Height

When you wish to hit a standard height pitch, you can set up the same way you do for an approach shot. Place the ball towards the center of your stance, and strike the ball with a square clubface.

3) High Pitch

Those wishing to increase the apex of their pitch shots can adjust their follow-through and ball position. Shorten your stance, place the ball slightly forward, and let the clubhead release ahead of your hands. That combination should prompt a higher launch.

6. Chip Shot

A chip shot is played from around the green. These shots roll more than the fly, contrary to a pitch. Most golfers chip with a lob or sand wedge to give themselves sufficient loft to control their short game shots.

Clubs:

Tips to master this shot:

Instead of listing various tips to improve your performance, you can find everything you need in our guide to 7 proven chipping drills guide.

7. Bunker Shot

Landing in a greenside bunker can ruin the hole for the average golfer. In reality, it is simple, dig your cleats into the sand, open your clubface, catch the sand before the ball and follow through. It is a difficult shot to execute, but if you can master it, you will be rewarded with an improved up and down record.

Clubs:

• Sand Wedge (greenside bunker)
• Mid and Short irons (fairway bunker)

Tips to master this shot:

To successfully hit sand shots, dig your cleats into the bunker, open your clubface and stance, and aim left of your target if you are a right-hander. This helps your clubface aim at the pin.

Next, take an easy backswing, and hit the sand before your ball. That enables your club to get under the ball and lift out of the bunker.

Advanced Golf Shots to Up Your Game

Draw Shots

A draw shot occurs when your ball shapes from right to left as a right-hander.

Tips to master this shot:

Hitting a draw can optimize your control over a shot and help you escape trouble. However, read our review if you would like a detailed rundown on how to hit a high or low draw.

Fade Shots

A fade is a shot that shapes from left to right for right-handers. It is typically caused when you leave your clubface open at impact or swing from outside to in.

Tips to master this shot:

If you wish to hit a fade, you need an open clubface at impact, which prompts right to left spin and causes this shape. The easiest way to get your clubface open at impact is to swing outside-in.

Flop Shot

A flop shot describes when you generate excess spin, sending the ball high and getting it to stop rapidly. It is a useful shot for clearing hazards bushes or fescue on golf courses.

Tips to master this shot:

You need to produce optimal clubhead speed and spin to pull off a flop shot. Position the ball towards the front, center of your stance, and open the clubface of your lob or sand wedge. Make sure you get under the ball, otherwise you risk hitting it in the teeth.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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As a woman golfer, I can tell you I have heard both good and bad advice through the years.

Many times women golfers are looked at as entirely different players because of their perceived lack of swing speed. The good news is this is not the case, and there are plenty of ways that women golfers can improve and compete against anyone!

Here are 11 of our best tips for women golfers, tips that will actually work!

1. Low and Slow on The Takeaway

The golf swing takeaway should be low and slow.

So many women golfers try to push this and make it faster to gain clubhead speed. Trust me on this one; a nice low and slow takeaway will not cause you to lose your clubhead speed.

Get that speed by being strong and being in the right position at impact. Keeping it low and slow allows the hips to turn back and the wrist hinge to happen at the proper time.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Aggressive

Many women golfers have incredible tempo and rhythm in their swings that can significantly help with consistency.

However, there is something to be said for being aggressive as well. Don’t be afraid to go after the ball when the situation allows. Swing confidently and finish your shot with your hands held high, facing your target.

This is especially important on bunker shots. So many women slow down on these types of shots, and the result will be a golf ball still left in the bunker. Of course, you will need to learn the mechanics of the bunker shot, but once you have that down, don’t be afraid to swing with full confidence.

3. Consistency Is Key

If you can swing out of your shoes and get five extra yards or swing with consistency and hit it five yards short but down the middle, choose consistency.

Women golfers get a bit of a break by getting to play from the ladies’ tees; your goal is to become a consistent and accurate player from here, don’t worry about driving the green.

In addition, make sure you are consistent in your putting stroke. If your putting stroke is a bit inconsistent, there will likely be issues with confidence and your ability to make putts. Instead, try to focus on making a consistent stroke each time and improving the overall roll of your putts by doing so.

4. A Wider Stance Is Not Always Better

Many women golfers are told to take a wider stance by others in their golf game or even some family or friends that are trying to help.

The proper posture is essential for women golfers, and if your stance is too wide, it becomes challenging to get your weight off the back foot and generate enough club head speed.

I used to ask women golfers to stand with their feet together and hit shots, and the results were really surprising; many had much better success than you may think from this position.

5. Use Weights to Increase Clubhead Speed

If you want to hit the ball further and get stronger, go ahead and do it!

The equation to hit longer golf shots is a simple one. You simply need to learn to swing the club faster; you may need a little more strength.

Learn the basics of the golf swing and get them down, and then start swinging with a weighted club to make things a bit easier. A female golfer can make big changes to their total distances by working with weighted clubs.

6. Women’s Golf Equipment Isn’t Always Better

Women’s golf equipment is not always the right choice for all women golfers.

If you are a faster swing speed player or a taller woman golfer, senior golf clubs and even men’s golf clubs can be a good fit. Don’t get stuck on the idea that you need women’s golf clubs.

This also applies to women’s golf balls. Not many golf ball options for women are considered premium golf balls. Most are distance or soft feel, but very few offer high spin.

Don’t worry about the woman’s version of the ball; simply switch to something you can get the performance you need.

7. Look for High Ball Flight

Some women golfers have the wrong idea about ball flight and the impact it has on their swing.

You need a higher ball flight if you want to get more distance. That fairway wood that you’ve had all these years that is a bit heavy and won’t allow you to get the ball up in the air too high has got to go!

Find golf clubs that allow the ball to soar up high in the air and then use these to capitalize on distance and total carry.

8. Course Management Is Key

Golf course management is a huge part of playing great golf. If you are not sure the best place to hit your next golf shot, don’t even swing!

Women golfers should plan out every hole they play and be smart about where they are playing their shots. Sometimes this means aiming away from a bunker or laying up before a water hazard on a par 5.

In addition, women golfers should be especially careful to manage their typical ball flight and how that will play into the golf course management decisions. If you typically have a bit of a slice as a miss and there is water down the right, aim your drive down the left side of the fairway.

9. Find a Great Instructor

It’s great to work on your game and get better through lots of drills and self-driven practice but finding a great instructor makes this entire process so much more fun. With a great instructor, you can have something you count on and enjoy working with.

In addition, they will celebrate your wins with you, which can make this entire journey and process much more enjoyable. Golf tips from other beginners, your spouse, or friends are sometimes not all that helpful, and it’s crucial to get great information from those that know the game well.

Don’t feel the need to take weekly lessons if it is not your preference, but going to a lesson from time to time is a great way to improve your overall game and check in on your progress.

10. Short Game Shots Are Not All The Same

All chips and pitches are not the same, and as soon as you learn to design shots around the green, the better your chance will be of scoring. Most women golfers are not carrying enough wedges in their bags.

Women players very often just have a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. Most professionals have a pitching wedge, gap wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge. With each of these individual clubs, they are able to hit a variety of golf shots.

This means that accomplished players know how to hit shots that are low, high, quick stopping, long rolling, and more. Essentially learning how to hit a variety of shots around the greens will make you a much more competitive player. Not all chips are the same!

11. Get Involved in Golf Tournaments

If you don’t like competitive golf as an individual sport, try to find a friend to play some partner events with. Golf with friends is incredibly fun, and it will teach you so much about the game of golf.

Women’s golf events are sometimes just scrambles or team better ball events. You may not feel the pressure you think you will, and sometimes our games play really well with this extra pressure.

Getting involved in golf tournaments also allows you to practice for something and prepare. Having a goal to work on is really important and getting involved in tournaments is a quick and easy way to do it.

Brittany Olizarowicz

Britt O has been playing golf since the age of 7. Almost 30 years later, she still loves the game, has played competitively on every level, and spent a good portion of her life as a Class A PGA Professional. Britt currently resides in Savannah, GA, with her husband and two young children.

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So, you’ve
put in what you think is a competitive score that surely has a chance of
winning; you then hear someone has matched it.

What then? Who scoops first prize? You may have your own way of deciding who takes the honours when playing with a group of friends—perhaps a game of rock, scissors, stone—but most club competitions use the countback system.

This isn’t The Open—extra holes don’t come into it. Instead, a simple bit of number crunching is used to determine the winner. We say ‘simple’, but in some cases, it can get a little complicated.

However, here’s how countback generally works in golf…

If a competition reaches its conclusion and there are players tied at the top, the winner is determined based on the scores for the last nine, six, three, and the 18th hole. It can be a frustrating way to lose, but this is the way a lot of club competitions are settled. If unsure, you can always consult your club’s Terms of Competition for each event.

What if there’s still a tie?

It’s unusual, but this does happen, and in this case, the competition committee can look at the last six, three, and the final hole of the first nine.

Countback is usually only used to determine first, second and third places. After that, if there’s a tie, they remain that way. In other words, it’s not used to determine every single place. For example, if you shoot 75 and finish in a tie for 12th, you finish in a tie for 12^th—no one will be looking at your last three holes to separate you from the other 75s.

What about multi-tee starts?

If you’re playing in a shotgun or two-tee start, your ‘back nine’ is obviously going to look different. Consistency is recommended, so the ‘back nine’ taken is generally holes 10-18 on a standard scorecard, regardless of which hole you teed off on.

How does countback work in Stableford golf?

The process for a Stableford competition countback is the same as a stroke play competition. However, the countback uses the total Stableford points instead of the standard net or gross scores. The number of holes used in the countback is the same, starting with the back nine, then the back six, back three, and the final hole.

The way countback is calculated can vary according to club rules or the rules of a particular competition, but this is generally how countback works in golf.

What about handicap competitions?

If a
competition committee sets a stroke index allocation, you’d apply those
handicap shots as you would for the competition itself.

Confused? Your competition committee will probably be only too happy to answer any questions you may have.

You may also want to check out the R&A Committee Procedures.

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