Golf Punch Shots – 5 Top Tips to Beat the Wind and Keep Your Golf Score Intact

I've just returned from a golf weekend away on the coast, which was great except for the very strong winds, which were blowing off the sea and which made the golf somewhat tricky to say the least! One shot, I found I used again and again in these conditions was the Punch shot and it really saved my golf score on both days. This is a really useful shot, when ordinarily you would take a pitch, but because of the wind conditions or perhaps the greens are exceptionally dry and won't hold, then a lower trajectory route can often be the answer. Effectively, this is a long chip shot, (from anywhere between 45 yards to as much as 100 in some cases) and many of the same rules apply as for a close range chip, but with just a few differences.

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* Generally, for this shot, I use a 7 Iron as I find this gives me a small amount of loft to get the ball running, but will keep the ball low enough to stay under the worst of the wind.

* Set up for the shot with your feet just under shoulder width apart, with your weight evenly distributed, but the ball should be between the middle of your stance and the inside of your back foot – this helps to keep the ball low. Keep your hands well in front of the ball.

* Once you have found a comfortable narrow stance width, pull your leading foot slightly back and open the angle of your front foot to approximately 30 degrees. This will open your body up to the target and make it easier to sweep your arms through on the target line.

* Once again, keep your elbows anchored to your side as much as possible, which will make your stroke much more stable and reliable.

* Take a slow, smooth, shortened backswing, keeping your arms as straight as possible. You are looking to make a crisp, clipped impact (punch) as you hit the ball, and this will necessarily make for a shortened follow-through also. This punch, coupled with having the ball towards the back of the stance keeps the ball flight low. Make sure that you don't cock your wrists on the takeaway, as this just brings in unnecessary complications and make sure that your hands are in front of the ball all the way through the execution and that your front arm stays straight all the way through to keep the ball flying straight towards your desired target.

Judging how hard to hit the ball is a matter of practice and evaluating the strength and direction of the wind, plus how wet or dry the conditions are, but it's definitely worth putting the practice in, as this shot can help keep your score intact. Try practising these tips and you will find that the Punch shot will help to stop you from being blown off course when the weather is wild. Hope that helps you to enjoy your golf a little more when the wind is really blowing.

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