W GOLF
L
PLAYING THE PUNCH SHOT
BY TOM ATKINSON, PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
Playing the ‘punch’ shot.
Or as I like the call it, a knock down.
Why would you want to hit a punch shot?
To keep the flight of the ball down mainly. This article has been
driven by the windy conditions we have faced over recent weeks.
Lower flying shots are less susceptible to wind which can knock the
ball offline, and are therefore very useful to us. A knockdown can
also be useful for distance control as the shorter swing can make a
centred hit more achievable.
You may have heard the commentators on TV saying that a player
is going to take the spin off their shot, the harder the ball is hit the
more spin the ball will have on it - a punch shot is hit with less force.
Finally it’s also useful when you have an obstructed swing and you
need to abbreviate your back swing or follow through 'I’m getting out
of trees and tight spaces'.
All in all a very useful and ‘must have’ shot in anyone’s game.
Here’s how you play it.
It’s one of the few shots that I advise to play the ball behind your
sternum in your stance, this position promotes more of a descending
blow thus taking loft off the shot. Grip your club lower down the
shaft, this will add to the control of the shot which is vital, now
here’s the main bit. We want the clubface to be as stable as possible
at impact, so an abbreviated follow through and finish will make you
swing more with your big muscles and core, note how short my finish
is in this picture.
Get some balls and a mid iron and head out into that wind to see for
yourself.
You can contact Tom at Heswall Golf Club on 0151 342 7431
www.heswallgolfshop.co.uk or @heswallgolfshop.
wirrallife.com 67