Ball striking is an area which separates golfers – both from their peers and between their own good and bad rounds. A key area to focus on to improve your ball striking with irons and wedges is how you control the low point in your swing, which can be particularly important for those who play a lot in the wetter months or practice from a mat – when trying to pick the ball off the surface becomes more common.
How we practice contributes towards our swing tendencies. Creating a practice environment that actively helps develop your swing mechanics can only be beneficial; allowing you to learn through task completion rather than striving for positions.
In short, we want to make contact with the ball then the turf – squeezing the ball downward to deliver the speed and energy from our body into the golf ball efficiently and drive it towards our target.
A good feedback drill is to grab your towel, fold it a couple of times and place it two inches behind the ball. You should be able to pass the towel freely before making contact. Any interference shows you’re coming into impact too shallow and not delivering the club on the correct arc in the downswing.
Thirsk & Northallerton Golf Club-based PGA professional Lewis Garbutt is a member of the Ross Jackson Golf team.
To book a lesson with Ross Jackson Golf, contact the team at Thirsk & Northallerton on 01845 525115 (opt 4) or Middlesbrough Municipal Golf Centre on 01642 133 101.
For more custom fitting advice and tips from Lewis and the team – check out the Ross Jackson Golf accounts on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.
