Playing golf can be a challenge to golfers at all levels. Practice is needed to make sure that you maintain your touch and skill. Even as a Professional, if you do not practice, your sharp skills can fade and cause you to play in an average manner. If this can happen to a professional, imagine what will happen to your game when you do not practice or maintain your game with tuition?!?!
A great quality that successful golfers have, is that they have a standard shot which they use to get the ball around the course. This may be a left to right shot (fade) right to left shot (draw), or even the straight shot. Either way, they have a shot which they play naturally which helps them under pressure.
A fade gives you better control and better spin when hitting into the green, where the draw will give you more distance. The straight shot is important for shots that require pin point accuracy. Most players use the draw off the tee and the fade for their iron shots.
Here are a few hints to help you keep the ball in play on a regular basis.
When playing a draw, stand on the left side of the tee box and aim down the right hand side of the fairway. For a big draw stand on the left edge of the tee box and aim to the extreme right of the fairway. This allows the ball more room to curve in the air.
When playing a fade, stand on the right side of the tee box and aim down the left hand side of the fairway. Again, for a bigger fade, stand on the far right of the tee box and aim down the furthest left hand side of the fairway.
Do not stand in the middle of the tee box and try to play a fade or a draw, this is saved for the straight ball players or those who move the ball marginally in the air.
When hitting an iron shot, pitch or chip, be aware that the ball will always take one big bounce when it lands. The ball will never land and stop dead. Once the ball has landed and taken its first bounce, the spin on the ball will determine if it will bounce again or stop. This is something that you need to practice and be aware of when playing a shot into a green.
If you can learn to plan how the ball will react when it lands on the green, it will give you a great idea of where you need to land the ball so you can leave the ball on the line you want and the side of the hole that will make your next shot easier.
Each club in your bag will react differently. Your shorter irons will grip and stop fast, where your longer irons will take an initial bigger bounce and take an extra bounce or two before it comes to rest. Make your club selection wisely and pick a target to where you want the ball to land.