F-60
MX-950
Masterclass - Play controlled greenside lobs
Masterclass - Swing plane for accurate iron play
Masterclass - Bump and run
Masterclass - Control your distance
Luke Donald:SWEETER FAIRWAY
WOOD SHOTS
SOREN KJELDSEN: PGA EUROPEAN TOUR
| NAME: | SOREN KJELDSEN |
| BORN: | ALLBORG, DENMARK |
| DOB: | 17/05/1975 |
| TURNED PRO: | 1995 |
| CAREER WINS: | 1 Diageo Championship at Gleneagles, 2003 |
I'm simply looking for a forward, sweeping motion where the sole of the club brushes the grass but makes no mark. There are three things I work on to promote this action. Build them into your game and improve your fairway wood ballstriking.
When I'm hitting a fairway wood I focus on nipping the ball cleanly off the turf. I never want to be taking a divot - that's a sign of a narrow swing and an angle of attack that's too steep for the minimal loft on the clubface.
Position the ball for a sweeping strike
You need the ball centred nicely so you can catch it right at the bottom of the swing arc. For me ball position is a question of routine. Here's a three-step plan than ensures I get it right every time.
Take your normal grip. Stand square to your target line, opposite the ball, with feet together. Position the ball dead opposite your insteps.
Move your left or front foot forward by perhaps three or four ball widths. This puts your left instep pretty much under your left shoulder.
Finally move your right or back foot back, just a little more than you moved the front foot forward. This gives you a ball position that is just forward of centre in your stance. This is ideal for setting up the level, forward strike that allows you to present the fairway wood's true loft to the ball.
Keep your hands soft on the club
KEEP THE BACK KNEE FLEXED
Tense hands are the enemy of a wide, flowing action. Grip the club too tightly and you will only promote a steeper, handsy action that will tend to chop down into the ball. Soft hands allow the bigger muscles of your body to work, and they will encourage the smooth width you are looking for. Whenever you hit a fairway wood, work extra hard on keeping the hands soft.
Feel the width through impact
I want you to focus on your approach to the ball and impact. This is where you want to feel as wide as possible. Find this position by letting your arms swing freely from the top, with little interference from the rest of your body. Notice how both my arms are pretty much extended at this stage. My hands and arms can move very freely from here, building natural force.
TOO STEEP
Here, I'm showing you a common error and one you need to avoid. My downswing is too aggressive and steep, too much 'at' the ball. This can be caused by a ball position that is too far back, from a backswing that is too steep, or simply from a desire to hit the ball too hard.
This is where you'll end up by finding width on the way down. My arms have had room to swing through; both are now fully extended as the club freewheels through. The sole plate of my Mizuno 001 3-wood has only brushed the grass on the way through the ball.
DIVOT TAKEN
From here I can only release the club into the ground. It produces this weak position, with my left arm cramped up. My arms have never had the chance to flow through the ball and build up smooth, natural momentum.