Editor’s Note: Baden Schaff has been a PGA teaching professional for 17 years and is the co-founder of Skillest, a digital platform that connects golf students with golf coaches across the world for online lessons. To learn more about Skillest and to book a lesson of your own with Baden, head over to Skillest.com or download the app in the app store.
When I’m evaluating the game of a new student, I’m watching for something that they don’t expect. More than likely the student wants to hit the perfect ball flight to show me what they can do. But the good shots they hit are somewhat irrelevant. Everyone can hit good shots. It’s what makes the game so addictive. Even the average 18 handicapper will hit some amazing shots that a two handicapper would be proud of.
But I want to know is how good your BAD shot is.
Most golfers don’t need more distance, even if they believe it to be the case, they just need to hit much better bad shots. When a good player hits a bad shot it is on the front of the green or just in the rough off the fairway. When a 15 handicapper hits a bad shot it’s two fairways over, or short-sided in a bunker.
There are many things that contribute to golfers hitting a better poor shots.
The first reason is their angle of attack, or how steeply their clubhead approaches the ball. One of the greatest misconceptions I hear all the time is that you must hit “down” on your irons for good contact. Hitting down steeply with your irons leaves you open to so many potential disasters. You can hit it incredibly fat or incredibly thin with what feels like the exact same swing. It will also more than likely create excessive side spin, which which can lead to uncontrollable hooks or slices. There is almost no margin for error, all because so many golfers have an obsession with taking a nice, clean divot.
So what is the alternative?
