Tips Special : HOW TO HIT THE 180!

2010 NEW PRODUCTS

B Y A N DE R S H A N S E N EUROPEA N TOUR W INNER

HOW TO HIT THE

180

You’ve hit a cracking drive and find yourself 180 yards from the flag. Here’s what a triple winner on the European Tour would do next...

WORDS BY PETER MASTERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY HOWARD BOYLAN

Amateurs are bad at selecting the right club and it’s something that you see time and again in Pro-Ams. Most think they hit the ball much further than they actually do so they are always coming up short. They make the mistake of thinking a certain yardage will always mean a certain club, but as I’ll show you here, there are many

different thought processes you need to consider. I’m faced with a shot of exactly 180 yards to the pin, which, depending on the conditions, can range from anything from an 8-iron through to a 4-iron (or even a hybrid in some circumstances). I’d hit a 6-iron normally if there were no other factors to consider. This is how I’d decide...

www.taylormadegolf.eu ON TOUR IT’S ALL ABOUT TEAM WORK I’ll discuss every shot with my caddie Nick Mumford and we’ll be bringing all the relevant details into play.

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Which way is the wind blowing and how will that affect club selection?

What’s in front of the green and what’s at the back?

Where is the pin located and is that close to the trouble or away from it?

HERE’S A GREAT TIP You may not have a caddie, but pretend your bag is your caddie and describe the shot you are going to hit BEFORE you play it. Tell the bag what you’re going to do, it’s a great way to focus your mind on the shot.

Pick a club At 180 yards, I might hit an 8, 6 or 4-iron, or even a hybrid. You need to take several factors into account before you decide; I’ll tell you which factors here.

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WHEN TO PLAY THE…

8-IRON

In most circumstances this will mean that the shot is helped by a good 25 to 30mph wind because it needs to add 25 yards to the length of a normal 8-iron. Moving this slightly back in the stance does two things. It de-lofts the club to help it achieve the distance, but it also adds spin, which means the ball will climb higher.

Also, you probably wouldn’t expect to fly it the whole 180 yards, you’d be landing it short and bouncing it up. But you must know the conditions you are playing on. A soft green and the ball will stop immediately, a harder green and it can bounce on 10 yards. The difference can be huge.

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Landing zone Usually in windy conditions, the greens can get quite hard, so remember you need a little room to stop the ball.

Pin position Obviously, if the pin is at the front then there can’t be anything in front of the green. I can’t pitch this 180 yards with an 8-iron, I need room to run it up.

With the pin at the front and a bunker short, I’d be hitting a 7-iron and allowing for a putt back.

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A N DERS ’ GEA R

WHEN TO PLAY THE…

4-IRON

Now we have a very different scenario. The wind is quite strong and it’s into and off the left. You have two choices, play it up the left to let it drift back or hit a draw a little straighter to hold the ball on the wind. I’d usually pick the latter because spinning the ball like that gives me more control over the outcome.

How I hit draw If I was telling an amateur how to move the ball from right to left, I’d say aim your feet and body slightly to the right, but line up the clubface with the target. But that’s not how I do it. I’m a feel player so I just visualise the shot in my mind before I play. I may then take the club back a little more on the inside and keep it there, using rotation in my hands to turn the ball over. Why don’t you try a little of both techniques – but it does need some practice.

MY BALL: TAYLORMADE PENTA TP Anders plays the TaylorMade Penta TP golf ball which is the first five-layered Tour ball. Each layer is designed to give optimal performance on every shot starting with the cover that feels soft off the putter. Layer two is receptive to short iron play, three – the mid irons, four – long irons and five – the driver.

The ball gives all the benefits of TaylorMade’s popular TP Red and TP Black all in one ball.

Don’t force it If the shot is directly into the wind, I’d take plenty of club (perhaps even a hybrid) and move it slightly up in the stance so that I can swing easily. Let the wind kill the flight so that it lands softly. The advantage here is that you should never force a shot into the wind because that is when mistakes can happen. The old adage “hit with ease into the breeze” is advice worth taking.

IN THE BAG Driver: TaylorMade R9 SuperTri, 10.5º.

Shaft: Diamana Blue 63X Fairway wood: TaylorMade R9 Hybrids: TaylorMade TP09 17º and 22º.

Shaft: Motore F3 HB Irons: TaylorMade R9 TP Wedges: TaylorMade TP Rac Ball: TaylorMade Penta TP Shoes: adidas Tour 360 4.0

www.golf-world.co.uk // AUGUST 2010

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