Golf Monthly UK – August 2019

For whichpartofthegamedoesthetwo-timeEuropeanTour winner

offer up the rarely heard advice ‘take less time’?

David Lipsky

1

Chipping

Trytotakeyourhandsoutofplay.

WhenI chip,I focusonlockingmy

armsinplaceandlettingthebodyturn

tocontrolthedistance.Toadjustthe

flightoftheballhighorlow,either open

thefaceorsquare the face.

2

Readinggreens

Itrytofindapointafootorsoin

frontoftheholewhereI knowif

theballcrossesthatpoint,itwillgoin.

I thenworkmywayback from the hole

throughthat point.

3

Betterball-striking

Yourswingcan’tchangetoo

muchfromweektoweek,so

thebiggestthingwithball-strikingis

set-upandposture.Themoreyoucan

lockthesedown,themoreitwillpave

thewaytoconsistent ball-striking.

4

Beatingaslice

That’sreallytough.Alotof

peoplecomeoverthetopand

thenkeeppushingtheballfurtherback

inthestance.ButI’dsaytryputtingthe

ballfurtherupinyour stance and

sweepingitaway.

5

Coursemanagement

Drivingissoimportanttoset

youuponeachandeveryhole

sofindingthefairwayisth

mostimportantthing,no

matterwhatclubyouhave

tohitoffthetee.It’sreally

hardtoplayfromthe

rough or hazards.

:TaylorMadeM4,9.5 ̊&

ns:TaylorMadeP790

P750(4)&P730(5-PW

ges:TaylorMadeMille

Hi-Toe,51 ̊,55 ̊and

:TaylorMadeSpid

l: TaylorMade TP5

6

Howtopractise

WhatI trytodoisplaylittle

games.Hittingthesameshot

overandoveragainisn’tgood.I’llpick

differenttargets,differentdistances

andwithinapracticesessionvary

whatclubsI’mhittingfromballtoball,

insteadofjusthittingten7-ironsina

row–that’sreallyimportant.Themore

youcanchangethingsup,thefaster

youlearnhowto hit the shots you

wanttohit.

7

Holingoutfromthreefeet

Takelesstime–honestly!On

thepracticegreen,peoplehole

three-footerslikeit’stheirjob.Then

theygooutontothecourse,they

tense up and they take too much time.

It’ssuchashortshotitshould

becomeprettynatural.Everyone

wantstotakemoretimeoverthese

shortputtsbecausetheyplacemore

importanceonthem,butinreality,

they’reeasyand you’ve got to believe

inyourself!

8

Increasingpower

Themoreyoucangetyour

bodyratherthanyourarms

involvedintheswing,thebetter.Your

chest,backandglutesareway

strongerthan,say,yourforearmsor

hands,sothemoreyoucanusethose

inyourswing,thelonger and more

solidyou’llhit it.

9

Bunkerplay

Iseealotofamateursputting

theballwaytoofarbackintheir

stance,withwaytooclosedaface.Put

theballalittlemoreforward,openthe

faceanddon’tbeafraid to swing hard

throughthesand.

10

Creatingmorespin with

yourwedges

Everyonethinksthekeyto

morewedgespinistoreallyhitdown

ontheballtotrapit,butdistance

controlcanbereallytoughthatway.

ll whatyouwanttodoisjust

topofthegrassand

ascleanastrikeas

ssible,becausethe

ssgrassanddirtyou

avebetweenballand

clubface,themorespin

you’re going to create.

WHAT’S

IN THE BAG?

TOUR INSIGHT

Photography:

Kevin Murray

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