• Search
  • News
    • Opinion
    • Tournaments
      • Emirates Australian Open
      • PGA Championship
      • The Open Championship
      • U.S. Open
      • The Masters
      • 2020 Olympics
    • Video
  • Equipment
    • Accessories
    • Balls
    • Drivers
    • Fairway Woods
    • Hybrids
    • Irons
    • Putters
    • Wedges
    • Fashion
      • Autumn / Winter
      • Spring / Summer
  • Travel
    • New Zealand
    • Australia
    • International
  • Top 50 Courses
  • Play Your Best
    • Instruction
    • Golf Rules
  • Magazine
    • Read past issues
    • Mailing List
  • Advertise With Us
 logo
Lost your password?
  • News
    • Opinion
    • Tournaments
      • Emirates Australian Open
      • PGA Championship
      • The Open Championship
      • U.S. Open
      • The Masters
      • 2020 Olympics
    • Video
  • Equipment
    • Accessories
    • Balls
    • Drivers
    • Fairway Woods
    • Hybrids
    • Irons
    • Putters
    • Wedges
    • Fashion
      • Autumn / Winter
      • Spring / Summer
  • Travel
    • New Zealand
    • Australia
    • International
  • Top 50 Courses
  • Play Your Best
    • Instruction
    • Golf Rules
  • Magazine
    • Read past issues
    • Mailing List
  • Advertise With Us
Michael Breed - Winter Lies

Michael Breed: Stay In The Shot

Michael BreedJuly 23, 2018
FeaturesInstruction

If this winter for you means little or no golf, I know you’ll be itching to get out there when you can. But first, we need to do a little prep work. I’ve learned that winter lies – those muddy ones with no cushion under the ball – are prime territory for fat shots. And when you hit a few of those, you can lose it fast. Let’s talk.

Golfers who are afraid of hitting the ball fat tend to bend over too much, with their weight on their toes. They feel more in control if they’re closer to the ball. But your body will find its balance as you swing, so you’ll pull up and dump the club behind the ball (fat) or hit it thin. To stay in the shot, set your weight in the arches of your feet. Next: ball position. With an iron, play the ball in line with a spot on your body between the buttons on your shirt and your chest logo (short irons in line with the buttons, longer irons farther forward). I’ve got a 6-iron here [right].

Michael Breed

Now I’m going to give you just one swing key to think about: drive your left shoulder closer to your left hip as you start the downswing [far right]. That’s probably a strange concept for you, so let’s break it down. I want you to shift towards the target and feel like your upper body is leaning that way, your spine tilting left – we call that side bend. That will shift the low point of your swing in front of the ball so you hit the ball, then the ground. You’ll love that crisp impact, and your confidence will soar because you won’t be worrying about the next iffy winter lie.

That move – left shoulder towards left hip – also causes your upper body to turn open slightly. Perfect, because that brings your arms and the club back in front of your body, which is another key to avoiding fat shots. Golfers blame fat contact on a steep, choppy swing, but a shallow swing will often skim the ground before impact – and that’s fat, too. The common denominator is, the club hits the ground too soon. Driving your left shoulder forward will prevent that and add compression to your strikes.

So get the ball in the right spot, set your weight in your arches, and focus on that left shoulder. You’ll have the pieces in place to hit it solid – and beat those muddy winter lies.

1. Buttons to the Ball

Focus on two positions at address: (1) Weight in the arches of your feet, never on your toes; (2) Ball just ahead of your shirt buttons (for a middle iron).

2. Turn into your right side

Let your weight shift to the heel of your right foot, and be ready to drive forward. What you do next will determine how solidly you strike the ball.

3. Left shoulder to left hip

This is the key move for solid contact: drive your left shoulder towards your left hip to start down. When you feel like your spine is tilting left, you’ve got it.

 

– Michael Breed is Golf Digest’s Chief Digital Instructor.

golf instructionInstructionMichael BreedNew Zealand Golf DigestWinter Lies

Related Posts

  • Rory McIlroy: ‘I don’t care about the US Open or Open Championship … everything is at Augusta’

    Joel BeallMay 3, 2018
  • Jin Young Ko holds off world No.2 to win Hana Bank Championship

    Keely LevinsOctober 16, 2017
  • Henrik Stenson

    Henrik Stenson: Hit It Flush

    Henrik Stenson with Matthew RudySeptember 14, 2016
  • Tiger Woods

    Hank on… Tiger Woods

    Hank HaneyJune 22, 2018
  • Tour Analysis

    Tour Analysis: Driving Distance

    E. Michael JohnsonMarch 13, 2018
  • Adam Scott’s consecutive Major streak in jeopardy

    Ryan HerringtonMay 22, 2018
  • AUS PGA: Adam Scott’s new putting stroke passes Sergio inspection

    Tony Webeck at RACV Royal PinesNovember 30, 2017
  • Adam Scott

    2017 Masters: Adam Scott – Copy My Masters Notes

    Adam ScottMarch 30, 2017
Facebook 12,989Fans
Twitter 15Followers
Instagram 661Followers

Newsletter Signup

This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn’t support. Sign up here instead

Latest Posts

This Jordan Spieth–Michael Greller conversation, and the resulting shot, was peak Jordan Spieth–Michael Greller

May 28, 2022

Nearly two decades after Annika played Colonial, LPGA pros ponder taking on the men again

May 27, 2022

Social media

Search

Newsletter

This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn’t support. Sign up here instead

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise With Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • GolfDigest.com