to travel only a few feet. Here’s how to hit this shot effectively with the help of your thumbs and where they point on the takeaway and at the finish. Start by dialling the clubface open several degrees and play the ball slight- ly forward of centre in your stance. On the backswing, set the wrists early by making the thumbs point parallel to the ground before your hands pass your trail thigh (left). This will get the clubhead working up and give you the height you need on the backswing. As you swing down and through, rotate your chest around to the left so it faces the target. Finish with your knuckles an- gled slightly towards the ground and the handle very close to your left hip pocket (bottom, right). This low, rotated finish allows the club to glide across the turf, rather than dig. It also encourages the clubface to remain open and shifts your contact point to the toe side of centre on the face so that you can swing harder – which creates more spin – without pro- ducing as much ball speed. Get your thumbs pointing downwards at the finish, and your playing partners will be giving you the thumbs up around the greens. – WITH DAVE ALLEN JASON SEDAN is director of instruction at Old Marsh Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
BEST YOUNG TEACHERS
On these tight-lie pitches, think of the clubface as having eyes ( above ). As you pivot through, keep the clubface open, or pointing to the sky, so that these eyes are staring back at you at the completion of your swing. Hold that stare, and you’ll hit the ball high and soft every time.
72 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024
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