Golf Tip – British Open Primer

Talk to anyone who has played golf in the British Isles and the first thing they will tell you is that it is windy – and by windy, they don't mean a light breeze.  At the very least they mean something more along the lines of a light gale.  This is why if you have ever watched the Open or intend to watch it this year, you will no doubt see a number of shots that you don’t usually see and aren't taught in your average golf lesson.  In order to produce the desired result, pros must pay close attention to the contours of the land.  The idea is to choose a shot that will best allow them to use these contours to their advantage.    

Some of the more common shots that you will see are:

• “Bump and Run”
• “The Stinger”
• “Skip and Check”

We've included a short description of these common British Open shots below. Read on so you'll be primed to watch the British Open and more importantly, you'll be prepared for your next windy day on the course!

"Bump and Run"

This shot is typically played between 20 and 60 yards.  The shot lands short of the green, often slowed by natural obstacles, then bounces a few times before rolling towards the pin -- think of it as a long chip played with a 6 or 7-iron.  Like a chip, play the ball a little back in your stance; take the club back low, no higher than the waist, then follow-through low with the same type of sweeping motion. 

“The Stinger” (AKA The Knock Down)

This shot, popularized by Tiger Woods, was perfected during his time spent with former swing coach Butch Harmon and will certainly be a buzz-word used in most interviews surrounding the Open.  Chances are, if you see Tiger hitting a long iron (usually a 2-iron) from the tee of a par-4, he is hitting this shot.  Just as you would imagine with a name like “the stinger,” this shot has a low, penetrating flight and goes on to roll forever.  An iron naturally offers more control than a wood, and also proves resistant to the wind due to the lower trajectory.

Anyone who has tried to hit a 2-iron knows that this is certainly no easy task and the results can be inconsistent at best.  The bad news is that the margin for error when hitting this shot is even slimmer.  The good news is that when you pull it off you can stare confidently into the eyes of your playing partner and say “I meant to do that.”

To hit the Stinger, play the ball 2-3 inches further back in your stance than normal and choke down on the club about an inch for more control.  Everything else remains the same in your back swing and down swing until the club returns to the ball.  When hitting a regular shot, you should notice that when you follow through, your wrists naturally release.  The one thing that you must consciously try to do when hitting the stinger is not let your wrists release.  When you do this, you should feel almost like you are poking yourself in the ribs with your elbow.   

“Skip and Check”

Along the same lines as a 300-drive, the Skip and Check is one of the most awe-inspiring shots in golf.  It's the shot you see the pros hit with a lofted club that looks as though it will sizzle past the hole but then does something remarkable – it stops – and often reverses back towards the hole. 

Start by taking the most lofted club in your bag and playing the ball back in your stance.  Focus your eyes on the back of the ball since the idea of this shot is to hit down on the ball.  If you take a divot, it should be ahead of the ball.  More than any shot, the Skip and Check is all about perfect contact – this means putting that golf towel to good use by cleaning the grooves on your club after each shot to give the ball the best opportunity to grip the clubface.  

Now that you are familiar with these shots, keep a careful eye out for the them at the British Open and see how the pros do it.  In addition, although you likely won't be facing the gale force winds of the British Isles, these tips may help you the next time have a strong wind at your back on the links.

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