Tip of the Month

July 2005

By John Pallot
Director of Instruction

The Open Championship is always special. The 2005 Open featuring Jack Nicklaus at the end of his fabulous career and Tiger Woods with ten majors already and who knows how many more ahead makes this one, played on the Old Course at St. Andrews, unique,thrilling, and forever memorable.

The Golden Bear deserves all the accolades he received. So does Tiger, this years winner of the Claret Jug, his second. Only 3 players in professional golf history have 10 major championship wins. Nicklaus, Hagen, and now Tiger.

Tiger blasted his way around the Old Course, driving greens,punching iron shots,taming pot bunkers, and holing putts. His skills, demeanor, presence, sportsmanship, competitive spirit, power and short game mark him the most imposing player in golf.

What can we learn from Tiger's play at St. Andrews? A lot! But for this Tip of the Month I'd like to talk and teach Tiger's knockdown shot, the lower flighted iron shot that allowed Tiger to control distance and trajectory of mid to short irons, a must at St. Andrews. Here's how Tiger does it:

1) Choke down on the handle 11/2- 2 inches. This shortens the radius of the swing making it easier to flatten the trajectory.

2) Position the ball slightly right of center, center being your sternum. This promotes the hands being more forward thus delofting the club-face at address and impact.

3) Take a 3/4 swing or I like to refer it as a 10 o'clock backswing. The compact backswing will also help to lower the ball trajectory.

4) Make a 3/4 finish or 2 o'clock follow through. This finish encourages the hands to stay well forward of the ball at impact. If the club-shaft is forward at impact the club-face is de-lofted. The abbreviated follow through also shortens the radius of the swing thus lowering the ball's flight. Take practice swings with a towel under your armpits. This will encourage a 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock swing. Tiger loves to play the knockdown shot. Practice this shot often and you could win a major at your club.