Butch Harmon’s Playing Lessons, (08) Hole 8, Notes

Post date: Nov 25, 2017 2:28:09 PM

Butch Harmon’s Playing Lessons by Butch Harmon with John Andrisani

Hole 8: Inverness Club, Par 5: 515 yards

• 1. Tee Shot:

     1. Start planning from the green and work back toward the tee to determine the best combination of shots to get a birdie putt. With good course management we can still be putting for birdie even if we don’t play our best shots.

     2. If the shot calls for a draw:

        1. Tee the ball up on the left side of the teeing area to help align the tee shot to start down the right center of the fairway, which is what is desired when trying to draw the shot for extra distance.

        2. Tee the ball a little higher than normal, as this promotes a right to left draw.

        3. Move the club from the ball back slowly, this is always good advice, but especially if trying to hit a powerful tee shot.

        4. Swing on a rounded plane but be careful not to let the club get too far behind. Taking the club straight back along the target line will keep it on plane.

        5. Concentrate on making a fluid arm swing on the way down to tame the wrists and prevent a hook.

        6. To avoid having the clubface open at impact, do not ‘grab’ the club tighter on the downswing. Keep the grip pressure light on the downswing and make a free flowing swing to allow the club to release properly.

  2. Second Shot:

• • 1. If the lie is good and there are no major penalties such as water or out of bounds, go for the green in two.

    2. If unable to realistically get home in two look to get set up for the best possible third shot (a 100 yard shot from the middle of the green on flat lie in the fairway)

    3. In the rough, calculate for a flyer.

    4. Bunkers act as good targets when laying up.

    5. In deep rough or trees? After a bad shot, the important thing is to get the next shot back into a safe area. Always sacrifice distance to play a solid, safe, second shot. In deep rough, never gamble:

       1. With little choice but to play it safe, think of the longest club that can be solidly hit, then go for one club less.

       2. Play the ball just back of center, with the hands well ahead of the clubhead and with the clubface open, since the rough will tend to grab the club and close it down.

       3. Keep the weight favoring the left side and make a steep swing dominated by the arms, striving to contact the ball first.

• 3. Third Shot:

• • 1. If playing a downhill lie, take five yards off the distance. Choke down. Every ½ inch on the club you choke down subtracts five yards.

    2. Hit short and middle distance approach shots (130 yards or less) with a controlled action rather than at nearly 100 percent of full power. Hitting the ball at 75 percent of full effort will improve balance, allowing ball striking to be more precise with no real loss of distance. This tempo will help shots hit not quite flush a better chance of hitting the green as well.

• 4. Greenside: To hit the green almost every time and land the ball close to the cup more frequently, learn to play basic pitch shots in the 50 to 75 yard range with the lob and sand wedges (never scooping the ball up.)

• • 1. A 35 yard shot over a bunker requires an extra high supercut shot to stop near the hole. How to do it:

       1. Select the lob wedge.

       2. Position the ball forward in the stance, opposite the left instep.

       3. Align the body about ten feet left of the hole, while aiming the lead edge of the club slightly right of the flag.

       4. Make a slow, smooth, long backswing appropriate for the length of the shot at hand, making sure to keep the head steady.

       5. Swing the club down along the body line, making sure to accelerate the arms through impact. Feel as if the clubface is slicing underneath the ball with the right hand. The outside in path plus the open clubface gives the ball a high, soft flight.

    2. On a downhill lie 60 yards out, use the sand wedge rather than a three-quarter pitching wedge.

• • • 1. Align the body slightly left of the flag, with the club’s leading edge square to the hole.

      2. Play the ball off the center of the stance with the hands about two inches in front of the ball.

      3. Try to make solid downward contact, never try to lift a sand wedge pitch. Let the higher loft of the sand-wedge supply the lift. Make a crisp, aggressive, three quarter swing and keep the head still.

• 5. Putting:

• • 1. On a downhill putt, two feet or less, play the ball inside the hole and putt it firmly into the back, taking any slight breaks out of the equation.

    2. Look at the hole from both sides. On 30 foot putts or longer, read the break but concentrate more on the feel for the speed.