Butch Harmon’s Playing Lessons, (18) Hole 18, Notes

Post date: May 13, 2018 2:39:19 PM

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

Hole 18. Westchester Country Club, Par 5: 510 yards

• 1. Tee Shot

     1. Dogleg-left holes require either a controlled draw around the corner or a power-fade that starts down the left side of the fairway and finishes in the center or right-center of the fairway. The priority is to hit the fairway. To help ensure that the ball is hit at the initial target, pick an interim spot along the aiming line, about three feet in front of the ball. Next, set the clubface square to it. Knowing that we are aimed correctly will also heighten confidence and help us employ a smoother swing.

     2. When fighting a duck hook, the natural thing is to grip more tightly and fail to release the arms, hands and club fluidly. Instead of coming into the ball with the clubhead moving at maximum speed, the tendency is to decelerate and leave the clubface open. Make a habit of always planting a positive image or thought into the mind just before swinging. Imagine the ball curving around the dogleg, then landing in the short grass on the left side of the fairway. Always play the shot in your head before you swing.

     3. The secrets to eliminating slices are concentrating intently and swinging smoothly. Drill for flattening out a steep swing plane:

        1. Assume normal stance for a driver. Now, instead of grounding the club, hold it at chest level, then extend the arms outward. Swing, feel the flatness of the plane. Yes, it’s close to a baseball swing.

        2. Next, lower the club a few inches, then swing.

        3. Keep lowering the club, until the clubhead is at ground level, with its face square to the ball.

        4. Swing, it will feel nice to swing the club on a more rounded plane, and on an inside-square-inside path, plus hit solid shots. Whenever we get into a slice slump, work on this drill. It will also help learn to rotate the arms in a counterclockwise direction through impact. This type of release will allow us to turn a slice into a draw, and pick up yardage rather than lose it.

  2. Second Shot

• • 1. To play a powerful cut shot using a fairway wood, start from a very open stance, aiming about 30 yards left of the target. Position the ball just behind the left heel, turn the left foot out more than normal, and lay the clubface wide open.. Also, grip more firmly than normal, so that you prevent the grass from closing the clubface at impact. Keep the backswing action upright and compact, and take the club slightly outside the target line. Pull the club down into the ball; “just beat on it.” Because you will cut across the ball, it will fly higher than normal in a fade pattern, and thus sit down more quickly.

• 3. Approach

• • 1. Do everything possible to keep the ball below the cup. Play a less lofted club that allows the ball to land farther back on the green so that it runs up to the hole. Learn to feed the ball to the hole to leave an uphill putt.

    2. Always take the time to square the club to an interim spot on the target line. Stand behind the ball before setting up. Take a smooth practice swing while staring at the initial aiming spot, then step to the ball and square up to it.

• 4. Greenside

• • 1. If really serious about improving, sacrifice some playing time for some practice time, and hit some chips and pitches at the course or in the backyard.

    2. In hitting a short shot from the rough behind the green, with the ball sitting up try the following technique:

       1. Play the ball off the left heel, in an open stance.

       2. Set the hands slightly behind the ball, with the clubface in a slightly open position.

       3. Make a compact backswing almost entirely with the arms.

       4. Swing through, accelerating the arms and trying to keep the clubface pointing toward the sky through impact. Actions like these will allow the to float all the way to the hole so that it sits down practically immediately after hitting the green.