For many amateur golfers, the difference between a good round and a bad round often comes down to how they play a par 4. According to data from millions of rounds collected by Arccos Golf, the average annual hitting distance for male amateurs is approximately 225 yards, and for female amateurs approximately 178 yards. When you look at these numbers, you can see how important it is to get the ball off the tee and into the fairway on a par 4. (It’s still important on par 5s, but you need an extra shot to get you out of trouble).
If your driver hasn’t been playing well lately, check your swing using the following keys to your advantage on four-shot holes.
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address
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Lower your trail shoulder slightly (right shoulder if you’re right-handed) and feel a little pressure on your trail foot. Widen your stance so your heels are just outside your shoulder width. These adjustments create a foundation to support speed and proper upward angle of attack. Oh, tee it up high.
backswing
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Concentrate on wrapping your torso so that your lead shoulder (left side if you’re right-handed) is facing behind the ball and your lead heel is slightly off the ground. This move is common to many great drivers. Position the club so that you can downswing from inside the target line and catch the ball on the upswing.
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downswing
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Rather than trying to shift towards the target as you reach the top, focus on rotating your lead hips back (meaning away from the target). On top of that). Minimizing forward shift while increasing pelvic rotation ensures an upward strike that optimizes launch conditions. The ball flies higher with less spin, putting you in position to attack the par 4 instead of playing it defensively.
Robin Systems I am a Master Instructor at Golfzon Leadbetter HQ Academy at Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Florida.
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