How many times have you hit the ball at your target and had it come up short in the water or go over the green into a bunker? There are several reasons why players do not consistently control the distance of their shots, so let’s take a look at a couple of them.

It is very important to know how far you hit each club. There are a lot of good measuring devices out there like GPS systems, lasers, and rangefinders. You need to know how far you carry the ball for starters. I recommend getting one of these devices and going through your bag to find out how far you hit each club in the air, then how much it will roll once it lands.  You will then know the carry distance (in the air) and total distance (after the roll) of every club you have. I’m amazed at how many players I see hit crisp, solid shots that come up 15 yards short. Knowing your yardages, and I mean HONESTLY knowing them, will give you the confidence to pull the correct club out of your bag.

Another thing to help control distance is controlling the spin of your golf ball, especially into the wind. I see players all the time grab that wedge from 100+ yards into a headwind. They make a full swing, the shot balloons because of all the backspin, and the ball does not come close to reaching the hole. The next time you are faced with a shot into the wind, try taking one or two more clubs. Play the ball a little farther back in your stance with your hands forward, and make a smooth three quarter length backswing and follow through. This will give you a much better trajectory without a ton of spin and the ball will go the correct distance more often. It is not only effective into the wind, but in all conditions (especially with the shorter irons) when you need to control distance. In fact, the knock down is the shot Tiger gives credit to for controlling his distance in his early years on tour. Learn how far you hit each club, play the knockdown shot more often, and you will be hitting it pin-high a lot more than you ever have.