Ever pull or slice one into the woods? We all have. Hitting into the woods hurts. It can leave you under or near a tree or an obstruction that restricts your backswing severely. Mis-hitting this shot can cost and ruin a hole. So you must be careful with it. Your goal should be to hit a shot that puts you in good position for the next shot—not pull off a miracle. This goal can be a real challenge when your backswing’s restricted. But the cock-the-wrists-first swing can bail you out.
Below are six keys to this shot:
- Take a balanced stance
- Choke down on the club
- Play the ball back
- Cock your wrists fully
- Determine your landing spot
- Swing down and into the ball
The key with the cock-the-wrists-first swing is shortening your swing radius. The shorter the radius, the less chance there is of hitting a tree or an obstruction. It’s all about hitting the ball cleanly and solidly
Start by taking your normal pitch address position. If you can’t, take a position as normal as you can. You want to be as balanced as possible.
Play the ball back in your stance and choke down on the club, which shortens your swing radius. How much you choke down depends on how much room you have. The less room, the more you may need to choke down.
Now move your arms back into a normal address position, but with your wrists fully cocked at the top. Cocking your wrists first also shortens the swing radius.
Take some practice swings. Make sure the club clears the obstruction when you come down. Now, cock your wrists at the top, determine your landing spot, and swing straight down hard and into the ball. Swing as smoothly as possible.
You can practice this shot on the range by setting your bag, a chair, or other object behind you. You can easily master this shot with some practice. You’ll be surprised how far you can hit the ball with an abbreviated swing.
