Instantly Fix 6 of the Worst Shots in Golf

Golf can often be an enjoyable and rewarding game. It allows you to pause the pressures of everyday life, enjoy the great outdoors and socialise with like-minded people.

While all that's true, at other times, golf can be pretty frustrating. If you can't seem to shake a dibilitating swing fault, your enjoyment of the game can suffer.

To help rid your game of some of the worst shots in golf, we've compiled some tips from the best golf instructors in the game. From the slice to the shank, we've got your back.

The slice

The slice is one of the most common complaints from amateur golfers, and it can creep in at different stages of your golf journey. It can rob you of distance, land you in a whole heap of trouble and, plainly, ruin your enjoyment of the game.

While it's a swing fault that particularly plagues beginners, it can be quite easy for mid-low handicappers to have to revisit slice-busting instructional articles and videos every now and again.

If you're looking for a way to cure your slice, the boys at MeAndMyGolf provide a trio of great golf tips to help you in that particular quest.

They explain that clubface control is key and provide great tips on improving your grip, maintaining a neutral clubface and the importance of rotating the club post-impact.‌

The hook

It's often said that a golfer who struggles with a hook is on his or her way to a reliable and repeatable golf swing. In reality, if you're still watching your tee-shots head towards all sorts of trouble, that statement provides very little comfort.

Eric Cogorno talks below about the possible culprits for a clubface that's closed relative to your path - a root cause of the hook - before highlighting some drills and feels that could cure your hook for good.‌

The fat shot

The fat golf shot is one of the most infuriating shots in golf, particularly if you're in prime position to find the green in regulation. It occurs when your club bottoms out early and you hit behind the ball, losing distance (and sometimes your cool).

The ideal strike with your irons is one where the club makes contact with the ball first and follows through to take a divot after. Check out this video from Adam Bazalgette as he gives you his advice and a helpful golf drill to get the bottom of your swing arc 5 inches beyond the ball.‌‌

The shank

‌If you're unlucky enough to have developed a case of the shanks, you're not alone. The shank is possibly the ugliest shot in all of golf and when they slip into your game they can be very difficult to get rid of.

As Eric Cogorno explains, the development of the shank can often be traced back to an error with weight distribution in the feet. In the video below he gives us two separate drills to help exorcise this particular demon.

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The missed short putt

The missed short putt is spectacularly annoying. It can have even the most level-headed golfer cursing themselves as they walk to the next tee, while the scar tissue can carry through the rest of the round and have a detrimental impact on overall putting performance.

One significant factor is confidence. More often than not, if you're hovering over a short putt thinking the worst, you're going to miss it. Confidence can be increased through repetition, so time spent on the practice green will stand you in good stead in this respect.

Below Chris Ryan talks through 3 keys to help improve your technique on short putts.

To sink more 'knee-knockers', you'll first need to choose the speed before your line, then take time to correctly aim your putter and finally keep your head still until you've completed the stroke.

A chunked chip shot

When you're chipping, if you strike the ground well before the ball, it's a terrible feeling. The ball isn't going very far, and you're facing almost the same shot all over again.

Adam Bazalgette has a few tips to get you striking your chip shots crisply each and every time.

Below he explains that you'll need an angle of attack that 'scuffs' the ground rather than getting too steep and digging into the turf. What's more, you'll need your body's centre in line with, or, ideally, very slightly in front of the golf ball.