Martin Hall on Hitting the Stinger (Video)

Since it's Open Week, here's a new School of Golf video on how to hit a stinger, compliments of Martin Hall. Super-simple, easy to follow.



Martin really strips it to the fundamentals here. Three simple keys:

• Tee the ball low. (Yes, use a tee!)
• Play the ball back in your stance a bit. (That's different from most tee shots.)
• Keep your lead wrist bowed at impact. (Watch the video. You still want to 'release' your wrists after impact, because that's the only way you'll get any distance with this shot. But the idea is to delay your release long enough for the shot to launch at a low angle.)

I know what you're thinking: How do I keep my lead wrist bowed? The best way is to "think late." By that, I mean to think about unleashing your wrist cock when your forearms are pointed at the ground about 18 inches past the tee. That should help you keep the bowed position long enough. As you can see in the video, Martin's wrists are starting to uncock before he reaches the ball -- you can tell because of the blur. But contact happens so quickly that you don't need to delay your release for very long!

If you find yourself hitting into the wind and/or absolutely have to get your tee shot in the fairway, this is a great shot. Just remember that the ball doesn't fly as far; it gets most of its distance from roll. Make sure there aren't any hazards -- or gorse! -- in your way.