Cathy Kim on Eliminating Half the Course (Video)

In this video from golftipsmag.com, instructor Cathy Kim teaches you how to give your tee shot the best chance of landing in the fairway.



Yes, I know you've heard this before -- although I admit I like the way she words the advice. Set up on the side of the tee THAT YOU HATE! Want to avoid the right side rough? Set up on the right side. Want to avoid the left side? Then set up on the left.

This is simple strategy, of course, By setting up on the side you hate, you'll be playing away from that side. If you set up on the right, you'll be aiming down the left side of the fairway, and vice versa. But I bet you've tried this before and the ball still went where you didn't want it to go, didn't it?

That's because there's something that she didn't mention -- hell, most instructors never mention -- which is an important part of this strategy for most weekend players...

If you set up to avoid one side of the course, don't change your swing to try and make the ball curve differently than normal!

I know, that sounds counter-intuitive, but think about it for a moment. Let's say you're right-handed and struggling with a slice. Are you normally trying to hit a slice? Of course not! You're either trying to hit the ball straight or make it curve left. So you should continue to play that shot when you use this new strategy.

If you're having trouble with a slice but you try to hit a slice, what do you think will happen? The ball will slice even more than normal, and probably enough to counteract the setup change you made on the tee!

So when you change your setup, try to hit the same shot you would normally play. Do you normally try to hit a draw when you get that big slice? Then pick a target down the left side and try to draw the ball toward it. You don't change your shot, just your aim. And if you do that, you'll probably get your usual slice... except it will land in the fairway, not in the right rough.

Be aware that this will be a mental adjustment for most of you. Your mind will likely call you an idiot and tell you that you're going to hook the ball into the left rough. But your mind is wrong this time, because it assumes your aim change is going to change the shot shape. (If you're going to make your normal shot but the shot shape is somehow going to miraculously change, why would you change your setup? That's just poor thinking that comes from not understanding why you're making the change.)

Practice this on the range before you go out on the course, so your mind understands how the ball is going to curve when you make your normal shot with the new setup. If you do that, you should get the results you expect from this setup change.