Two things that absolutely go well together are golf and Rogue Nicotine. When you couple the smooth richness of Rogue and the demanding rigors that difficult golf shots require, it’s no wonder they go hand-in-hand.
We’ve studied and picked out five of the most unique golf shots that you might face down one day and the best ways to approach them so your game isn’t a bust, but more importantly you can beat your buddies because you have the inside scoop on what to do.
Stinger / Punch Shot
Commentator (hushed voice): Mark Markers has put his last shot right into the edge of the trees. If he has any hope of getting back on par and to the green, he’s going to need to use a punch shot to keep the ball low, avoid hitting those branches just out in front of him and get some good distance behind him.
Our commentator is correct when it comes to Mark’s situation: when faced with the need to make sure the flight of the ball doesn’t have much loft to it, whether this might be due to being in the trees or sometimes due to other outside factors such as wind and weather, the stinger or punch shot requires these different features to make sure you can pull it off:
- Club Choice - stingers can be hit with most clubs, but more often than you’ll find yourself with a 5-7 in hand
- Stance to the Ball - position the ball slightly back from your normal centered-up position so that you’re not creating as much lift, but more push on the ball
- Length of the Swing - shorten your backswing so that you’ve got a more compact swing, but also don’t follow through all the way like you would otherwise to help minimize the chance of hitting the ball upwards
- Swing Speed - because this isn’t a power stroke, be a little less aggressive in your swing speed so that it is more of a smooth and controlled motion, and then ensure your focus is directed as evenly as possible throughout the full pull
- Shaft Lead / Hands Ahead of the Ball - this action helps to take some of the loft potential out of the equation while still making sure the path forward is as straight as possible
- Rogue Recommendation – for an immediate nicotine release, we suggest the satisfying kick of Rogue Wintergreen Tablets
Flop Shot
Commentator (hushed voice): Hope Hopely needs to get on the green with her next shot, however, control is key and getting a soft landing out of this is what will make all the difference going forward. If she can pull off a great flop shot with enough lift to get her right up on the pin, but not roll away from her, she’ll be perfectly set up to be well under par.
Although this sounds relatively easy in the respect that you need a nice lift to the ball, the trickier part is to make sure the ball doesn’t have much spin on it so it barely moves after it hits the ground. Here are the ways to making sure this is the outcome:
- Club Choice - choose the flop wedge with either a 58 or 60 degree angle
- Stance to the Ball - put yourself almost behind the ball, or closer to your front foot to help open your swing into the ball and give it the lift you’re looking for
- Path of the Swing - take the club back slightly to the outside of your target line and as you pull downward, return the club more to the inside to encourage good lift
- Swing Speed - start out smoothly and then accelerate through the ball as well as carrying this motion through to the full swing without hesitation, this way you are striking the ball with controlled and not excessive speed
- Attack Angle - your club should hit the ball before the ground and should be a sort of scooping motion. It helps if you keep your wrists soft and maintain a light grip, both of which promote a great follow-through and better trajectory
- Rogue Recommendation – to help find that sweet spot on both the club and the ball, enjoy the steady release of sweet Rogue Citrus Lozenges
Pitch Shot
Commentator (hushed voice): A short distance off we see Cole Coleson trying to make up some distance without overshooting his target. We see him pulling out his pitching wedge and gauging how far this shot needs to be to put him right up on the hole. There’s no wind to speak of, so this should be another day in the park for this skilled golfer.
We can’t all get a hole-in-one, especially when the distance on some holes is 350+ yards. To help have better control with those shorter distance strokes, usually between 30-70 yards, here is the breakdown to develop your pitch shot:
- Club Choice - the pitching or gap wedge is most commonly used due to its versatility and loft while still maintaining good control
- Stance to the Ball - stand so that the ball is slightly forward to you, inside of your lead foot to help get a clean strike with an upward of attack
- Path of the Swing - this should be slightly steeper than a regular full swing and mindful to keep the path neutral, along with the length of the swing to match the distance that you’re aiming for
- Body Awareness - your body should transfer the weight to your front foot, rotation of your hips, shoulders and arms should work together in a fluid motion
- Follow-Through - the swing is a full swing that is balanced and even from the top to the full extension of the swing, ultimately ending with your chest facing the target
- Rogue Recommendation – to give you the perfect lift, pair this shot with Rogue Apple Pouches for a crisp, clean play to your game
Sand Shot
Commentator (hushed voice): Oh, the dreaded sand trap. It has us on the edge of our seats waiting to see how well Kim Kimbers can tackle this tricky terrain. She accesses the bunker, the rise she’ll need to get and the concentration needed for everything to work out perfectly for this shot.
The sand shot is truly unique to the game as the techniques required to get out of the unpredictable ground conditions take real insight, understanding of the clubs, ball and sand, along with the ability to assess your aim. Some of the things to keep in mind on a sand shot are:
- Club Selection - use a sand wedge or 60 degree, which is specially designed with a wide sole a higher loft angle to aid in getting the ball airborne and out of the sand
- Stance to the Ball - have your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart with both your body and feet slightly facing forward and the ball more towards your front foot to help ensure that the club enters the sand behind the ball
- Path of the Swing - take a longer backswing than you normally would to help generate enough power to carry the ball and maintain a controlled and smooth movement all the way through
- Attack Angle - you need to create a steep angle to drive the clubhead into the sand and lift the ball out. In fact, unlike any other shot in golf, you should have your eye focused on the sand and not the ball. By entering the sand a couple inches behind the ball, you will be allowing the club to slide underneath the ball and lift it out
- Dig in your Heals - this is something else unique to this shot due to the instability of the ground beneath. When you make sure to plant yourself more securely in place you’ll find that minor slips or shifts in your footing don’t happen and your shots are more consistent
- Rogue Recommendation – to get out of the rut (or trap in this case), we suggest the perfect matchup with Rogue Peppermint Gum
Chip Shot
Commentator (hushed voice): Ash Ashington is working his way up to the putting green and could get there with a decent chip shot from the green. You can see the wheels turning in his head as he assesses the slight downward slope and what he can do to take advantage of it.
This is one of the more crucial shots a golf player has to take as it helps to save strokes and get as close to the hole as possible. The chip shot is a short, low-trajectory type of shot and can be attacked from this perspective:
- Club Selection - no one club is specifically called out, instead it depends on the amount of green you’re working with. Choices include the pitching, gap and sand wedges to get controlled loft on the ball
- Stance to the Ball - have a narrow stance to your feet with your body 90 degrees to the target and slightly more of your weight on your front foot to get a crisp downward strike
- Controlled Movement - make sure your lower body is stable, your backswing is compact and as you swing through that your hips and wrists don’t have excess flex as you’re not going for power but lift and accuracy
- Light Grip - maintaining lighter pressure with your grip enables you more consistently generate a controlled strike on the ball, especially when your keeping the rest of your body more rigid
- Follow-Through - even though the swing is smooth, the follow-through should be short and controlled so as to finish with the clubhead low to the ground and pointed toward the target
- Rogue Recommendation – sweeten your chances when making this shot with Rogue Honey Lemon Pouches
There are professionals that train for hours, watch and analyze every miniscule motion their bodies make, and then pull off what looks to be effortless strokes almost every round. It goes without saying that most of us can’t dedicate that much time and effort into training, but with these insights into different and unique shots, maybe your next time out on the green will yield better success.
And, don’t forget Rogue! There’s nothing worse than being in the zone and realizing you have to put everything on hold to retrieve your Rogue. So, don’t be *that* guy that ruins a perfectly good game. Make sure you have enough Rogue Gum, Tablets, Pouches and Lozenges to get you and everyone else through every hole and onto basking in the glory of your victory over that course.
