
Essential Types of Golf Shots You Should Know
- Drive. The very basic golf shot is the drive. The long term for this is hitting a “driver off the tee.” Under the category of a Long Game shot.
- Pitch. Pitch is a Short Game shot. This is when you make full use of a high-lofted club to aim for a steep and high shot.
- Stock Shot. Most golfers need this golf shot in their arsenal. A stock shot ensures you still have a chance. ...
- Bunker Shots. A bunker shot is a shot game golf shot. As the name suggests, this is the shot you take when you’re stuck on the sand.
- Pitch and Run. A pitch and run shot is a distance-driven golf shot. The ball is up in the air for a shorter range. ...
- Knockdown. This is a strategic shot taken by most golfers when they want to quicken things up. ...
- Blind Shot. A blind shot is the opposite of a knockdown. It’s when you hit higher without setting a target in mind.
- Drive. This is a long distance shot usually taken from the tee, but can also be taken from the fairway if necessary. ...
- Approach. ...
- Putt. ...
- Lay-Up. ...
- Chip. ...
- Punch. ...
- Flop. ...
- Draw.
What is the basic golf shot?
The very basic golf shot is the drive. The long term for this is hitting a “driver off the tee.” Under the category of a Long Game shot. It is characterized by you hitting from the teeing ground. So when you begin your round, the first shot you take on a hole, that’s your drive.
Which golf shots are most likely to save your back?
If there’s a low-hanging tree in your way, this shot is most likely to save your back. But lots of golfers also take this kind of shot during extremely windy conditions. Since the ball is closer to the ground, it’s less likely to slow down because of the strong winds.
What is a pitch and Run golf shot?
A pitch and run shot is a distance-driven golf shot. The ball is up in the air for a shorter range. Only so that once it hits the green, it rolls farther along toward the hole.
How do you hit a tee shot in golf?
For a successful tee shot, position the ball on the inside of your front foot. This makes it easier for you to strike the ball after the low point in your swing, to send your tee shots high and long. 2. Lay Up A layup is a viable shot option if you cannot reach the green or wish to avoid a hazard.

What are the 9 basic golf shots?
Looking to add another dimension to your shot shaping ability when on the course? This simple drill will have you ready for anything the course throws at you. Shots include a High Draw, Mid Draw, Trap Draw, High Straight, Normal, Punch, High Fade, Mid Fade, and Low Fade.
What are the different shots in golf called?
The opening shot is called the tee shot, while approach shots or feel shots, such as chip, pitch and flop shots, are played from outside the green into the green. The shots played on the green are called putts.
What is the best shot in golf called?
An ace, commonly known as a hole-in-one, is the best score out there. When you get an ace, that means you get to write a “1” on the scorecard.
What is the rarest shot in golf?
Scoring a condor is the rarest event in golf. This is normally a hole in one at a par five (a two at a par six would also count, but this has never been done). Only five condors have ever been recorded: The most recent was Kevin Pon, who made a 2 on a par 6 at Lake Chabot Golf Course on the 10th December 2020.
What are the 4 types of strokes in golf?
Most shots in golf can be categorised into the following types of shot:Drive. This is a long distance shot usually taken from the tee, but can also be taken from the fairway if necessary. ... Approach. ... Putt. ... Lay-Up. ... Chip. ... Punch. ... Flop. ... Draw.More items...
How many different golf shots are there?
8 Types Of Golf Shots Explained [2022 In-Depth Guide]
What is a bad golf shot called?
Shank - A shot struck on the clubs hosel that travels dead right (for a right-handed player). The shank is typically considered the worst shot in golf – even worse than a “whiff”.
What does t mean in golf?
Applies to United States Golf Association (USGA) handicaps. A "T-Score" is any round considered to have been played under a formal competitive setting, such as a sanctioned tournament - i.e., one where a player would not be expected to sandbag.
What does P mean on a golf club?
Drivers are available in a variety of lofts. Wedges typically don't have numbers. Instead that have letters such as P or PW for pitching wedge and S for sand wedge.
Has anyone birdied all 18 holes?
No man or woman on any significant professional golf tour has birdied all 18 holes—in other words, scored a 54—in a single round. (Jim Furyk holds the PGA Tour record with a 58.)
What is the most difficult shot in golf?
The hardest shot in golf is being a foot or two off the green in rough with the pin 15 feet or less away on the green. Brian S. A greenside shot with the ball sitting down in deep rough or a fried egg in a trap to a tight pin with the green running down to a water hazard.
Has anyone aced a par 5?
Although no one in PGA Tour history has ever recorded an ace on a par-5, there have actually been five records of par-5 holes-in-one. And no, none of them were from Happy Gilmore. The first “condor” occurred in 1962 off the club of Larry Bruce.
What is a punch shot?
Like a stinger, a punch shot is usually used with a low iron or a wedge to literally punch the ball off the ground. The player will hit down onto the ball with a fast club speed and kill his follow through onto the ball, forcing the ball out from the ground to make it skip up into the air. The problem with punch shots is they don’t carry very far and have a lot of backspin, meaning they don’t roll far either.
What is the most challenging part of golf?
Perhaps the most challenging part of any amateur’s game is driving the ball. Getting the ball up in the air and down the middle of the fairway is a technical task that players need to get right to ensure they get their hole off to a good start.
What is a lob shot?
The flop or the lob is a short game shot players used to get up and over sand traps and water hazards around the greens. It is a great way to add backspin onto your ball, too, so if hit right, you can cut under your ball and stop it dead on the green. Phil Mickelson is the master of the flop shot, as you’ll see below.
What is a stinger shot?
Essentially it’s a low driving shot that you’d generally hit with a 4 iron or perhaps a driving iron. It’s called a stinger as if hit right, it’ll fizz low and hard through the air towards your target.
What is hook in golf?
A hook is the opposite of a slice and is another shot you don’t want to hit off the tee. It is an exaggerated draw that can again be useful if you’re trying to get around an obstacle or a hazard, but it’s one you need to avoid if you’re looking to score low.
What does it mean when a golfer draws?
Perhaps one of the most challenging shots to hit on the course, a draw reduces the amount of spin on the ball, meaning that once it lands, it will travel further than most other kinds of shots you can play.
Who is the best chipper on the PGA Tour?
Australian Jason Day is one of the best chippers on the PGA Tour and saves a ton of shots around the greens pitching in from only 40 yards out. Ultimately accuracy and speed are everything when you’re pitching for the greens.
What are the common golf shots?
Some of the golf shots are common in most golf courses around the world, while others are rare. The common ones include golf shots such as putts, drives, and approach, while the rare ones are plugged-lie or low stinger. Golf shots get their names depending on the last spot ...
What is the first type of golf shot made from the teeing ground?
The first type of golf shot made from the teeing ground is the tee shot. Players can use either a diver for long holes or an iron for teeing shorter holes. Long-hole tee shots have a long roll of the ball and a shallow flight, while short-hole tee shots have higher flights and stop more quickly. 2. Putt Shot.
What is the most challenging shot in golf?
The bunker, flop, and fairway shots are the most challenging golf shots even for professional golfers. However, any golf shot that makes it hard for you to stay within the target line or hit the greens to get the ball into the hole is hard.
What is a fairway shot?
Fairway Shot. Fairway type of golf shot is very similar to a tee shot, and you play it after the ball lands on the rough or fairway. The ease of playing a fairway shot depends on how the ball lies on the ground. The best clubs for a fairway shot are the irons for accuracy and wood and hybrids to help cover the distance.
What is a bunker shot?
A bunker shot is one of the most challenging type of golf shots played on the greens, and no player wants to experience it. However, the ball landing on a sand bunker is common, and the main aim of taking the shot is to get to the greens by hitting the sand just below the ball is for the sole purpose of pushing it up. 5.
What is an approach shot in golf?
Approach shots are golf shots executed to ensure you hit the greens with the ball close to the hole as possible. Approach shots come in different types, which are flop shots, pitch shots, and chip shots. Flop Shot. Obstacles like bunkers or hills with little green to go with come between you and the green in a flop shot.
How many flight paths can a golf ball take?
When you are playing, the golf ball can take nine flight paths. Beginners and amateur golfers are especially prone to making flight paths because they do not have enough experience to avoid misses by hitting the ball straight. Golf shots for flight paths include a hook, straight, draw, slice, and fade. Hook shot.
What are the different types of golf shots?
Essential Types of Golf Shots You Should Know. Most golf shots are divided into these categories. A long game and a short game. Long game golf shots refer to shots outside of a hundred yards. If you’re good at long game shots, you focus on distance and accuracy.
What is the first shot in golf?
The very basic golf shot is the drive. The long term for this is hitting a “driver off the tee.” Under the category of a Long Game shot. It is characterized by you hitting from the teeing ground. So when you begin your round, the first shot you take on a hole, that’s your drive.
What is a bunker shot?
Bunker Shots. A bunker shot is a shot game golf shot. As the name suggests, this is the shot you take when you’re stuck on the sand. So in order to get out of it, you have to execute a greenside bunker shot. Every golfer has to deal with this kind of shot. It’s not negotiable.
When to use a sand wedge for bunker shots?
While in a greenside bunker shot, since the ball is closer, a sand wedge is essential. You may not need to use a sand wedge when aiming for a fairway bunker shot. It’s important to keep that in mind.
How to improve your golf practice?
What you need, however, is to master various golf techniques. The perfect way to boost your practice sessions is by learning new types of golf shots. It’s the only way to reach your ideal potential.
Why is it important to practice golf shots?
To practice your golf shots beforehand and not when you’re in a driving range is very important. And how to make the most of your skills as a golfer.
What is knockdown golf?
A knockdown is when you restrict the ball flight but still gain distance. In simpler terms, it’s when you hit the ball low but hit it farther. If there’s a low-hanging tree in your way, this shot is most likely to save your back. But lots of golfers also take this kind of shot during extremely windy conditions.
The Slice
For right-handed golfers, a slice is a shot that curves from left to right. It is the opposite of a draw. A golfer who hits many slices may wish to adopt an open stance to reduce their tendency toward a slice.
The Push Draw
The push-draw are the types of golf shots in which the ball starts out to the right of the golfer and curves back to the left before it comes to rest. For right-handed players, it will begin well to their left and fade back towards their body. Lefties will see the ball start left and fade right.
A knockdown Shot
Shot selection is important when designing a golf course. Many golf courses have mounds and other natural obstructions to consider, such as trees and ravines. Players must decide what technique will provide the best result if they are to play an accurate shot.
A bump-and-run shot
Golfers generally use their woods off the tee since they are longer than irons. However, if a player wants to hit it further but still has control of where they want to hit it on the fairway, this shot is recommended.
Flop
A flop shot is the opposite of a punch and is designed to take the ball over objects. The ball takes a very high arched trajectory compared to the distance it travels forwards. Flop shots are also used when the player wants the ball to stop quickly upon hitting the ground.
Shank
The shank is the type of golf shot that happens when the player miss-hits the ball. The club strikes the ball too near the joint between the clubface and the shaft causing the ball to dramatically veer off to the right for a right-handed player or left for a left-handed player.
Chip Shot
A chip shot is a shot played with an abbreviated swing, usually made with a short iron, and executed from the ground near the green. It gets its name because it borrows aspects of chipping in the game of golf; namely, using the leading edge to lift and propel the ball towards its target.
What are the different types of golf shots?
There are several different types of approach shots such as chip shots, pitch shots and flop shots.
What is a chip shot in golf?
Chip shots are meant to hit golf balls toward the cup where they can be putted in to complete the hole. The flagstick typically remains in the hole during the chip shot, meaning there is the potential for the golf ball to clank against the flagstick and bounce away from the whole or directly into the hole.
What is a full swing?
Full swings involve pulling the golf club all the way back so that it is parallel to the ground , swinging through the ball with near maximum effort and finishing with the golf club once again parallel to the ground or slightly pointing down toward the ground. Full swings are typically performed with drivers and irons while comparably abbreviated swings are used for chip shots, putts and other shots.
What is a drive in golf?
Drives are shots hit from the tee in the tee box. This is the initial shot a golfer hits on a golf hole. The majority of these initial tee shots are hit with a driver. However, some tee shots are hit with low-numbered irons.
What is a fade shot?
Fades are golf shots in which right-handed golfers hit the ball from the left to the right. Alternatively, a left-handed golfer executes a fade shot when hitting the ball from the right to left. If the fade is excessive, it qualifies as a slice as detailed above. Fade shots begin straight yet curve to one side as they move toward the hole. Fades result from a clubface that slightly points to the side or an outside-in style golf swing. Though fade shots are often a mistake made by beginning and intermediate level players, the golf experts use fade shots in a strategic manner. Fade shots help talented golfers avoid objects in the flight path of their golf ball, ultimately making it that much easier to hit the intended target landing area.
What is a three quarter shot?
Three-quarter shots are those in which the golfer restricts his backswing’s length to 75% of the swing amplitude. Three-quarter golf shots are used when golfers are close enough to the flagstick or other target, necessitating a swing with 75% power.
What is a pitch shot?
A pitch shot is best described as a type of approach shot performed with a golf club that has a comparably high loft. Pitch shots are hit high in the air in order for the golf ball to land softly on the surface of the green and hopefully roll toward the hole.
What is the first shot in golf?
The first and common commonly known shot is of course the tee shot. A tee shot is always the first shot that you take on a golf game. Now when it comes to the club that is used for a tee shot, it changes upon preference. Most people simply use a driver to hit the tee shot.
What is a putt shot?
Putt Shot: These are the shots that are played with a putter. A putter is specially designed for these shots. You play this shot depending upon the placement of the ball on the green. There are a lot of times where the ball goes outside the green and you use a putter to play that shot off the course.
What is a recovery shot on the greens?
Recovery Shots: There a lot of times when even on the first shot, the ball goes onto a very unfavorable place. Getting the ball from those places onto the greens is known as a recovery shot. This is because basically, you are recovering the ball from somewhere it isn’t supposed to go.
What clubs do you use for a chip shot?
The most ideal clubs for a chip shot definitely have to be irons and wedges. You will choose the club depending upon the trajectory that you need.
What club is used to play a flop shot?
For this purpose, you need to make sure that the ball flies into the green by rolling. The club that is used for taking a flop shot is either a sand wedge or a lob wedge. You can use either of these to play a flop shot effectively.
What is a putter in golf?
A putter is one of the most common types of clubs used in a game of golf. It is mainly used on the green. There are a lot of professionals who advise beginners to train with a putter more than anything another club. It is really useful if you train yourself to become better and hit put shots effectively.
How to hit bunker shot?
For hitting a bunker shot effectively, you need to make sure that you are hitting the sand just below the ball so that it pushes the ball out of the sand and onto the green. Your only purpose is to hit the sand so that it pushes the ball out. But it is easier said than done.
