Q: Dear Chef, I’m heading across the pond to play my first round of links golf this summer. Which short-game shot do I need to master before then? —Andrew V., Traverse City, Mich.

Links golf? Let’s go! You’re about to step into golf’s purest form — tight lies, firm turf and unpredictable wind. The shot you must have ready before wheels up? The bump-and-run.

This is your go-to when you can’t fly it to the hole. I’m talking ball back in your stance, shaft leaning forward, minimal wrist action. Think putting stroke with a wedge-narrow stance, quiet body and a low finish. You can use anything from a 9-iron to a 6-iron, depending on how much green you have to work with.

The best part? It’s reliable. The ball stays under the wind, handles any sketchy lies and rolls out like a dream. Practice it now and when you’re standing on the 4th at North Berwick with the wind howling, you’ll know exactly what to do.

Cheers!

You’ll find much more of McLachlin’s advice at ShortGameChef.com, which provides golfers with a comprehensive resource to improve their short games. Through personalized tips, drills and expert insights, McLachlin helps players of all levels gain more confidence and a deeper understanding of their short game to lower their scores. You can browse membership options here.

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A fallacy shared among most rec golfers is that the goal on iron swings is to return the club to the same position it held at address. Uh-uh. The two positions are dramatically different and may explain why mid- to high-handicappers never improve. 

Here’s a drill to fix the problem.

Stick an alignment rod in the ground right behind where you play the ball at address. Make sure the shaft is straight up and down. Place another rod next to the first, but angle it, say, 20 degrees toward the target as shown in the photo above.

Set up to the ball, using the first rod as your guide. (Your hands can be a little bit in front if that’s what you prefer.) Now, press your hands forward and shift your hips toward the target until your clubshaft matches the angle of the second rod.

This is the preferred impact position, which guarantees the ball-first contact all great ball strikers achieve. Add a little lower-body rotation, too. If you can re-create these positions during actual swings, you’re money.

Jake Thurm is a GOLF Teacher to Watch. You can learn more from Jake on Instagram: @jakethurmgolf.

The post Your impact position should never look like address. Here’s why appeared first on Golf.