Swing Sequence
Analyzing Tiger Woods' "Stinger"
Editor's Note: GolfDigest.com has asked Kevin Hinton, one of its Top-20 Teachers Under 40 and the Director of Instruction at Piping Rock Club in Locust Valley, N.Y., to analyze players competing in the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Here he looks at Tiger Woods' patented "stinger" shot, which he uses to great effect in the wind and under pressure.
The most scrutinized athlete in sports history really doesn't need one more person throwing his two cents in, so I'll be sure to resist that urge. Rather, let's take a look at the clip below from Tiger's warm-up session Saturday at Whistling Straits. He appears to be practicing his patented "stinger" shot where he purposely abbreviates his finish to create a more boring ball flight -- something that is extremely useful in high winds. Tiger seems to hit many variations of this shot. Here, he is hitting a longish iron and is trying to flight the ball just enough to achieve better control, but it isn't that far from a full swing. His ball will go to close to his full distance, just at a lower trajectory. This is definitely a great shot for the amateur player to add to his repertoire.
Tiger's "stinger" normally refers to tee shots in which he uses a long iron or fairway wood to try to keep the ball in play and under the wind. A less-extreme version of this would be a "knockdown" shot that can be executed with any club. It is also useful when your game is feeling rusty and you have less control over the ball.
The key to both the "stinger" and "knockdown" begin with the setup. Tiger will typically grip down on the club, play the ball farther back from its normal position, and set more weight on his front leg at address. In the backswing, the key is to keep your weight very "centered" and not transfer the normal amount of weight to your right side. This will make it much easier to come into impact with a high percentage of your body weight onto the left side. The second key to impact is exaggerating the degree of forward-shaft lean. By feeling that, your left wrist is bowed through impact, with your hands further forward than normal -- helping to deloft the club. This, combined with your body being on top of the ball at impact will produce a lower ball flight. Post impact, try to get the feeling that the clubhead stays below your hands for as long as possible. This will help ensure the necessary impact position.
Practicing various degrees of this shot will be very beneficial to your game. I'd suggest first applying it to your wedge game to better control the distance and trajectory, and expand it to the rest of your bag from there. Many of my more advanced students find that they hit their best shots from this position, and rarely hit full shots with their high clubs, as well as under pressure. Playing great golf requires having a collection of different shots that can be played in the correct situation. It's easy to overanalyze any player's "stock" swing (especially Tiger's), when in reality, the best players rarely hit that shot. They are continuously working the ball and adjusting to the situation at hand. Amateurs too often practice from a flat driving range hitting their "stock" shot, and then go play on an uneven golf course encountering many variables. Make a concerted effort to work on the shots that are often required on the golf course and you'll be much more prepared the next time you play.
--Kevin Hinton
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