2-MINUTE CLINICS

How to fly an iron shot over a tree

Obstacles on a golf course are no fun. They force you to create a shot you might not normally hit. Maybe you have to keep one under a branch or curve a ball around a tree trunk. Then there are times when your best option (or perhaps only option) is to hit a high-flying iron shot that soars over the top of a tree. It's a valuable shot to learn, and I'll show you how to hit it with some simple steps here. —Michael Kolar, one of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers in America

  • Play the ball slightly forward of center in your stance
  • Settle your weight 50-50 between your feet
  • Visualize a "window" you want the ball to fly through
  • Keep your lead shoulder high
  • Make a lower and wider takeaway than normal
  • Feel your arms stretching as you turn your body back
  • Keep your weight fairly centered
  • Don't swing down steeply into the ball
  • Feel as if you're sweeping the ball off the ground
  • Keep the clubhead low after impact
  • Stay in your address posture until the follow-through
  • Let your weight shift fully to your front foot
  • Keep swinging until the club is wrapped around you
  • Finish tall with your chest up