Neil Plimmer Director of Junior Instruction, Horsham Golf & Fitness

Fault:

- Your long-range distance control is poor - You 3-putting regularly

Fix:

Putting up or down tiers in greens is a regular problem we all face. The issue is that with a step in the green, your usual distance perceptions are thrown out. This means that you need to do some extra planning. Firstly, take the time to walk the length of the putt, I've measured this one at 60ft. Have a look back to your ball from the level of the hole. By simply walking the length of the putt and looking back from the hole you'll have a much better natural sense for both the pace and the various breaks on the green. In this instance I have 60ft with a 4ft drop in height to the hole. That means I'll need a stroke to send the ball 56ft. As you run through your pre-shot process, make sure that your practice swing is meaningful. Try to feel the correct length within the swing. Finally, every putt is a journey, the destination for which is ultimately the hole. So don't try to get your ball within an imaginary dustbin lid around the hole. You should be aiming to knock it in!

How to putt down a tier:

Gary Alliss Head Professional, Ladbrook Park GC, Warwickshire

Fault:

- You struggle to make good clean contact - You tend to fall off balance too easily

Fix:

This tricky chip presents a dilemma in terms of technique. Normally from an upslope you'd want your weight on the back foot and the ball forward, but for a chip the weight should be forward and the ball back in the stance. One effective way to resolve this is to give yourself one leg. Set your back foot in line with the ball, move your front foot out of way resting it gently on the toes and lock your knees together for added stability from such a narrow base. This will put you in the ideal position to get the contact and control you need to knock it close. You'll find you can just swing the club backwards and forwards almost as with a normal chip, but don't forget the upslope will pop it up higher than normal so you'll need to carry the ball a little further. Saving par from positions such as I'm in here can give you a huge boost. Think ‘one leg' and you'll definitely improve your chances.

How to chip off an upslope:

John Jacobs Head pro, Cumberwell Park GC, Wilts

Fault:

- You struggle to get the ball out of bunkers - Your distance control from sand is poor

Fix:

There is one element above all others that lies at the heart of becoming a consistently good bunker player - taking the right amount of sand. The club needs to enter the sand about two inches before the ball but the problem that a lot of people have is committing to a technique that is so different to any other part of the game (how often are you required to hit the ground before the ball?). The good news is, there is nothing to fear as your margin for error is greater here than in with any other shot. But you will need to devote some time to this in practice and this classic old drill is the best way to do that. Use the handle of the rake to create two straight lines about six inches apart as I have done here. These tramlines represent where the club should enter and leave the sand. Simply concentrate on striking the back line (don't worry about the ball) and as long as you have enough clubhead through impact, the ball should emerge softly on a cushion of sand.

How to escape any bunker:

Kevin Craggs Kevin Craggs Golf Academy, Linlithgow

Fault:

- You are catching your iron shots either fat or thin - You lack power with your irons

Fix:

If you are making consistently fat and thin contacts, you'll need to head to the range to find a cure. The good news is that both bad shots come from the same place. If your weight is stuck on the back foot through impact, the club will ‘bottom out' too and you'll either catch the ground before the ball or strike the equator on the upswing. To rectify the problem address the ball normally and let your left foot move towards your right at the top of the backswing. Then as you drive back down towards the ball, let your right foot step back into position. This drill forces you to move your weight correctly during the swing and will prevent you from hanging back. Your ball striking should return.

How to get sweeter strikes:

Steve North Director of Instruction, St Andrews Links

Fault:

- Your usual fade lacks distance - You struggle with a slice

Fix:

For the vast majority of amateurs I see, their fade comes from an out-to-in swing path. This means that as the club drives through the ball, it comes from outside the ball-to-target line to inside. A slightly open face means the ball starts left and fades (or slices) right. Unless you are generating very impressive clubhead speed through impact, you'll suffer from the lack of distance as a result. So the key to solving the problem is to work on your swing path. Place two balls either side of the object ball at exactly the same angle as I have done here. This creates a gate through which you want the club to pass through impact. The balls act as a clear visual barrier that forces you into finding a better path. Crucially, you'll have to work hard to square the clubface at impact (as you'll have grooved a tendency to leave the face open) so concentrate on committing to a powerful release of the hands through the ball. Get it right and you'll turn that weak fade into a power draw.

How to hit a power draw: