Golf punch shot tips - control the flight

In this video lesson, Golf Monthly Top 25 Coach Clive Tucker offers his golf punch shot tips to help you control the flight of your approach shots

There are two ways of hitting a punch shot. The first involves taking more club and simply swinging a little softer than usual. This works because with less swing speed, you produce less backspin and with less backspin there is less lift through impact. However, this can be hard to control both the distance and accuracy. So as far as my golf punch shot tips are concerned, I would advocate a different method altogether.

Golf Swing Tips

You can control the flight of the shot by making a couple of very simple changes at address and then restricting the follow through. Again, you will need to take at least one extra club and set the ball back in your stance a little at address. This will mean that your sternum and your hands are ahead of the ball – essentially, this set up position is de-lofting the club for a lower flight.

Make a three quarter backswing and then drive through impact with your usual weight shift onto your left side. The main difference is with the follow through that needs to be as short as you can make it (watch the video that accompanies this to see what I mean...). By holding onto the finish as much as possible, you’ll be reducing the clubhead speed created by a full release at the key moment. A little less speed will mean a little less backspin, less lift and so you'll find a lower flight more easily.

If the wind is really blowing, you must ensure you don't try to hit the ball too hard. More speed equals more backspin and you must be aware of this. So I would advise, if the breeze is up to use at least one more club if not, two. This way you can control the rhythm, pace and ultimately, the flight of the shot. Read Andy Sullivan's advice on controlling flight.

This will help you reduce the flight without forcing you to make any other changes to your golf swing. Try this on the range and you should see just how easy a powerful punch is to hit.

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he went on to become a feature writer interviewing many of the biggest names in the game including Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Rory McIlroy and Arnold Palmer.

A 5-handicap golfer, Neil is a club member who takes a keen interest in the health of the game at grassroots level. You’ll often now find him writing about club-related issues such as WHS, membership retention and how best to bridge the gap between the range and the course.