subject: Golf tips: Lob it like Stricker [print this page] Golf tips: Lob it like Stricker Golf tips: Lob it like Stricker
Titleist staff player Steve Stricker has been one of the success stories of 2009 with a career-high world ranking of No.2. The 42-year-old has won three times on the PGA Tour and only Tiger Woods has posted more titles this season.
According to American teaching pro Trevor Gliwski, one of the main reasons for Stricker's success has been his newly-found confidence and superb touch around the greens, particularly his chipping from thick rough. Gliwski explains the technique used by Stricker to execute a soft lob shot close to the putting surface is quite unique.
Take Callaway X-22 Left Ironsforexample, itfeatures a 10-percent higher MOI than its predecessors through maximizing perimeter weighting. Its center of gravity has been preserved to generate optimal ball flight and its precision notch weighting positions more weight to the perimeter to create more stability and forgiveness, all while maintaining a tour-inspired head shape with a thinner top line and narrower sole. The result is an iron that is incredibly forgiving, while still incorporating the look and feel that better players prefer.
"I'd call it the cock it and pop it' shot. Steve has the ball back in his stance and sets his weight on to his left side (as a right-hander). He then chooses his most lofted 60-degree Titleist Vokey Design wedge and creates an almost vertical swing path.
"On the backswing, with this shot it's important to cock your wrists as quickly as possible to elevate the clubhead, while on the downswing, drop the club through the ball into the grass, " says Gliwski.
"It's critical Steve's hands lead the club to a low, short finish. Remember, a lofted club travelling up and down on a sharp angle of attack, will help to reduce the amount of grass that gets caught between clubface and ball at impact. It also helps create a solid contact and gets the ball to pop up and land softly."
