Hi, I'm Ted Frick, owner and director of instruction at Classic Swing Golf School at Legends Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Today I'm talking about a shot that is specifically for into the wind. Not down-wind but into the wind. I'm talking about 12-25 mph, for those of us who get out in those conditions. This is the knock-down shot. What I have out here is a 5 iron, which goes a little lower anyway. Everyone's distances are going to vary based on swing speed, but I'm going to say, for a 50-year-old man, a nice five iron is it 185-190 yards.
Today, I'm going to be about 175 yards out, but I'm going to have to bring it in lower into this stiff breeze. Take a look at the setup: 1) ball position, it gets setup in back of the sternum. We have this saying, closer to the right foot roll, closer to the left foot loft. Well, I'm playing it back because I need to play a lower shot for more roll when it gets in there. Think right for roll.
I'm going to grip down on the golf club, turning the 5 iron into a 6. Now here is your setup, with level shoulders and more weight on the front foot. It feels like 60 percent of your weight is on the front foot. Please remember the wise saying by Sam Snead: to hit it low, finish low.
So one of the keys on the knock-down swing, on the follow through, is I'm going to do the best I can to keep the clubhead outside my hands. I'm not going to let it go above or outside my hands, which is wonderful drill for people that need to work on compression.
Here we go, a little knock-down. Grip down, place the ball back of center, shoulders level, with hands and weight forward. Take a look at that shot, the club is still outside my hands and there is no way the wind is going to impact your shot.