Types of Shots
To many people that who are not golfers, they would think golf is just a game where you hit the ball as hard as you possibly can, as straight as you can and as furthest as you can so that you can sink the ball in to the hole with just a few shots, my friends, that is not the case at all. As every shot made in a round of golf will be different to one another, may not be an obvious due to the lie of your ball and the path you wish to take your ball to. Here are some shots which are commonly used by professional golfers and golfers who play for fun.
A drive: This type of shot is ‘ripped’ which in the golf world means a big shot that golfers wish to cover a lot of distance, either from the tee or the fairway towards the green.
An approach: This type of shot is made when golfers wish to place their ball onto the green. A drive can certainly place a ball on the green but an approach refers to a lofty, shorter distance shot normally within 120 yards.
A chip: A chip shot is a short distance shot, without going for a full swing, usually in the range of no more than 40 yards, can be played as a lay up shot to reposition before you hit the green as a way to avoid hazards. There is a variation of a chip shot known as bump and run, a mixture of a short chip and a putt. Made with a high lofted club to lift the ball over thick grass.
A putt: This takes place on the green and it is made with a putter but some golfers may opt for some other clubs depending on preferences.
A punch: This is a rather low, loft shot varying in distance. Mainly used when not on the fairway in order to avoid a canopy of trees or any other obstructions or when playing in windy conditions.
Lay up: Lay up shots are made from the fairway, very similar to a drive but shorter in distance and with more accuracy. Most often a golfer utilizes a lay up shot when they want to avoid hazards or if they are in a bad position and cannot attack the flag therefore playing rather defensively.