Keith Foxton, former professional at the Nelson Golf Club, continues this feature on a round of the Nelson club course. At each hole he places himself difficult situations well-known to all golfers, and explains how to recover from them. While this feature applies expressly to the Nelson course, the tips on playing each hole can be applied to all golfers on any course.

no. 11: Par 4

This noie presents few problems from the tee. A straight drive, slightly left, if anything, should leave the player with a good position for his second26a The only difficulty would arise from a sliced drive, leaving a row of trees to negotiate for the second shot. We will assume that I have sliced and am in the rough behind the trees well down the fairway. We require a low, flat shot to reach the green and avoid the trees. Select a three or four iron. Take a stance as shown with the hands 4 to 5 ins in front of the club head. Play the ball off the right heel. Using a half-swing, hit the ball firmly, keeping the hands well forward of the club head and the club face square to the ball. Do not let the club face open at all. The shot will be very similar to a long putt.

no. 12: Par 4

It is as well to keep slightly left on this fairway as a bunker guards the right-hand side of the green. I aim to hit along the path of the dotted line, but we will assume I have gone too far left and too close to the tree on the left for the average golfer to get the height and distance to the green. I decide to play a controlled hook around the tree. I first adopt a closed stance. (bleow).

The dotted line will give some indication of the position of the feet in relation to the green, which is just out of sight behind the tree on the left. The face of the club should also be slightly closed.

Endeavour to keep the swing as flat as possible, almost below the shoulder blades (at left). In hitting firmly through the ball, try and roll the right hand over the left in the follow-through as shown above: This should also help to maintain the flat swing on the follow through.