A Round With Keith Foxton

No. 15: Par 3

At this short hole I like to tee a little to the right and hit for the right-hand edge of the green as a bunker guards the left hand side and the terrain runs down to the pin from the right. We will assume that my tee shot landed in the shallow bunker on the left. In this case the ball is sitting up on level sand, minimising many of the problems associated with a bunker shot. For this type of bunker shot the ball is played well forward off the left foot, with the hands slightly behind the club head and the face of the club slightly open (below centre). This tends to allow the club head to slide through the sand without digging in too deep. Aiming about an inch behind the ball, swing through the ball, trying to take about one inch of sand (below, centre right). This is a semi-explosion shot. Endeavour throughout to keep the club head open and swing the club through and straight out towards the pin as in below, extreme right.

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. 16: Par 4

This hole is reasonably straight-forward provided that the player keeps well away from the hated bank below the terrace green on the right. To give me more green to hit to for my second shot, I aim my tee shot to the left, along the path of the dotted line (right). Notwithstanding this precaution, we will assume I have pushed my second below the green and under that terrible bank (below). To extricate myself from this predicament, it is Absolutely Essential to use the correct club, say a bunker iron or a pitching wedge. The shot, with the correct club, is then simplified. It is futile to try and hack out of the fairly long grass up a steep slope, with a low-loft club. The shot is played exactly in the same manner as the bunker shot described on the preceding page, although in this case, the club head will not dig into the soil as it did the sand. The photographs below centre and below right show stance and follow through, with the club head swung through towards the pin.

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The Nelson Photo News

No 104 : June 28, 1969

A Round With Keith Foxton

No. 15: Par 3

No. 16: Par 4