Punch

Punch Shots
What, Why and How
by Mark Blakemore, PGA Professional
What is a punch shot?

Punch
A controlled, low shot often taken out of the rough or to keep the ball below the wind.
MyGolfRounds.com Golfing Terms Glossary ...

The punch shot has saved me countless strokes over the years. In the 1986 Masters, the punch came to my rescue on the 1st hole, after my tee-shot strayed under a tree.

All golfers have faced this very situation from time to time and you basically have two choices, either 1) punch out into the fairway sacrificing distance or 2) curve the ball around the trees and up the fairway toward the green.

PUNCH THROUGH
To punch the ball (here, through the gap between the rocks and the large branch), lean your weight slightly forward and commit to making a swing down into the turf to promote a low ballflight.

Punch shot
A shot played with a very low trajectory, usually to avoid interference from tree branches when a player is hitting from the woods. Similar to the knock-down, it can also be used to avoid high winds.

Punch shot
low controlled shot into the wind it is made by slamming the club down into the ball with a short swing
Push ...

punch shot-- A type of shot produced with a short swing that results in a low trajectory.

Punch: A shot, played intentionally low, to avoid wind, trees or other obstacles. The shot is played with a short backswing with the ball positioned rearward in the stance.

punch A low loft shot, usually played to reduce the effect of drag during windy conditions.
putt A shot made with a putter on the green.
putt out Similar to "hole out", it means to complete the hole with the putter.

Punch Shot: Where the ball is struck on the down-stroke of a partial swing resulting in a short low shot; typically used to hit the ball out of rough or to keep the ball below the wind.

Punch Shot: A low-flying shot played with an abbreviated backswing and finish. The key to the shot is having the hands slightly ahead of the clubhead at impact, which reduces the effective loft of the club.

Punch Shot : A shot played with less than a full swing, usually to control distance, trajectory and spin.

PUNCH (submitted by: tiger101)
A low stinger-type shot that is used to get under an obstacle such as a tree.
PUTTER
Club with a flat face used in putting- in the green ...

Punch
A low, controlled shot hit into the wind. As a verb, to hit such a shot.
Punch Low ...

Play the punch shot.
Using a pitching wedge or a nine-iron, position the ball back in your stance, opposite the right foot. Close the clubface slightly. On the backswing, break the wrists early, picking up the clubhead sharply.

Punch - shot which flies low to the ground.
Putt - shot played with a putter on the green.
Putter - a straight-faced club used on the green.
Rough - long grass.
Run - the distance the ball travels along the ground.

If you have a 140 yard shot to a green, it may be a full 7 iron, an easy 6 iron, a punch 5 iron, etc..

When a boxer throws a punch, it starts with the power in the lower body. As they start to punch, they step off their back foot and throw their weight into the direction of the punch.

A kick or punch can result in a nasty hole or slice through the door. A slice can seem impossible to fix, especially in a hollow core door. Unlike solid doors, hollow core doors have nothing but air between the door shell.

Thus, if your ball is in the woods with only a small opening through the trees to the green, go for the safe punch out to the fairway, even if it doesn't advance your distance.

If you need distance from the rough, move the ball back in your stance, close the clubface a bit and hit a punch shot. Hit the ball hard with your right hand (for right-handed golfers) and it should come out low and run long.

Feel what it's like to get the hands in front of the ball creating knockdown, punch shots. Use a pitching wedge and develop an awareness at impact with the hands ahead of the clubhead.

Unfortunately, many weekend golfers have a hard time just punching out of a bunker, let alone landing close to the hole.
So you are not alone. The reason weekend golfers have trouble getting out of greenside bunkers may be because of their approach.

Aerification, or aeration, is the process of punching small holes in the green; actually, small "cores" of turf and sod are cut and removed from the green (read more about aerification and its purposes here), which leaves holes.

When using the short irons, moving forward over the ball will promote a steeper swing and help "punch" the ball out without catching too much grass.
4. Adjust Your Distance ...

There may well be stresses and strains but there are rarely tears and although grim expressions, punching the air and other desperate mannerisms have crept into the matches in recent years, they are still relatively subdued.

punch: A shot hit lower with the ball back in the stance and a shorter than normal follow through.
push: A straight shot that flies to the right of the target.
putter: A straight-faced club generally used on the greens.

Punch shot - A low, hard shot played predominantly with the hands
Push - An off target shot that flies directly right
Putt - A golf shot played with a putter
Release - Wrist action as the clubhead comes into the ball ...

See also: Golf, Swing, Shot, Rough, Hit