The punch is one of the most important shots in golf. Ian Poulter Punch Shot Video Tips will explain exactly how to play it...

Ian Poulter Punch Shot Video Tips

As I’ve already mentioned, the hybrid is one of the most versatile clubs in the bag and that includes offering the ability to play a punch. To do that you’ll need to make some small, but crucial changes at address to help you bring the initial ball flight down. here's how you do it...

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Ball position

With any club in the bag, if you want to hit a punch you need to move the ball back in your stance. The same rules apply with your hybrids and I’ll move mine back in the stance to bring down the initial trajectory of the shot. By doing this you are effectively taking loft away from the clubface.

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Grip position

The next thing you need to do is grip down the club. By doing that you are reducing the overall length of the club and that allows you to stand closer to the ball. As a result, I can get the club slightly steeper on the way back and hit down more effectively through impact, reducing the trajectory of the shot. It should feel as if you are trapping the ball through impact, creating a small divot and producing a much lower flight. By making these changes you can still get the distance you’d expect from your hybrid but from a much lower flight.

Ian Poulter: What’s In The Bag?

Driver: Titleist 915 D2 9.5˚

Fairaway wood: Titleist 915 F 15˚

Hybrid: Titleist 915 Hd 20.5 & 23.5˚

Irons: Titleist 716 CB 5 & 6-iron, Titleist 716 MB 7 to 9-iron

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM5 48˚, 52˚, 56˚& 63˚

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron GSS Newport 2

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Neil Tappin
Editor

In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf. 

Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points. 


Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X