Dogleg Right Golf Holes
By Steve Silverman
Most golf courses will have anywhere between five and eight dogleg holes. The majority of these are doglegs that bend to the right. In order to play dogleg holes, the golfer has to decide whether to hit the ball straight or try to overcome the bend in the hole by cutting the corner with a shot that goes over the hazards.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Determine whether you have a shot at cutting the corner on the dogleg right hole. If you get good distance on your drives and the dogleg is less than 220 yards from the tee, you may want to go for it. For right-handed golfers, you will want to hit a fade (left to right movement) so you can get the ball on line to the green.
Alter your aim in order to get over the hazards. In most cases, you will be hitting over trees on a dogleg hole. If you are trying to get over a high barrier on a short hole, use a 3-wood or a 5-wood instead of your driver. Aim to the right because that's where you want the ball to go.
Open your stance a bit. While your body and arms will be aiming to the right, take your front leg (left) and aim it a bit to the left. The combination of your foot placement and your aim will cause your ball to fade in a left-to-right manner.
Play it straight if the dogleg is more than 250 yards away. Trying to cut the corner on a long hole is a big mistake. You will end up with a poor result or a lost ball. Hit the ball straight and in the middle of the fairway. That will give you a great angle on your next shot when you will have to hit a fade to come around the corner and put yourself in position to hit a short wedge for your third shot.
Do not try to overpower the ball under any circumstances. It is your technique and skill (and not your power) that will help you overcome a long dogleg hole. Concentrate on your form and make a smooth, steady swing rather than a powerful one.
Tips & Warnings
Work on your fade while at the driving range. This is a natural shot for a right-handed golfer.
About The Author
Steve Silverman is an award-winning writer, covering sports since 1980. Silverman authored The Minnesota Vikings: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Who's Better, Who's Best in Football -- The Top 60 Players of All-Time, among others, and placed in the Pro Football Writers of America awards three times. Silverman holds a Master of Science in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
