Easy Golf: The Long Game

Before you ever get to the green and eye those careful putts, you've got to make sure your strokes off the tee send the ball arching down the fairway, not hooking or slicing into the rough or a bunker. That's what this helpful guide to the long game is all about: how to manage the woods and long irons and when to use each, off the tee and on the fairway. You get simple tips on how to cope with difficult shots from sloping lies, how to measure the effects of wind, and how to get out from under trees. Find out how to play long shots from short rough and how to escape from low-lipped bunkers. The long game is about the tactics of course management, and you'll find helpful advice on how to get to know the subtle difficulties of the course and how to make the most of your capabilities, neither taking too many risks nor playing it too safely. There's also expert wisdom on how and why to try for uphill putts instead of downhill ones and how to maneuver for best positioning, as well as advice on staying mentally positive -- the single biggest difference between the great pros and the near-greats.