In golf, the term “check up” refers to a specific type of shot where the ball lands on the green and immediately stops or quickly decelerates upon hitting the surface. When a golf ball checks up, it doesn't roll much after impact and typically leaves a small divot or indentation on the green.
The ability to make the ball check up can be advantageous in certain situations, such as when you need to hit a precise approach shot to a pin location with little room for error or when you want to avoid the ball rolling off the back of the green. It allows you to control the distance the ball travels and potentially create backspin, helping the ball stop quickly upon landing.
To make the ball check up, a golfer typically employs a combination of the following techniques:
- Clean Contact: Making clean contact with the ball is crucial. It's important to strike the ball with a descending blow, ensuring a crisp and solid impact.
- Backspin: Generating backspin on the ball can contribute to its ability to check up. To produce backspin, focus on creating a steep angle of attack and imparting some extra spin on the ball. This can be achieved by having a slightly open clubface at impact and making a divot after the ball.
- Club Selection: The choice of club can also influence the ability to make the ball check up. Clubs with higher lofts, such as wedges (e.g., pitching wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge), are generally more effective at producing backspin and stopping the ball quickly.
- Green Conditions: The condition of the green, including its firmness, slope, and the grass type, can affect how the ball reacts upon landing. Softer greens tend to be more receptive to check-up shots, while firmer greens may cause the ball to release more after landing.
Keep in mind that making the ball check up consistently requires practice and skill. It's advisable to experiment with different techniques, practice various shots, and adapt to the specific conditions of the course you are playing on. Additionally, seeking guidance from a golf professional can provide you with personalized instruction and help refine your ability to control the ball and make it check up effectively.
Check Up (as in Making the Ball Check Up), Golf Term:A golf shot is said to check up (or check) when it stops abruptly on the green due to a high rate of backspin. Advanced players can impart ample spin to make shots check up, sometimes after one or two forward bounces.
