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Fix your game with CNN's golf guru
 Chris Meadows -- 25 years experience as a golf coach. GOLF MAILBAG
RELATEDON CNNI TV
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Golf Mailbag gives you the chance to put your golfing questions to CNN's resident professional, Chris Meadows. Whether it's a putting problem, an etiquette issue or a query about the professional game, Chris can help. E-mail him at golfmailbag@cnn.com. Q: I have been asked to join a group of friends for a trip to St Andrews in the coming weeks and am nervous as I've played all my golf on inland courses. Can you tell me what type of shots I should practice in order to prepare for links golf. A: Michael, If you've never played links golf before, let me begin by saying you're in for a treat. This is how golf began and every golfer should experience this form of play, it's a joy. Now for the shots; you need to practice consider the following: 1. It is almost always breezy or windy at links course -- therefore you should start practicing low shots with your irons. Place the ball an inch further back in your stance. Feel your hands are ahead of the clubface at address and when you swing use a 3/4 backswing. As you come through the ball keep the hands slightly ahead of the clubhead and drive the ball forwards to your target. 2. Low running shots. A links course such as St Andrews is built on sand. Therefore it drains very quickly; combine this with a constant breeze and it's almost always firm. High pitch don't work so well in these conditions so practice lots of 7 iron chip and runs. Even work with your putter from long range and it can be a real shot saver around the greens. 3. Club selection -- So many players these days throw out their 3 iron in favor of a 7 or 9 wood. This is a great idea on an inland course, but you may want to get some practice in with the 3 iron and put it back in the bag to play at St Andrews. Keeping the ball low to the ground will give you control over your ball. Q: I'm a 9 handicapper but recently have been having problems retaining my handicap due to a "fat" shot creeping into my game. This is happening more often with my irons and occasionally with my fairway woods from the grass. I have also found myself pulling quite a few short irons. A: Sam, I teach many golfers who suffer from similar symptoms as those you describe. Almost always its due to weight transfer on the forward swing. Remember as you begin your forward movement you need to push you weight from your right foot (assuming you're a right-hander) across to your left heel. From here you will be able to rotate your hips to face the target, thus enabling your clubhead to contact the ball correctly. Many golfers begin their forward swing by rotating their left hip, while leaving their weight on their right foot. This will cause the club to swing left across the ball, resulting in the pull shot you describe and often you'll hit behind the ball. A good swing thought is to imagine your body fully rotated (think of Tiger Woods) facing the target with the weight firmly on your left foot. This aspiration often takes care of all the technical aspects of what you're trying to achieve. Good luck! 
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