Perfecting the Punch Shot: 7 Actionable Tips & Drills for Better Shots

Punch shots are often seen as a way to get out of trouble, but that’s only part of the story.

A good punch shot is just as useful when you’re playing into the wind, navigating a firm links-style course, or looking for a reliable, low-trajectory option under pressure.

Keeping the ball flight down and your swing compact, the punch shot offers control, consistency, and versatility in situations where a full swing might get you into trouble.

If you haven’t learned how to hit one yet, now’s the time. We’ll walk you through simple tips and drills to help you add this shot to your game with confidence.

Better Punch Shots (Key Takeaways)

If you don’t have time to run to the range right now and work on your punch shots, save this post. Here are a few of the most important things to know about how to hit a punch shot.

• To hit great punch shots, your hands should be ahead of the ball at address and then ahead again at impact.
• A flexed lead wrist will ensure a more downward strike and a lower and controlled shot.
• Putting weight forward on a punch shot will keep the golf ball flight down and allow for a steeper angle of attack.
• Don’t forget to use punch shots from various locations around the course, not just when getting the ball out of trouble. With a clear view of a green, the punch is a safe and reliable shot to consider.

7 Ways to Hit Better Punch Shots

Here are 7 ways to hit better punch shots. One thing to remember here is that when you practice hitting punch shots, you’ll want to start recording your distances.

See how far your 8-iron or 6-iron punch shot goes.

When you get to the course, you can use these distances to hit the punch close to the hole.

1. Forward Shaft Lean

To hit a great punch shot, your hands should be slightly ahead of the golf ball at impact.

This forward shaft lean helps lower the ball flight and creates that penetrating trajectory that cuts through wind and stays online.

However, it’s easy to overdo this. Many golfers mistakenly shove their hands too far forward, which often causes the lead wrist to extend and the clubface to open, leading to weak, off-target shots.

Instead, focus on a subtle forward press at setup and maintain a flat or slightly flexed lead wrist through impact. This keeps the clubface square and your punch shots on target.

Punch shots are all about control, not just low flight. So a small adjustment goes a long way; there’s no need to exaggerate it.

2. Take a Narrow Stance

Take a slightly narrower stance than usual. When you do this, you’ll have better balance and control throughout the swing. In addition, you’ll be less likely to take a big swing (which is a good thing).

If your feet are normally shoulder-width apart for a standard shot, start by taking a little half step in with each foot. If that doesn’t feel like enough you can move them closer.

3. Flexed Lead Wrist at Impact

Another important element to hitting a great punch shot is lead wrist flexion at impact.

When your lead wrist is flexed (bowed), the clubface stays square or slightly closed, exactly what you need for a straight, low, and controlled ball flight.

Many golfers make the mistake of arriving at impact with an extended lead wrist, which opens the clubface and adds loft. That’s the opposite of what you want on a punch shot.

With HackMotion, you can track this in real time.

As the club approaches impact, your lead wrist should move from an extended position to flexed.

That movement is key not just for punch shots, but for cleaner, more consistent strikes in your full swing as well.

This drill helps eliminate the open-face, flip-at-impact issues that ruin punch shots and gives you the clubface control needed to hit them low and straight under pressure.

4. Move the Ball Back in The Stance

Place the ball slightly back from the center of your stance, about one to two ball lengths is typically ideal. If the ball is too far forward, your angle of attack will shallow out, and you risk catching it on the upswing or hitting it too high.

Most amateur golfers tend to overdo this and play the ball too far back, often off the back foot, which can lead to chunks or excessive shaft lean.

Instead, think subtle, not extreme. That slight move behind center is enough to lower the ball flight and produce a controlled, penetrating punch shot.

5. Shorten the Backswing

A shorter backswing, about ¾ length, is all you need for punch shots. With this shortened backswing, you will find the ball easier to make contact with, it stays lower, and you will have an easier time maintaining that forward shaft lean.

You can take videos of your golf swing to know how far back you are taking the club. However, another way is to first start with what feels like a half swing to you. Then gradually increase just a bit.

There is no need for the club to go to parallel at the top when hitting a punch shot.

6. Controlled Follow-Through

The follow-through should be abbreviated and controlled. One of our favorite drills with HackMotion is the ‘hit hard, then stop’ drill taught by Rob Cheney.

You’ll be able to control ball flight and clubface angle, and it helps improve overall awareness of the club.

You can use this drill to help you learn how to control the follow-through position and keep the ball flight low.

If you let your club move to that high extended finish, there’s a chance you could hit your punch shot too high.

• Video Timestamp: 4:37

7. Keep Your Weight Forward

When setting up to hit a punch shot, put more weight on your front foot. You want about 65% of your weight on that lead foot. Again, all we are trying to do here is promote a downward strike.

On the backswing, you will still pivot, turn, and transfer weight, but keeping your weight forward ensures the club is traveling in the right direction.

Experiment with this on the range and use it anytime you want to lower that ball flight a bit.

Final Thoughts

You now have all the tools you need to hit great punch shots. The great thing about the punch is that it can also help you learn to make better contact with your irons.

You’ll need to work on that lead wrist position to get this down, and the HackMotion is the perfect way to do that.