I developed this low flight tee in the late 90’s to make sure I can compete in any conditions. The sting would give me an edge on the windy days of the Open Championship, when you really can’t control anything that flies too high.
It was not an easy shot to master. I had to get stronger, especially with my forearms, to be able to cut the swing immediately after the impact to hit this blow. After a lot of fieldwork, I felt comfortable putting it in competition. And she has been a constant constant – with slight variations – throughout my career and all my swing changes.
Here’s something you may not know: the name “sting” didn’t come to mind. This same magazine gets credit.
In 2000, Golf Digest asked me to demonstrate shooting for an article. The photographer (Stephen Szurlej) was crouching about 10 meters in front of me and asked me to hit the stinger above his head. I don’t think he realized how low this ball comes off his face. It was on the ground, but I hit one that could not miss the head of more than a few centimeters.
The hissing sound prompted him to take the rest of the photos by operating the shutter remotely. The first hit, with the ball still in the frame, went to the magazine next to the title “Tiger Stinger Super”. As far as I know, it is the first time that someone calls it a stinger, but the name has remained. Some of the photos from that shoot are included in this article, so you can compare them to how I play this shot two decades later. It is impossible to overstate how crucial it is to have a ball off the pitch, a shot you can trust to find the fairway when you really need it. I always felt I had more control over a shot when I hit it. That’s why when I have to put one into play with the pilot, I usually turn to an overwhelming cut. It may not go up to a regular pilot, but I can check it out. I’ll move on to the stinger if it’s really solid and there’s nothing to carry, it’s just easier to keep something in line. You give up a little distance, but the shot is so reliable. At the 2006 Open Championship, where I hit a driver all week, I used the stinger countless times and won with two shots.
In the late 90s, I used a 2 iron almost exclusively to play this shot. So the design of the 3 woods has improved and I was able to take off with that club. Since I don’t hit a 2-iron or 3-wood like it used to, I now sometimes hit the stinger with a driver to pick up a few more meters.
My technique for this shot has changed slightly over the years, but many of the basic principles are the same, as you can see from my recent photos with the black shirt and from those of that 2000 article. It’s nice to know that after all this time, he is still a reliable friend.
I’m a little closer to the ball than normal. This allows me to cover it better, which means a swing through which my chest stays more on top of the ball. Remember, don’t sweep this T shot, you hit us a little. I play the ball further back than usual, but not as much as I used to. Just enough to get some loft out of the way.
My main thought for backswing is to keep my weight centered. Unlike a normal guide in which you feel your back foot gaining weight, the stinger seems to be more on my front. This is the key to the angle of attack.
This may seem contradictory: you have to hit the ball. . . but not too much. If you are really steep, you will put too much backspin on the ball and it can swell if there is some kind of breeze in your face.
Another thing to remember is that from the top of the swing, you have to start moving the left side quickly away, because you are closer to the ball than normal. I’ve always snapped my left knee on the downswing, which you’ll see when you turn the page. That click helps free up space for the club’s free movement.
Everything seems piled in the same vertical plane as the club approaches the ground. The lower part of my body is clearing up, but my chest is still on top of the ball. Here’s what it looks like “covering it”. Also, note how my hands are almost above the top of the ball in this same photo, but the clubhead is far behind. It stays that way until the last millisecond, then reaches and compresses the ball from a delta position.
Even though my pants were a bit loose in 2000, I can assure you that my left leg was broken on impact as it appears here.
The club remains low enough after the impact. This is proof that I was not too steep in the impact zone.
Another key to the sting is to cut follow-through as quickly as possible. I feel like I am stopping my hands right after the impact, although these photos show the momentum that has taken my arms and the club far beyond that point. It takes good forearm strength to control the club in this way, but it is necessary. The lower I want the ball to fly, the faster I will stop the swing. In summary: come closer, cover the ball and cross the finish line. Here’s how you sting it.
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