For many pro golfers, the popular phrase ‘aim small, miss small’ is one they have worked into their subconscious over a sustained period of time. The idea that picking a very specific target will help you play a more accurate shot and ensure that if it is missed, the ball will still be in a strong position.
For Charley Hull, however, the World No.10 says that theory is particularly difficult for her to execute at St Andrews’ Old Course – site of this year’s AIG Women’s Open.
The Englishwoman is hoping to go one better than she managed at Walton Heath in 2023, where she finished six shots behind champion Lilia Vu in second. Hull tees off alongside Vu and World No.1 Nelly Korda at 1:10pm BST in round one on Thursday.
If she is to do so, Hull admits will have to rely on help form her caddie, Adam Woodward in picking out starting points in the distance.
Asked what she has learned about navigating links courses more successfully as her career has progressed, the 28-year-old said: “Well, a couple of weeks ago, my coach got me working on doing a lot of three-quarter swings because my golf swing got a little bit too long.
“But now I kind of understand why he’s got me working on the three-quarter swings because he’s just kind of introduced me to a low ball flight for these couple of weeks coming up for the links. So I think you’ve just got to be patient out there.”
Hardly ever a host course for a pro women’s event, Hull shared she has only played the Old Course a handful of times in her life so far.
But going on to explain why she finds St Andrews tougher than most links courses, Hull said: “I do find St Andrews, actually, a harder links for me. Not necessarily because it’s super tough but because there’s not — you can’t really [pick out] the lines in the fairways, like, it just looks very open. So it’s quite hard to pick, like, a point in the distance.
“Usually, I like really tight fairways like Sahalee [Country Club – 2024 Women’s PGA Championship host] because you kind of see the ball shape and, like, where to hit it. So, out here, you’ve got to be very focussed on your point and your target. So that was my caddie, Adam’s, job.”
The AIG Women’s Open will only be Hull’s fourth competitive start since pulling out of the Aramco Series London event through injury back in July.
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