When I was a child, I would sit in rapt attention, staring at our black-and-white TV, wholly entertained by the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters and the team’s stays-in-your-head, signature theme song. Those players could do anything.

They could literally run circles around their opponents. Because they were clearly (to my child’s mind) the very best that professional basketball had to offer, I was convinced the ‘Trotters (as those of us in the know call ‘em) could take on any team in the NBA and win. Sadly, it was my father who laid on the cold truth: it was a performance, an act, and the “opposing” team was in on it. Many of the moves (sinking five, six or more balls in succession) weren’t legal on an actual basketball court. It was a show. The same might be said for golfers who are known for their impressive trick shots, a golfer who can amaze spectators might not be consistent in all necessary shots.

Those tricksters (for lack of a better descriptive word) could be good players. It’s just that it is no guarantee how much a player can impress you with their moves; it doesn’t mean they will become a champion. And they are extremely fun to watch!

Quick test. What is a “One-Foot-Out Blast” or a “Leftie Punch”? How about a “Flop Shot” or a “Chip with the Grip”? Want to try a “Punch Out from your Knees” or “Bellied Wedge”?  No…these aren’t mixed drinks. These are golf “trick shots” developed by very talented golf pros for practical use during a match or to wow internet users via viral videos that garner hundreds of thousands of views.

Sydney-born Joe Kirkwood was one of the greats. (His name is immortalised on a trophy awarded each year to the winner of the Australian PGA Championship).

By the age of 21, he was already a professional and held the course records for Royal Sydney, 69; Royal Melbourne, 70; Metropolitan, 66; and his home club Riversdale, 65. He seemed to be able to win left-handed or right-handed. At the age of 23, Kirkwood played and won both the 1920 Australian and New Zealand Open Championships.  Kirkwood soon became the first Australian golfer to make his mark internationally. Not content to simply play tournaments, he teamed up with the top golf pro of the time, Walter Hagen to perform in a series of stage shows and exhibitions that rapidly became famous for its amazing golf trick shots. One involved rapidly hitting two balls, one a hook and the other a slice. Other tricks involved hitting a golf ball from a tee held in the mouth by a women lying between his feet, or from the face of a watch. His most amazing trick was to balance three balls on top of each other and then only hit the middle one. Even while performing these amazing exhibitions, he continued to play tournaments and win, finishing ninth in a US Open and fourth, three times, in British Opens. Kirkwood, who died in 1970, played more than 6,000 courses in his career and is credited with 29 holes-in one.

You may not be able to pull off any of the above feats, but there are tricks you can apply to your own play to help your game. Try them out at Murray Downs Golf Course or any golf course near you.

Golf legend Ben Hogan offers a “trick” to straighten a wayward swing plane, by keeping both of your triceps pressed tightly against your chest throughout your swing.

Wedge Shots: Pretend the wood you’re hitting is a long-shafted wedge, it will help make a smoother swing, give you solid contact and the ball will go farther.

Hitting the ball lower: Go up two clubs (from a 9-iron to a 7-iron, eg.), choke down on the grip, make a normal swing. You’re more likely to hit a good shot.

Chipped: Don’t go for the obvious wedge. Instead choose an 8- or 9-iron. Go for an even longer club if you need the ball to go a longer distance. A hybrid or fairway wood produces a more predictable chip. Choke down on the shaft, or, use a split grip with a hand on the butt end of the club and the other near the shaft. It’s a shot that can be mastered quickly.

Image by: Eddie Truman