1. Remember that you must only hit the
ball with the flat face of your stick. The stick's toe has a flat edge and a
rounded edge. When you hold the stick in a regular fashion the flat edge will
face to your left.
2. Practice holding your stick by
shaking hands with it. Your left hand will be at the butt end; make an inverted
"V" shape on the handle with your thumb and forefinger. Place your
right hand halfway down the stick toward the toe keeping your palm against the
back of the stick.
3.
Practice hitting the ball slowly at first, concentrating on
the motion and hand placement. Your left hand will control the stick, and your
right hand will give power and steadiness to the stroke.
4. Maintain a light grip, with your
head up and knees bent for balance. Hitting the ball is simply a transfer of
your body weight from one foot to the other with a snap of your wrist at the
end.
5. Vary this basic hit just a little
bit in order to clear the ball a long way upfield. Close the distance between
your hands on the stick and point your left shoulder in the direction of the
stroke.
6. Reverse your stick if you need to
hit the ball to your right, so that the toe is facing you and the flat edge of
the stick is facing right. Practice turning your stick and hitting in the
reverse direction often - it will make this shot less clumsy.
