GOLF.com: Vijay Singh's Pebble Beach Range Secret — Why the Low Stinger Is a Must

A Lesson Hidden in Plain Sight on the Range

Mark Grace, celebrated in baseball as one of the purest contact hitters of his era, has become a familiar face on the celebrity golf circuit in retirement. A long-time AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am participant, Grace shared a memorable story on the Subpar podcast about an unexpected lesson from Vijay Singh.

Feeling nervous before his round at Pebble Beach, Grace was warming up on the range when Singh — then at the peak of his powers — placed his bag next to him. What surprised Grace wasn't Singh's company, but his warm-up routine: the three-time major champion went straight to Driver, skipping wedges and mid-irons entirely.

The Stinger That Changed How Grace Thought About Pebble

Singh didn't blast high, booming drives. Instead, he choked down on the grip and struck a series of low, penetrating shots that barely climbed 15 feet off the ground — what Grace called "pure bullets."

When Grace asked Singh about the method, the answer was direct:

"When you play Pebble Beach, you better have that shot. It can be blowing 45 miles per hour. You better have it or you're going home."

Strokeslab Takeaway: Build Your Shot Menu Before You Need It

Singh's approach reflects something elite players understand intuitively: course-specific preparation matters more than generic ball-striking practice. At a coastal venue like Pebble Beach, where wind is a permanent variable, having a reliable low stinger isn't optional — it's essential course management.

For amateurs, the lesson extends beyond Pebble. Practicing only your "standard" shot leaves you exposed when conditions demand something different. Deliberately expanding your shot repertoire — low, high, fade, draw — is how you build the adaptability that separates consistent scorers from one-dimensional swingers.