Polo Tip #29: Belly Shots – Don’t They Do Those in Mexico?

This shot used to be called the millionaire’s shot. Because swinging into the legs of the horse would usually require getting new horses to replace the ones you lamed up. Well, thankfully, in today’s polo, our intent is to hit the ball, not the legs.

So how can one pull off a belly shot and why would one even want to.

The second part of the question is a good one as belly shots are a low percentage shot. It is like that between the legs tennis return that looks cool, but falls in the low percentage category.

A neck shot or tail shot would both be higher percentage. Even if you execute a belly shot correctly, there are lots of moving parts for that ball to pass through. However, there are times when a belly shot may just come in handy if you need it. Kind of like that sand wedge in your golf bag. You don’t use it that often, but it sure comes in handy when you need it. … Continue Reading

Polo Tip #26: Playing Smart — Higher Percentage Shots

Play Your Higher Percentage Shots/Plays. You should know the shots you are most comfortable with in making from your stick and balling. Those are the ones you should depend on in competitive play. In addition, you should always try to practice the more difficult shots as much as possible, so that when the play situation calls for that particular stroke, you have some familiarity with it.

If you are able to stick and ball regularly, you need to start to imagine play situations to help you become more effective on the field of play. For example, practicing a tail shot to the middle from the end line, as opposed to an impossible neck shot. Or even a short back shot from the end line to a teammate behind you, so that the ball does not roll over the end line, setting the other team up for a knock-in. There are times when it would be better to let that ball roll over the back line, depending on the positioning of the two teams, but having the ability to execute a short back shot to a teammate is a good thing to practice. Many teams get the ball down field, but are unable to successfully navigate the ball to goal, as most shots are wide of goal. Often times the player may have been able to get off a higher percentage shot if they were able to think a little more about ball placement, speed, and shot selection as they were approaching goal. These are things you can practice or simulate while stick and balling, instead of running around for thirty minutes hitting offside forehanders as hard as you can. However, I will admit that running around just hitting offside forehanders can be pretty good therapy on certain days.

Polo Tip #25: Playing Smart — Meeting the Play

Ride in the Direction of the Pack/Meeting the Play.

You will see some of the awesome magicians of our sport run into a melee, opposite of the direction of others and emerge from the pack with the ball and continue down to goal. It is always wonderful to watch, but not quite as easy to execute. I would advise for the most part, that players learn to turn with the direction of the flow of horses, so that you are in better position to defend the attacking players. When you see the pack beginning to turn, begin to slow your horse and prepare to turn, but first, yep, field awareness-never check or turn without checking in on the position of all of the players around you. Meeting players at speed can be very dangerous. In most cases, you try to meet a player in possession, you do not get the ball, and then you have left your back to the game and it is almost impossible to get back into position.

Polo Tip #24: Playing Smart — Recognize A Lost Play And Ride To The Next Play

You are running after someone carrying the ball down the field. They are almost at the ball and you are trailing ten or more yards behind. Consider trying to anticipate which direction they will try to hit and plot a better course to that next play as opposed to following the footprints of the player you are pursuing. Be careful to look around in all directions before you take to your new course and be aware of new angles that may come into play as you progress down the field. Once you learn to cut corners so to speak, you may vary some from the existing line of the ball. You may get into better position more often, but you may also be somewhat off the line of the ball, and will have to re-adjust to whatever the current line and associated right of ways.

Polo Tip #22: Playing as a Team

Some define team play as combining individual energy to strengthen the team. Some see it as a chance to get together with friends and build comraderie. Maybe the game offers both. I was gifted with the experience of Intercollegiate Polo and then again the High Goal Professional Arena Leagues in Los Angeles. In both cases, I was able to experience staying with the same team for four years.

It is pretty exciting to work with the same teammates over a period of time to develop team strength. By team strength I mean the extra handicap goals of the team that are in excess of the sum of the individual handicaps. The paper might have shown our three handicaps totaling 23 goals in LA, but we were easily playing as a 26-goal team.

Why? We played together, supported each other, but most importantly, we were very clear on each other’s strengths and weaknesses and had learned to adapt our individual styles to benefit the characteristics of the team. … Continue Reading

Polo Tip #20: Field Awareness

“Field Awareness”, next to horsemanship, is probably the most important factor when it comes to your own safety as well as the ability to make better play decisions. “Field Awareness” is knowing the positioning of all the players and umpires on the field of play, along with the current line of the ball and associated right of-way to the line. The line of the ball and the associated right of way probably always have three dimensions: The current line of the ball, the previous line of the ball, and the next line of the ball. This may seem somewhat complicated and it probably is. However, remembering where the play came from, where it is now, and where it may be going is what experienced players are considering as they move around the field. The player positions and the line of the ball are always in a state of change, and it is to your advantage to be aware of the developing play when plotting your new course. … Continue Reading

Polo Tip #19: The Break Away

The Break Away – Well, every once in a while, we all miss our man. Missing a man often times results in the development of a breakaway. Now how do we handle this opportunity that each team will be given a limited number of times in every match.

A great deal of the time, a breakaway results in missed opportunity as opposed to another tally on the scoreboard.

The best thing to keep in mind is trying to hit controlled shots to your own advantage. If opponents are chasing from the left, hit up at slight angles to the right and vice-versa. … Continue Reading

Polo Tip #17: Player Number Three

Player Number Three, Greatest Attributes: Playmaker. Field Leader.

In the highest levels of polo, you have four ten goal players who are each able to dedicate their talents to the positions that they are playing on the field. For the rest of us, there is usually a considerable mix of talents within a team. The result is that the more experienced players on the team usually fall in the Number Two and Three slots. The Number Four and Number One Positions are traditionally reserved for the developing amateurs. In almost any level of play, the Number Three position is often the most experienced player on the team, and sometimes of greater ability. This player has the gift of being able to see the field and adjust to the never-ending changes of the play situations and player positionings. This player, while on the run through a melee, or diving in to get possession of the ball, is simultaneously viewing the “field” and formuating a strategy for the next offensive attack, or even making adjustments in the current offensive attack. They know their teammates, their opponents, the horses, and the abilities. They combine all of that information with the current layout and positioning of the field and formulate a strategy, often times, literally, while they are on the run. This player is also usually highly skilled at taking penalty shots, specifically number fours and number fives. The greatest skill behind a penalty shot is to be able to loft the ball accurately. Two of the greatest Penalty hitters in the game of polo were Bennie Guitierrez and Roy Barry. Both of those players could consistently add six or seven goals, each game, on penalty shots alone. The top quarterback in polo have the ability to hit the long high ball accurately, making them very effective with the number four penalties and allowing them great placement for their number five penalties. They may also hit the open goal penalties, but some times you will see a different player on the team take the open goal penalties. A number three who has a high percentage of conversion on penalty shots will most often also have a high percentage of wins.

Polo Tip #16: Hooking Mallets

Hooking is the second best alternative in the list of defensive plays. If we place our self in position properly as soon as the play turns, we should be able to get advantage on our opponent with a ride-off and have the ball on our free side to hit. However, many players will try to race to the ball as we all have at least one of the fastest horses in polo. If we all have at least one of the fastest, often times more than one, that means there are a lot of “fastest horses in polo”.

No wonder we are often hooked by others when we don’t take the man first.

Hooking is usually the next best option when you have missed your man, as you have the best chance to stop the hit on the ball. Riding a man off on the far side from the side that they are hitting is not always very effective. Hooking is. When you go to hook a mallet, you need to be prepared to hook several times on the same play if you are up against a skilled player. We use the term hooking, but you are not really hooking the mallet, you are actually hitting their cane to deflect it from being able to get to the ball. If you do get hooked and stuck together, try to untangle the mallets quickly. If you are riding away from each other and your mallets are hooked, remember that dropping your mallet hurts a lot less than falling off!! … Continue Reading

Polo Tip #14: Playing The Number Two Position

Position Number Two, Greatest Attributes: Effort, Horses, Finesse

Considered the Workhorse of the team, as they need to mark the opposing number three. Usually this player has to either be the best mounted or very skillful at getting the most from their horses. This is because their responsibility is to neutralize the player who often times is the most experienced player on the opponents team, the number three, literally the opposing quarterback. The number two supports the attack when on offense and works closely with their own number three player when on defense. Often times the number two player can account for the majority of the field goals as the number one player opens up opportunities for the number two to score on. You will hear a lot said about dribbling versus hitting away at goal in the game of polo. The decision is really dictated by the play situation and defensive player positioning. It is my experience that a player who can do either is a complete player. The Number Two player plays optimistically, which simply means taking more chances at trying to create opportunities. This is in contrast with the Number Four player, who would be more defensively oriented. The greatest strength of a Number Two is if they can effectively disarm the opposing Number Three’s efforts to direct the offense of the opponents. A great Number Two does this by better anticipation to the play, combined with the ability to handle the ball successfully. A Good Number Two is one who is able to shut down any offensive or defensive efforts by the opposing Number three. At the least, a Number Two should be able to control the opposing Number Three on their offensive drives.