Preparing for unusual lies on golf course key to good round
Before we select a club or make up our mind on how to play a shot, carefully observe the lie of the ball and visualise how the ball is going to fly out of that spot
As I mentioned in last week’s column, one of the more challenging aspects of the game is to be able to adapt to different situations. The ball lying on flat ground is how we normally learn to play and practice. However, we need to alter from the normal, either because of the lie of the ball or because where the ball lies.
Before we select a club or make up our mind on how to play a shot, carefully observe the lie of the ball and visualise how the ball is going to fly out of that spot. Selecting the club and deciding on the method of implementation will go a long way in getting you out of tricky situations. The situation in Pic 1 is that you are just off the green and the flag is also cut close to the front edge of the green. Most golfers would take a lob wedge and play the shot, flying the ball onto the green and the ball would come to rest fairly quickly. However, this shot requires a lot of precision as the area for landing the ball is small and you do not have much margin for error. Here, we can also use the ‘Bump and Run’ shot to great effect.
1. Play the ball back in the stance
2. Pick a flat spot to land the ball (off the green)
3, Keep the swing low to the ground (back and through)
The challenge with the lie in Pic 2 is that the ball is buried in the bunker. It is going to be difficult to control distance from this lie. Getting the ball out and on to the green is a matter of understanding the technique.
1. Instead of opening the clubface, play this shot with a square clubface. This will reduce bounce and allow the club to ‘dig’ into the sand. Remember, we need the clubface to get underneath the ball to get it up in the air
2. Pick the club up steep and hit down where the crater of the lie starts The ball should fly out with less backspin than usual and run a bit after landing. Allow for the roll. In Pic 3, the ball lies in rough, nestled in the grass that surrounds it. Having to hit a full shot from this lie can be difficult for controlling the distance the ball flies. If there is any material that gets in between the clubface and the ball at impact, we get what is called a ‘flier’. There is an inconsistent amount of spin that is imparted to the ball and therefore, we usually get more distance than normal.
Since we know how the ball is going to react, here is what we should do to get greater control:
1. Grip down on the club
2. Take an extra club and swing three-quarter
3. Play for the fatter part of the green – away from trouble
Try to practice some unusual lies as well. It will give you the confidence to play these during a round as you will be able to visualize and anticipate how the ball is going to fly.
(The author has been a golf professional for over 20 years)