Overcoming Problem Shots

6:33 pm May 16, 2009

A. Taming the Rough

Unless all your shots travel the perfect line and distance, eventually
you’ll find the rough. Unlike the mown grass of fairways and greens,
rough can be long and shaggy, sometimes making it hard to find,
let alone hit, your ball.

Because the ball can sink into long grass, you can’t rely on a
standard technique to get free. You must change your swing to tame
the rough stuff.

Whenever you’re in the rough, assess the lie carefully. Is the ball sit
ting high or has it dropped into the jungle? If it’s up, you may be able
to take a long iron or wood and swing normally.

But usually the ball is at least some of the way down, so your only
play might be nothing more than taking a short iron and blasting into
the fairway.

Your primary concern is to get out, even if you advance the ball only
a few yards.

Select a club, set the clubface square, play the ball in the middle of
your stance, and choke down on the grip. Hold the club above the
grass until you swing; pushing it down may make the ball fall
deeper.

Make a steep swing so the clubface encounters limited resistance
from the grass. However, some grass will wrap around the club on
the downswing, closing the face so the ball flies left; aim slightly
right at address to compensate.

Swing hard, but don’t bring your hands back higher than your
shoulders; the shortened swing helps maintain balance.

Balls coming out of rough tend to be “hot.” Grass getting between
your club and the ball at impact decreases spin, so shots fly lower
than normal and roll after landing — from wet rough the ball
flies even hotter. Plan accordingly.

Should your ball find greenside rough, play the shot like an
explosion from sand. Using a sand wedge, open your stance (aiming
shoulders, hips, and feet left of your target), play the ball forward in
your stance, and make a wide, U-shaped swing.

Hit behind the ball so it pops up and out; hitting too close launches a
hot shot sure to fly the green.

B. Hitting From a Slope

Despite your best intentions, the ball won’t always settle on levelground. Eventually you’ll have to hit off a hilly lie — the ball aboveyour feet, below your feet, on an upslope, or on a down slope. Playing off a hill requires proper balance, club selection, and ballflight. Here’s how to make the grade from any grade.

C. Uphill/Downhill Lies

To make a good swing and maintain your balance, set your hips and
shoulders parallel to the slope. On an uphill lie that means moving
your back foot (the right foot for a right-hander) slightly down the
hill; on a downhill lie, reposition your forward (left) foot down the
hill.

In both cases, take your stance so the ball is closer to the higher foot
(left on an uphill lie, right on a downhill). Swing the club along the
angle of the hill. The steeper the incline, the easier it is to lose
balance, so make a shorter-than-normal swing.

Slope also influences the height and distance of shots, making club
selection crucial. An uphill lie adds loft to the club so the ball flies
higher and not as far; compensate by taking a club with less loft (for
example, hit a 5- or 6-iron from your usual 7-iron distance).
Reverse the procedure from a downhill lie, where you need a morelofted
club. Finally, resist the temptation to help the ball into the air
off a downhill lie; the club can do it.

D. Side Hill Lies

A ball above or below your feet demands altering your posture, with
the lie dictating how to stand. A ball above your feet is closer to your
hands, forcing you to stand taller but also flattening your swing (the
club moves more around the body); conversely, a ball below your
feet is farther away, forcing you to bend more to reach it (and
creating a more up and down swing).

The changes to your swing influence ball flight. The flatter swing
produced when the ball is above your feet means the shot will curve
right to left; allow for the draw by aiming to the right. The steeper
swing caused by a ball below your feet creates a left-to-right
pattern; aim left at address to handle that fade.

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