Having just experienced the wonder that is pine straw in North Carolina's Pinehurst area, I come to you with a tip for hitting off of the stuff should your drives wander wayward.

First, bear in mind one thing: you can move and brush away any pine straw you like and ground your club. However, doing so is quite likely to cause your ball to move, and that's a penalty. So, we recommend not doing either. Pine straw is incredibly interconnected, like pick-up stix, and moving a few strands will often have a surprising effect.

Hover the clubhead an inch or so off the ground at address. Stand a bit taller to compensate. You want to sweep the ball off the pine straw. If you're going to err one way or the other, err on the side of thin contact. Your goal is to play it almost like a fairway bunker shot - don't hit down on the ball. Keep your lower body quiet and take an extra club so that you can make a more compact, easy swing to maintain your balance.

Oh, and try to choose a line that doesn't involve narrowly avoiding the other pine trunks in the area. Those tend not to work very well, and if you have to chip out sideways, so be it. Make it up with a one-putt or don't hit your drives sideways!

Photo Credit: © Augusta Chronicle.

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