Trouble Shots

[Abominals]

How and how often do you practice trouble shots?

Was watching an old episode of The Golf Fix last night where he was talking about trouble shots. One example was a shot you need to go 100 yards but the tree line makes you need to keep it under 10 or 15 feet off the ground. I usually go to the range and work on my full normal swing. I mix in some work on draws and fades, but that's it. I would think it's a good idea to mix in some work on these other type of shots, any good ideas for that?

[LuciusWooding]

I practice trouble shots around the green, but I don't think they're a point of emphasis otherwise. As long as you know roughly how to hit off different lies, you should be able to create something swing wise. Most of the time if I'm in bad enough trouble to not be able to take a full swing, I consider a thin shot that gets me into an open space to be good enough, so that's not a very high standard to shoot for.

[boogielicious]

How and how often do you practice trouble shots?

Was watching an old episode of The Golf Fix last night where he was talking about trouble shots. One example was a shot you need to go 100 yards but the tree line makes you need to keep it under 10 or 15 feet off the ground. I usually go to the range and work on my full normal swing. I mix in some work on draws and fades, but that's it. I would think it's a good idea to mix in some work on these other type of shots, any good ideas for that?

If you have a range with rough or side hill lies nearby, sneak over to them and practice those shots too.  I do this at one of my ranges.  I will take 2 or 3 balls at most during a session just to see how it feels.

[David in FL]

How and how often do you practice trouble shots?

Was watching an old episode of The Golf Fix last night where he was talking about trouble shots. One example was a shot you need to go 100 yards but the tree line makes you need to keep it under 10 or 15 feet off the ground. I usually go to the range and work on my full normal swing. I mix in some work on draws and fades, but that's it. I would think it's a good idea to mix in some work on these other type of shots, any good ideas for that?

Very seldom.  And when I do, it's not heroic recovery shots.   I work on flighting the ball up or down, and can curve it minimally each way, but I try hard to avoid even attempting heroic shots as they tend to make a bad situation worse more often than not.

My basic philosophy......don't follow a bad shot with a stupid one.

I do hit a handful of sand shots, both greenside and fairway, and a handful of mid-range pitches and flops as part of my warm-up if I can.  But I don't consider those in the same league as trying to hit a hard, low, cutter out of the woods when the smart play would be to take your medicine, punch out and take the big number out of play.

[RayG]

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and give a shot a try. Using whatever club you think will do that particular job. If you think the gap is wide enough, or the lie is good enough, then give it a go once in awhile. You will gain confidence later on and might be able to shave a stroke or two in a round. My latest "get out of trouble" club is my R11s fairway. From under trees, behind trees, etc... I can work in it low in either direction most of the time. Just last week, hit a poor drive into the semi forest on the right side- I had an opening backwards to the fairway, but that would have left a loooooooong third into a well protected green. I was blocked on a direct line to the hole, but there was a gap that I could shoot for and try and bend it around to the right and down towards the hole before going all the way across into the lake on the other side. Choke down and take a controlled fade swing- ball took off trough the gap no more than 10 feet off the ground and gently turned to the right and ran down the right middle of the fairway. It went about 125-135 yards and left an easy 9 iron into the green. A day or two earlier I was stuck under an expansive tree about 40 yds short of the green. No place to go but LOOOOOW. It was fairly flat and hardpan all the way, so I took my putter and stroked it towards the left side to avoid the trap right front. Hopped and skipped to about 20 feet left and just past the hole. Eventually, if you play long enough you get a feel for what you can and cannot do, or shouldn't even attempt. If you never try it and always go for the "safe play", you could be giving away a stroke to your buddy and could mean the difference between paying for the drinks, or getting the freebies.

[TheKewTour]

I enjoy going to the driving range and pretending tree is in the way and try hook and slice intentionally.

Funnily, I find it easier to hook the ball. If im on the course I only use the shot on few holes, if needed, where I know if shot goes straight I still have better shot then just tapping out, otherwise I just pitch out.

What is best way to intentionally draw and hook for you? I normally aim body, shoulders and feet at where ball wants to start and clubhead at target. I do also use hands little more too.

Anybody got any other ideas or extra help?

I also enjoy practicing the flop shot. Not too bad at it.