Low punch cut

How do you do it?

Hard to believe, I know, but I occasionally find myself off the fairway and sometimes, even more unbelievably, I'm so far off the fairway I am in the trees.  The low punch is a relatively easy shot for me (lots of practice), but I cannot for the life of me get it to turn right.  A low hook is easy as can be for me.  Low punch?  Impossible.

What's the technique?

It's easy. You aim for the open area and shank it into the tree on your right.

I usually play that one when I'm trying to hook it.

I think the primary issue is most people move the ball backward in the stance to hit a shot lower. Then that just promotes a more outward path, which does not produce a cut. Then you have the issue with opening the face which adds loft. A low cut is very tough because it is a shot that is counter to what set up would suggest you do.

I would almost try to keep the ball position the same because it's hard to swing left when the ball is too far back in the stance. Depending on the shot, and how low and how much cut you need.

I would grip the club so it's more open, but then foward shaft lean to deloft it back. I want to create a position where the club has less loft with a slightly open clubface.

Then I would just try to keep that foward shaft lean and swing hard left. I would almost want to hit a straight to a very slight pull punch cut.

For a punch cut I would want a net neutral effect in ball flight coming from the forward shaft lean and the open clubface. I would want to produce the curve with all swing path.

I can hit a punch shot easily with a 6i-GW, and can make it draw or hook, but as soon as I try to make it fade or slice I'll hit it fat.

For me it's just the opposite.  When I play the ball back I almost always fade/slice because I don't finish closing the clubface before impact like I would if the ball was farther forward.  I play a lot punch fade 5 irons - the hard part is aiming far enough left that I don't just push the ball straight into what I'm trying to avoid.

It depends on how much you want to curve it. If I need to hit a huge, low cut I am going to pull out a 4 iron. Setup with an open stance and the club face more open than normal. I actually try to alter my swing path and swing out to in while leaving the face open and adding a great deal of shaft lean. Another option if you only need a small cut/would rather not try to alter your swing path is to set up with an open stance, open club face and take a normal swing while delofting the club face.

I just slightly open the club face, and use only my upper body and make a big outside in path across the ball while keeping the shaft leaned forward to reduce the loft your adding by opening the club face if there were a clock from my body with me a 6 and the ball at 12 my swing line starts at 2 and ends at 7, which results in the ball usually curving about 20-50 yrds right depending on execution.