Wet sand play

[Rickins]

This is tied, somewhat loosely, to another post, The high-percentage shot .

Earlier this week, my wife and I got out for a round in the morning after the course had had a heavy watering. The bunkers were like "hard pan" relative to what you might expect, or at least hope to find.

My ball found two of them early in the front nine and I managed to get out with my sand wedge with mixed results, i.e. neither particularly good. Shortly after, my wife found a greenside bunker and asked for my advice - pretty gutsy having seen my recent efforts.

There was no lip on the edge of the bunker and not much more than 3-4 feet between the bunker and the green. My advice was to use a choked-down five iron and, basically, "putt" the ball out. Her result was a definite improvement over my earlier efforts.

This, understandably, led to the question of why I would tell her to do one thing if I played similar shots a different way completely. The underlying tone of her question, however, was that I wasn't "teaching" her correct technique but, rather, playing down to her inexperience.

My question now is how much "creativeness" is appropriate to show a new golfer without undermining solid, basic technique? Is it an important factor in showing someone how to play the game or, should it simply come with each individual's own experiences?

Rick

[iacas]

The best short game players I've ever seen are the ones that were not taught proper technique from the get go. They simply used their imagination and creativity and tried to get the ball in the hole.

That's my answer to your question.

[Rickins]

Thanks, Erik. I was fortunate, early on, to play with a wonderful gentleman who advised me how to play different clubs different ways and not get "locked" into thinking that there's one, and only one, way to play a given shot. Pretty "liberating" for a young golfer who wanted desperately to enjoy the game.

Rick

[S.Irons]

I agree that there is not one, and only one, way to play any particular shot. For me, however, it is nice to have an idea of the solid technique used for any given shot in ideal conditions and with a perfect lie, distance, etc. I will usually take this information (such as playing the ball back in my stance in wet sand or more forward in my stance for a flop shot, etc., etc.) and use it as a baseline for more creative shot-making as the situation will allow.

I think this creative aspect of shot-making is nearly as important as the fundamentals of the game. However, for more inexperienced players if the fundamentals are not solid it will greatly limit the amount of shots and the degree of creativity that will be available to those players.

So, I don't think you want to or even need to undermine basic technique when suggesting a creative shot to a newer golfer. If you can give them an idea of the "proper" or ideal way of playing the ball and then tell them that something else may work better in that situation they will probably get an idea of both aspects of the game. The more they get comfortable with the fundamentals and being creative the more thier own creativity will come into play in their own approach to shot-making. If they are thinking of thier own way to make a creative shot chances are it will be more of a shot they are able to make.

[Rickins]

Good points here, particularly in this context. The fundamentals still have to be there to execute a "creative" shot, no doubt about it. The downside to the situation, for my wife, is that I refuse to give "lessons" on the course. If we're not being pushed, I'll take a little more time, but not much. I know she finds that frustrating but, that's where a pro comes in.

Time for some real lessons...

Rick