Jump to content
IGNORED

How to Avoid Fat Shots on Wet Spring Fairways

BigBaffy

By BigBaffy,
in Instruction and Playing Tips

 Share
Note: This thread is 3305 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

BigBaffy Established Member

BigBaffy

My local course had a great deal this past weekend: 18 holes for $20. I live in Central Ontario, and it was somewhere between +5 and +10 degrees C out (41-50 F), but windy as Hell and generally cold out. Still, I'd be golfing, so....

Bottom line, I couldn't hit an iron without taking up a huge divot, like the size of my foot. The ground was really damp because a week ago there was still snow on it, but there was only snow or ice in the shady spots at this point.

Question: How can I play an iron on soggy ground without taking a huge divot? I played the ball centre or back of centre on most of my shots, trying to hit the ball first, but it was no good. I ended up playing fairway shots with my 3 hybrid for most of the back 9.

Any ideas? Please help, as I'd like to take advantage of this deal as long as I can.

In the bag: TaylorMade R5 Duel driver (44", Senior-flex), Namura 19* 3 Hybrid, Stiff, Cougar X-CAT 26* 5 hybrid, Wilson K-28 irons 6-PW, Wilson Harmonized Gap (52) and Sand (55) Wedges, Blade Runner II putter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

dkolo Great Member

dkolo

My local course had a great deal this past weekend: 18 holes for $20. I live in Central Ontario, and it was somewhere between +5 and +10 degrees C out (41-50 F), but windy as Hell and generally cold out. Still, I'd be golfing, so....

Bottom line, I couldn't hit an iron without taking up a huge divot, like the size of my foot. The ground was really damp because a week ago there was still snow on it, but there was only snow or ice in the shady spots at this point.

Question: How can I play an iron on soggy ground without taking a huge divot? I played the ball centre or back of centre on most of my shots, trying to hit the ball first, but it was no good. I ended up playing fairway shots with my 3 hybrid for most of the back 9.

Any ideas? Please help, as I'd like to take advantage of this deal as long as I can.

Oh man, this is a post close to my heart. This was a big problem for me yesterday and one of the two big reasons I put up a massive number.

Two things:

1) Club accordingly. My lob wedge has 4° of bounce. It stayed in the bag except for one emergency shot I had to hit (and it was off of baked out hard pan after relief. For chipping, instead of the LW or the medium bounce GW I usually use, I went with my high bounce SW once I realized the other wedges weren't working. I also avoided the technique of using the bounce that I had been practicing here because it just didn't work out in muddy areas.

2) Get that weight forward. I don't like putting the ball back in my stance to ensure contact with ball first; bad things with shot direction and hosels tend to happen. If anything, I play them like fairway bunker shots where I put the ball fractionally forward and get my weight way forward. I try to feel like I'm going down to get the ball. Both of those things encourage a draw and so I play for it accordingly.

Remember, divots aren't bad, it's just where you start them. Before the ball, it's gonna be a fat shot. After the ball, it's fine. Just replace the divot. I was taking big chunks with my wedges on approach shots. Put them back, stomp on them to get them as even as you can, or fill them with sand, and you move on. It's part of playing golf on a golf course.

But yeah, weight forward. It's something you should be practicing anyway. I had some problems with it after the winter, and I noticed I was hitting a bit fat on the range so I drilled on that a bit. One drill I like is to practice hitting out of a divot. I don't have a grass range, so I take the rubber tee out of the mat, put the ball into that depression so it's sitting down, maybe even step on it if I'm feeling frisky, and try to get the ball out cleanly. If you don't hit it clean, you're gonna hit a chunky shot.

Dom's Sticks:

Callaway X-24 10.5° Driver, Callaway Big Bertha 15° wood, Callaway XR 19° hybrid, Callaway X-24 24° hybrid, Callaway X-24 5i-9i, PING Glide PW 47°/12°, Cleveland REG 588 52°/08°, Callaway Mack Daddy PM Grind 56°/13°, 60°/10°, Odyssey Versa Jailbird putter w/SuperStroke Slim 3.0 grip, Callaway Chev Stand Bag, Titleist Pro-V1x ball

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

Club Rat Super Member

Club Rat

Wet, soggy, sponge conditions, especially on dormant zoysia turf, are usually not a ton of fun.

Full swing shots requires hitting the ball first.

Hitting slightly behind the ball will usually be a shot off the top portion of the club face, or worse, a totally fat shot.

A sweeping arc with a small brushing divot, is a safe manner for spring play.

Moisture between the ball and club face during contact is inevitable, so club up and swing in control for the best outcome.

It's spring, your out playing golf, enjoy it.

Better course conditions are only few weeks away.

Club Rat

Johnny Rocket - Let's Rock and Roll and play some golf !!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Mr. Desmond Super Member

Mr. Desmond

Since your feet sink in a little, a tip I read was to grip down a bit.

Ping G400 Max 9/TPT Shaft, TEE EX10 Beta 4, 5 wd, PXG 22 HY, Mizuno JPX919F 5-GW, TItleist SM7 Raw 55-09, 59-11, Bettinardi BB39

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

BigBaffy Established Member

BigBaffy

  • Author

Thanks! I'm hoping to get out on Saturday so I'll try it then.

In the bag: TaylorMade R5 Duel driver (44", Senior-flex), Namura 19* 3 Hybrid, Stiff, Cougar X-CAT 26* 5 hybrid, Wilson K-28 irons 6-PW, Wilson Harmonized Gap (52) and Sand (55) Wedges, Blade Runner II putter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

inthehole Great Member

inthehole

Ball first contact is paramount in soggy conditions ... I have my best luck when slightly shortening my backswing and keeping a bit more weight forward - helps with the dreaded fat shots that go nowhere off the slop.

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1

RayG Great Member

RayG

If you're sinking down and it is causing THAT many problems, then I wouldn't have played. It may as well have been a casual water course...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

DrvFrShow Super Member

DrvFrShow

Well, I played in soggy conditions. I can't hit a hybrid in soggy conditions to save my life. Iron play didn't seem to be a problem. I just played normally. I hit a few shots fat, but that was due to losing balance on uneven ground. We'll get used to that as the season progresses. First round can be a little rough.

Julia

:callaway:  :cobra:    :seemore:  :bushnell:  :clicgear:  :adidas:  :footjoy:

Spoiler

Driver: Callaway Big Bertha w/ Fubuki Z50 R 44.5"
FW: Cobra BiO CELL 14.5 degree; 
Hybrids: Cobra BiO CELL 22.5 degree Project X R-flex
Irons: Cobra BiO CELL 5 - GW Project X R-Flex
Wedges: Cobra BiO CELL SW, Fly-Z LW, 64* Callaway PM Grind.
Putter: 48" Odyssey Dart

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

BigBaffy Established Member

BigBaffy

  • Author

So, weight forward with a controlled arc. Thanks.

I guess the trick is keeping it level and not hitting down too much. I thought I was doing that, by maybe my left side was tilting forward because of my ball position. I'll try and keep those shoulders level this weekend.

In the bag: TaylorMade R5 Duel driver (44", Senior-flex), Namura 19* 3 Hybrid, Stiff, Cougar X-CAT 26* 5 hybrid, Wilson K-28 irons 6-PW, Wilson Harmonized Gap (52) and Sand (55) Wedges, Blade Runner II putter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Note: This thread is 3305 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up

  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.

  • Posts

    • DeadMan
      "5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge

      By DeadMan ·

      Day 298: range session during lunch. Hit balls for about 20 minutes, focusing on start line and curve. Much better than last night. Then did a stack putting session, which was solid (for me).
    • WillieT
      "5 Minutes Daily" Practice Challenge

      By WillieT ·

      Day 2 (3 May 24) - Played 18 with the Men’s group today….a fun round in which my elderly neighbor was part of the foursome I was in.  
    • Elmer
      LIV Golf (Saudi PIF), "Mergers," and More

      By Elmer ·

      You advertise LIV as "golf but louder" You had DJ's pumping Jock Jams all over the place. You have Bros who are really into golf and TFG shot gunning 26 oz bud lights, while double fisting a 19 oz coors. What type of behavior do you expect?
    • saevel25
      LIV Golf (Saudi PIF), "Mergers," and More

      By saevel25 ·

      Did LIV pros cross ‘etiquette’ line at Masters? 3-time major winner has thought Did LIV Golf pros cross an “etiquette” line last month at the Masters? Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington has a thought. I do not mind cursing. I rather see some emotion on the course and honest reactions to bad shots or what not. I didn't catch it being a TON of cursing in this Masters. It was not noticeable. 
    • billchao
      My Favorite Putts

      By billchao ·

      I had to think about this topic for a while. I don't tend to remember specific details about my putts, but a few do stand out in my mind so I guess they're worth noting. I don't know that I'd call them my favorite but it's close enough. #18 at Spooky Brook Might be the hardest 4' putt I've ever had. Pin was back right and I hit my third shot just to the right of it. The green slopes fairly severely back to front. I read the green but I knew the putt anyway as I've seen it before. I told the guys I was playing with that the putt was it was going to break almost 3' and if it doesn't go in I'd have a longer coming back up for par than I was looking at. It went in. #12 at Quail Brook I'm not even sure how to describe this green properly. It's not quite a two-tiered green, but the back and front are separated by a ridge that goes across the middle of it, with the green sloping harder off the front than the back. You can generally putt from the front to a back hole location but good luck keeping the ball on the green if you putt from back to front. On this particular day, I was looking at the latter. I had to putt up into the apron due to how the ball was going to break and that helped slow the ball down enough to hit the hole at the perfect speed. One of the rare birdies I've seen on that hole. #2 at Hyatt Hills Short par 5. This makes the list because it's the first eagle putt I've ever made, which funny enough happened the day after the first eagle I've ever made. I've made two eagles in all my life and they came on back to back days. I wasn't even planning on playing golf - it was a Monday - but I was doing some work at the place I used to work at when I was younger and catching up with some of the guys I've known for years. They were going out to play in the afternoon and had a spot available. I used to see these guys every day for years but we've never played together, so I said I'm in. I hit a really good approach shot into slope that separated the two tiers on the green and spun the ball closer to the hole. Had roughly 8' left to the hole, a downhill right to left breaker. One of the guys said, "You've got to make this, I've never seen an eagle before," and I said, "I've never made an eagle putt before." And then I made it. #17 at Stoneleigh @GolfLug's post reminded me of my own heroics on #17 a couple of years ago. The hole was back left, in the bottom tier. I hit my approach short of the green and flubbed my chip so it stayed on the top tier. I read how the putt was going to break after the ramp (is that what you call it?), then read my putt up to that point. It needed to basically die at that point because if it hit the slope with any kind of speed, it would long past the hole and possibly off the green. I hit the putt perfectly and holed the 40-footer center cup. #6 at Meadow at Neshanic Valley, #15 in the Round This was during the stroke play qualifier of my tournament. It might be a little bit of recency bias and I hit some really good long putts in the four rounds I played, but this 7-footer was my favorite putt of the entire tournament. The hole was cut on the top of a ridge. I hit my tee shot short right but hit a pretty good chip just long and below the hole. Play had backed up at this point, with the ladies waiting on the tee while we were finishing up. I hit the putt just a hair on the high side and it curled around the hole, fell back a couple of inches and stopped on lip. We all looked at it incredulously, "How does that not fall in?" Before I took my first step towards the hole, the ball must have thought the same thing and decided to drop.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

  I accept
The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...