Trouble Shots: The Low Shot From The Trees With A ..... Hybrid???

[Dave2512]

I successfully punched out from under a pine with a hybrid last time I played. My ribs were killing me by that point so I duck hooked a drive, 17th hole and me being silly slogging along hurt. Dang near went as far as my drive. Ball back, short BS with shaft forward and shallow abbreviated FT. Came out low with an apex of about 20ish feet and rolled quite a bit. That shot saved par for me.

 

 

[GolfLug]

I think of all things mentioned in the posts above, the ONE suggestion stands out is play back far enough in stance. I guess swinging 50% speed would reduce spin too and let it run out too?

I play this shot  plenty with a hybrid and I do remember almost always popping it up into branches if I play it like a punch shot.

[Golfingdad]

10 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

I guess swinging 50% speed would reduce spin too and let it run out too?

I'm not sure if that is necessary, but you can certainly resist the temptation to try and swing extra hard.  I actually went to the range today and hit a couple of the shots like I do with my 4 iron, and then attempted the same shot with the hybrid.  To my surprise, I didn't have any trouble with it.  (I took some video and I will post it later)

 

12 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

I think of all things mentioned in the posts above, the ONE suggestion stands out is play back far enough in stance.

Definitely.  I would estimate that I put the ball closer to my right heel than the middle of my stance.  It's way back there.  Of course, sometimes I forget just how low it goes and attempt to hit the shot out of tall rough.  That never works. :P  If the ball is sitting down in the rough and you try to play that low of a shot, no matter how cleanly you connect, its possible it never comes up out of the grass and only goes 10 yards.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

Definitely.  I would estimate that I put the ball closer to my right heel than the middle of my stance.  It's way back there.  Of course, sometimes I forget just how low it goes and attempt to hit the shot out of tall rough.  That never works. :P  If the ball is sitting down in the rough and you try to play that low of a shot, no matter how cleanly you connect, its possible it never comes up out of the grass and only goes 10 yards.

If you can't just pull the handle through level and forward, playing it back is a good alternative, but the danger there is hitting down too much. If you can play it center of your stance or even forward it helps shallow the AoA, you just have to make sure you deliver enough forward shaft lean to take loft off.

[Golfingdad]

Here are a couple of 4 iron punch shots followed by a couple of the same shot with a hybrid. File this under "don't knock it till you try it" because it's clear that the hybrid shot works just fine.

Who knew?  ;)

[dave s]

Similar to your dad, my longest iron is #6.  My buddy says, "how the hell do you get outta the trees without a 4-iron?"

First off, I try to keep it OUT of the trees but have learned how to hit even a 6-iron low enough to get it out of most hard-wood tree situations.  Close face down a bit, lean shaft forward a bit, ball middle to back of stance and swing with an exaggerated putting stroke almost.  Ball comes out low and goes about 50-60 yards tops.  Just get 'back in the ball game' shot.

dave

[natureboy]

16 hours ago, Golfingdad said:

Here are a couple of 4 iron punch shots followed by a couple of the same shot with a hybrid. File this under "don't knock it till you try it" because it's clear that the hybrid shot works just fine.

Who knew?  ;)

Nice execution!

[allenc]

I don't understand what's wrong with just playing the ball in your normal position, gripping down, and making a 50% backswing.  If you swing a 20* hybrid only 65-70 MPH it won't get very high at all.  That's what I do.  The same thing as a 70 yard wedge shot or whatever.

[Gator Hazard]

On March 29, 2016 at 4:37 PM, Dave2512 said:

I successfully punched out from under a pine with a hybrid last time I played. My ribs were killing me by that point so I duck hooked a drive, 17th hole and me being silly slogging along hurt. Dang near went as far as my drive. Ball back, short BS with shaft forward and shallow abbreviated FT. Came out low with an apex of about 20ish feet and rolled quite a bit. That shot saved par for me.

 

 

Do your ribs always hurt or is that a newer injury?  I had issues last year with pulling rib muscles (can't remember what it was called right now) and it hurt like hell for a long time. Had to not play or practice for about six weeks before was better. Hope you feel better. 

[vangator]

5 hours ago, dave s said:

Similar to your dad, my longest iron is #6.  My buddy says, "how the hell do you get outta the trees without a 4-iron?"

First off, I try to keep it OUT of the trees but have learned how to hit even a 6-iron low enough to get it out of most hard-wood tree situations.  Close face down a bit, lean shaft forward a bit, ball middle to back of stance and swing with an exaggerated putting stroke almost.  Ball comes out low and goes about 50-60 yards tops.  Just get 'back in the ball game' shot.

dave

What do you do if you need a 150 yard shot? 

There's one hole on my course that if I miss it right, which I do more than I like, I have about a 150 yard approach that has to be punched between trees and low underneath branches.  There's water that guards the left side which requires a very accurate shot as well.

[dave s]

16 hours ago, vangator said:

What do you do if you need a 150 yard shot? 

There's one hole on my course that if I miss it right, which I do more than I like, I have about a 150 yard approach that has to be punched between trees and low underneath branches.  There's water that guards the left side which requires a very accurate shot as well.

I was thinking more along the lines of being completely 'in jail' on a shot with no clear path to the green, just a punch out to get back in the ball game.  If I have a 150 shot clear shot TO the green from the trees, I'll still use the 6-iron and take my lumps if I hit anything.  But, the last thing I want to do is try to play the 'hero shot' that ends up costing MORE strokes than a punch out that puts me in wedge range where I'm pretty sure I'll hit the green, putt twice and get away with bogey at worst.

dave

[Ernest Jones]

I just grip down and "putt" it as hard as I can. Usually stays low and takes of like a bat out of hell. Make sure you get your hands pretty far forward to keep it low. 

[vangator]

On ‎3‎/‎31‎/‎2016 at 2:16 PM, dave s said:

I was thinking more along the lines of being completely 'in jail' on a shot with no clear path to the green, just a punch out to get back in the ball game.  If I have a 150 shot clear shot TO the green from the trees, I'll still use the 6-iron and take my lumps if I hit anything.  But, the last thing I want to do is try to play the 'hero shot' that ends up costing MORE strokes than a punch out that puts me in wedge range where I'm pretty sure I'll hit the green, putt twice and get away with bogey at worst.

dave

Yeah, getting the ball back in play is important.  The long shot to the green is the tough one though.  I won't take a shot that's too high of a risk unless it's match play and I need the shot.  Pulling off that "hero shot" is an awesome feeling though.

Edited April 1, 2016 by vangator