How do you approach low running punch shots

[inthehole]

I've developed what I think is a great method for hitting low running line drive punch shots ... out of necessity for all the courses I play are tree lined mountain courses & I find myself under trees often. 

I use my lowest lofted iron (5i) and play the ball 6-10" BEHIND MY RIGHT FOOT.   I'm not talking about playing it back in my stance - I'm talking playing it BEHIND my rear  foot.   it takes all the loft completely off the club - making it into less than a 1 iron.  

Whenever I'm watching golf, I always watch to see how pro's play low punch shots & I've never seen anyone else do this (they just play it back in their stance, NEVER behind their rear foot) - seems odd to me, as it works so well.   

Anyways, just curious how do you guys do it, what club do you prefer to use, and if you've ever tried playing it BEHIND your left foot to keep it super low ?

[saevel25]

25 minutes ago, inthehole said:

I use my lowest lofted iron (5i) and play the ball 6-10" BEHIND MY RIGHT FOOT.   I'm not talking about playing it back in my stance - I'm talking playing it BEHIND my rear  foot.   it takes all the loft completely off the club - making it into less than a 1 iron.

The only issue for me is I would either block the ball way right or hook it if I put the ball that far back. This would not work for me. It clearly works for you though. 

I typically try to hit more of a low cut. It think it's easier to hit a cut low because a cut shot tends to have a steeper path and more inward. So that helps get the ball low. I am less fearful of losing it way right versus hooking it way left when hitting it lower. 

I try to do more of this, but not to the extreme as the video is trying to demonstrate for a more get out of jail shot. I will not really move the ball that far back in my stance, maybe a tad. I also don't try to lean forward as much through impact, but I do try to finish more forward than I normally would. Then I just try to hit a low cut. 

 

[pganapathy]

I would definitely play the ball back in my stance, perhaps as far back as my right foot at most, but would never consider going beyond that.  I hit my 3 iron for low runners whenever possible so de-lofting that means I don't need the ball that far back.  Additionally, I would find the ball beyond my right foot too hard to hit unless I practiced the shot regularly.

[Patch]

Ball in the middle of my square stance. I then open my stance a little. Distance required will tell me club, and swing (1/2 - 3/4) I will use. 

This is one of my most depedable shots I have. 

[Grumpter]

Sometimes I find the Driver works well... seriously. There are so many variables that I can end up using a wide variety of clubs depending on the situation. Yes, sometimes that calls for playing the ball behind my back foot.

[bkuehn1952]

My most frequent error in low & running punch shots tends to be not getting the ball airborne enough. The first concern is not hitting the branches which have forced me into hitting the low running shot.  Often accompanying this shot is long dense rough and/or an obstructed swing.

I try to force myself to get the ball airborne enough to get to the landing area/fairway/green.  That often means using 6 or 7 irons.  I am not sure playing the ball back behind my right foot (right-hander) would allow me to get the ball up high enough to clear the long stretch of rough I often have to carry.

[WUTiger]

In the Trees...

Set-up: inside my back heel. Usually a narrower stance. I'll use a 6i (can deloft and still get the ball up a little).

I take a 3/4 swing, and want a smooth follow-through with left side leading to help keep it low. If I hit the ball too hard, it balloons and catches the tree branches. If I hit the ball a little thin, that's OK.

I expect a little draw, due to back ball position.

Sometimes, I might hit a slap fade with a 5i. (Back when I carried a 3i, I had a solid slap fade with that club.)

Open Shot...

If I'm inside 70 yards - and there's a quartering crosswind, or trouble on the sides - I'll sometimes run a 7i or 8i into the green. Set-up is just behind mid stance, but most of rest of swing is the same. I try to drop shot on front fringe.

[phan52]

Are you talking strictly about a get-out-of-jail shot or a low running shot in general? Because I approach them differently. I always use my lowest lofted club for getting out of jail and have the ball as far back as my right foot with a bit of a closed face, but I use a low running shot with multiple clubs and multiple positions, depending on the distance I am trying to hit the shot. Really useful in links type courses with firm ground.

 

Edited April 12, 2016 by phan52

[Dave2512]

I have a couple, at times I simply hit it thin by choking up and moving it forward and take my normal swing. Amazing how far a thinned ball will roll.

[rehmwa]

Usually with confusion, terror, and a small bit of excitement.

[Lihu]

4 hours ago, inthehole said:

I've developed what I think is a great method for hitting low running line drive punch shots ... out of necessity for all the courses I play are tree lined mountain courses & I find myself under trees often. 

I use my lowest lofted iron (5i) and play the ball 6-10" BEHIND MY RIGHT FOOT.   I'm not talking about playing it back in my stance - I'm talking playing it BEHIND my rear  foot.   it takes all the loft completely off the club - making it into less than a 1 iron.  

Whenever I'm watching golf, I always watch to see how pro's play low punch shots & I've never seen anyone else do this (they just play it back in their stance, NEVER behind their rear foot) - seems odd to me, as it works so well.   

Anyways, just curious how do you guys do it, what club do you prefer to use, and if you've ever tried playing it BEHIND your left foot to keep it super low ?

2-3 balls back is as far as I can go without changing my swing significantly. I don't think it would be very easy (if even possible) to shift the weight forward at impact with the ball that far back? In any case, my 4i goes really low with a normal swing anyway. Still having trouble getting it up in the air high enough.

[No Mulligans]

I put the ball in the center of my stance, take less than a full swing both on the back swing and follow through, and think "keep it low".  This thought results in me getting my hands more forward at impact.

As an aside, the thought "keep it low" is a good swing thought for me for full swings.  This thought increases my chances of making good contact even though the resulting ball flight is not low.

[Osnola]

Play the ball back to inside of my back knee.  Slightly open stance and use a 13* FW that I choke down about 4" to 6".  Just want enough elevation on ball to get it past any rough and into the fairway...I take easiest route back to the fairway, last thing I need is to hit a tree or hit a low hanging branch...

Edited April 12, 2016 by Osnola

[Jeremie Boop]

Depends on how low it needs to be to stay under danger and how high it needs to be to clear rough which iron I use, but generally I just play the ball back in my stance a bit and take a 1/2 or 3/4 swing with an abbreviated follow through. I'm not very good at it, but when I do it correctly it's a very crisp strike that stays low and generally gets a good amount of roll.

[DrvFrShow]

One to two balls back of center. 5 iron. Choke down. Easy 3/4 swing. Abbreviated follow thru. If I want it to stay low but check I'll play the same shot with more loft and hit it hard.

[9wood]

6 hours ago, inthehole said:

I've developed what I think is a great method for hitting low running line drive punch shots ... out of necessity for all the courses I play are tree lined mountain courses & I find myself under trees often.

If you find yourself under trees quite often then I would simply add a 3 iron to my bag which has a lower loft than your 5 iron. 

[Lihu]

5 minutes ago, 9wood said:

If you find yourself under trees quite often then I would simply add a 3 iron to my bag which has a lower loft than your 5 iron. 

Or get one of these babies:

 

[Rainmaker]

I happened to see this video the other day where Dave Pelz demonstrates what you're talking about for chipping:

 

I can't see myself being able to do what Pelz is showing on anything but a short running chip.  For a punch shot, like to get out of the trees . .I love my 4w.  I hit it like a foot off the ground and it will just roll forever. 

That's the only kind of punch I can really talk about, lol.  My lofted punches have this crazy knack for hitting into whatever I'm trying not to hit into.  I don't really ever try to punch it if I'm not in trouble.  

Edit-  As for Pelz chipping technique . .I haven't tried but I'm happy just chipping normally with a less lofted club to get a roll-out. 

Edited April 12, 2016 by Rainmaker