This week I want to share with you the perils of the dreaded tight lie and how to execute this shot successfully.
Even PGA Tour players prefer a little rough over really tight lies because of the higher risk factor with this shot. Let’s say your drive has come to rest just off the fairway and lies on a surface that appears to be harder than the parking lot where you left your car. Or perhaps you’re on tightly mown grass around the green.
Here are a couple of things you’ll need to know to keep the ball from careening wildly into the next area code.
n Practice swings — Finding the bottom of the swing arc is key No. 1 for solid contact.
I imagine a line running through of the middle of the ball and see this as the bottom of my arc. I will take a few practice swings trying to produce a slight divot in front of or on the target side of that phantom line. If I can get the bottom of my arc correct, then two-thirds of the battle of hitting a solid shot is over.
I like to take at least three practice swings to get a feel for the shot. You may take more, and that’s OK — a few more practice swings will only take a couple of seconds. You can bet you’ll hit it closer.
n Controlling the club’s leading edge and bounce — The way the leading edge of the club contacts the ground is important for a controlled shot. We don’t want the leading edge of the club to dig into the turf and we don’t want the sole to bounce that edge up into the ball.
As you are taking your practice swings, open or close the leading edge of the sole to find the correct feel through the surface. You want to feel the sole slightly brush the turf without getting caught up.
Don’t press the hands forward, because this is sure way to dig into the turf. Just let your weight move slightly to the target foot. This will give you the angle of attack needed for the shot.
n Choosing the correct club — If the grass is smooth enough and you are close to the green, maybe you can choose the putter or a less lofted iron to get the ball rolling. If you’re less than confident, putt it.
I have been using my hybrid club for this shot lately with a lot of success because it gets the ball rolling well, right off the club. Utilize different clubs just as you would your putter — this can help you lower your score.
These days we see a lot of courses mowing the aprons of their greens very low and tight. In fact, some well-manicured courses get these areas looking better than other course’s putting greens. See if these tips help you get up and down more often from troublesome tight lies.