By Rob Duca
For most mid- to high-handicappers, striking the ball cleanly from a tight lie is one of the most intimidating shots they will face. The average golfer tends to feel more comfortable and confident when the ball is resting nicely on a cushion of grass, making it easier to slide the club underneath the ball and lift it into the air. But on a tight lie, when the grass is thin and firm, or even bare, achieving solid contact is more of an issue. Too often, the golfer will chunk the shot by hitting the ground first or top it by coming over the ball.
With that in mind, here are some tips for successfully negotiating tight lies.
- Adjust Your Ball Position
It is critical to strike the ball first when playing off a tight lie, so the first thing you should do is move the ball slightly further back in your stance. If the clubhead hits the ground before making contact with the ball it could bounce off or dig into the ground, resulting in the chunk mentioned above. By placing the ball more in the center of your stance, you will be less likely to try and “scoop” the ball and more likely to hit the ball first for a solid strike.
- Adjust Your Hands
By moving your hands forward at address, you will be better able to trap the ball at impact. Think of leaning the shaft forward and try to maintain the lag on the downswing.
- Adjust Your Weight
Tilt your weight slightly forward to promote a descending blow. Too many amateur golfers look at a bare lie and do the opposite, leaning backward and attempting to slide the club under the ball. But this only leads to hitting fat shots when the leading edge of the clubhead bounces off the firm turf. The last thing you want to feel is your weight on your back foot at impact.
- Trap the Ball
Focus on trapping the ball between the clubface and the ground at impact, which will help fight the urge to scoop the ball.
- Take More Club
You want to take a more controlled swing and maintain smooth tempo when hitting off a tight lie; therefore, the ball will not travel as far. Thus, take one more club to accommodate for the lack of distance and the fact that the ball flight will be lower.
- Be Creative with Club Selection
Don’t be a robot when faced with shots from tight lies around the greens. Instead of instinctively reaching for a pitching wedge or sand wedge, don’t be afraid to putt from off the green. That doesn’t necessarily even mean using a putter. Depending on how far off the green you are, you might select a 7-iron, a 5-iron, a hybrid or maybe even a 5-wood that you use with a putting stroke. By being creative, you will eliminate hitting a fat shot and leaving the ball short or blading it across the green into trouble.