Happy Friday! Hitting your ball out of position sucks. We all want to keep our new Footjoys looking fresh, but sometimes you’re forced to play from the junk. And being out of position can be an absolute killer for your scorecard. If you do find yourself in a bad spot, the key is to minimize the damage. Here are 3 greasy situations you may find yourself in and our recommendations for getting yourself back on track.
Let’s dive in!
1. The ‘Short Corner Trouble Spot’ on a Dog Leg
When you bite off more than you can chew
A “dog leg” hole is one that curves hard to the left or right, and it often presents the very tempting urge to cut the corner and hit your drive over the top of whatever trouble looms on the shorter corner of the hole. The upside, of course, is that you can end up much closer to the hole on your approach shot, or perhaps even on the green in a few select cases.
The downside? Your ball may not clear the trees and you may find yourself squarely in the worst trouble on the short corner. Unless you have a clear shot with a decent lie, your thought process must shift from “I’m gonna score!” to “I need to get back to safety.” Simply put, just get yourself back in play. Whatever angle you take, DO NOT COMPOUND THE SITUATION by taking another aggressive line. Making he safe choice that will allow you a clear third shot is the priority here - minimize the damage!
-STEP 1: Ask yourself “What is the best shot I can pull off safely?”
-STEP 2: Don’t try to be a hero! Golf is not about making birdies… it’s about avoiding bogeys and doubles! If you think you see a gap in the trees, that does not qualify as the “safe shot” you identified in Step 1.
-STEP 3: Swallow your pride and take your medicine. Punch out, hit your 3rd shot safely to the middle of the green, and make your “hero shot” the 30 foot putt you now have in front of you.
2. The Fairway Bunker
Don’t fall for the trap - escape is the key
Fairway sand traps are in every sense of the word, a trap. Essentially, the further they are from the green, the harder they are to escape from unscathed, but the bunkers that are 200+ yards? Get outta here!
When you enter the bunker, 2 things need to be addressed before anything can be decided - the lie and the height of the bunker lip. If the lie is anything but perfect, you should only be thinking about getting out, so a wedge into the fairway is the play. If your lie is good, but the lip is too high to advance it, a safe wedge is the play, once again. If you have a good lie and there is virtually no lip, now we have some options. Advance the ball as far as you feel comfortable, and even if you don’t reach the green, having a short chip into the green can definitely be considered “a win.”
-STEP 1: Assess the lie and the height of the bunker lip you’ll need to clear.
-STEP 2: Grab a club that will safely advance the ball the furthest down the fairway. If you have a clean lie and no lip to clear, don’t be afraid to club up! If even a few grains of sand get between the club face and the ball, you’re certainly not going to hit it as far you as you hope.
-STEP 3: Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t hit the shot perfectly. The key on this one is to give yourself a chance for an up & down par, if at all possible.
3. The Thick Rough Over Water
Keeping your ball dry is the definition of “success” here
Playing from the rough is hard enough, but when the grass is super thick or wet, your ability to advance the ball becomes a LOT harder. But what should you do if you’re in super thick rough and the next shot is over water (or some other type of penalty hazard)? Again, your first step should always be to assess the lie. Let your lie tell you what shot to hit - if the grass is over your shoes and you have no way of getting a club on it, punching it sideways to shorter grass and then hitting it over the water from there is a great decision that minimizes damage.
If you feel like you can get it over the water, make sure that you prioritize CLEARING the penalty area! Take 1, 2 or even 3 extra clubs if going long isn’t a problem. Getting the distance to the back edge of the green and playing to that number will help ensure that you clear the junk. And a long putt from the back of the green or even a chip shot is far better than taking a penalty drop!
-STEP 1: Assess the lie and ask yourself, “How much club can I effectively get on the ball?”
-STEP 2: If you need to punch out, so be it. Again, take your medicine. But if you can get the ball out cleanly, take extra club to ensure you clear the hazard. Do NOT give yourself a chance of taking a penalty stroke!
-STEP 3: Don’t worry so much about hitting the green. Just advance the ball as far as you can to the next safest spot. If there’s plenty of room long and right but everywhere else is dead, don’t be afraid to aim away from the green!
PRO TIP: Out of thick rough, the ball will come out with very little spin, which means the ball will fall out of the air faster than it would if you were hitting off of a clean lie. Be sure to keep this in mind as you make your club choice. Don’t risk coming up short- clearing the water is the top priority!
TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win a Vessel Golf Player V Pro Stand Bag
(1 winner chosen on 6/30/25 across all June trivia entries, 1,000 correct respondents minimum)
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