This weeks lesson is entitled, “How to Get out of a Bunker with a Buried Lie”, and this lesson could really help you out in a situation where a buried lie could potentially add a few unneeded strokes to your round.
When a golfer ends up in the bunker, you can usually hear swearing all the way to the clubhouse. It’s not that they are bad; it’s just that they feel bunkers can defeat them.
Distance control from a bunker isn’t easy to learn. In fact, it’s one of the hardest things in golf to master. Golf instruction and reading golf tips help, but it takes practice to learn how to hit it close to the pin from different bunkers. But even a modest improvement here cuts strokes from your scores and lowers golf handicaps.
Most high handicap golfers get a real sweat on when they go into the bunker, even though getting out is basically a very easy shot. One main thing to remember is that you’re not actually going to hit the golf ball clean. You’re not actually going to make contact with the golf ball itself with the club. The sand is actually going to act as a cushion between the club head and the ball when you hit the shot out.
You have been forced to lay up on a long par four, but due to an unlucky bounce you have been left with an awkward distance with a bunker between you and the hole. A pitch shot is the obvious shot selection however you have one of those in-between distances and are afraid of either going to far or pitching the ball into the bunker. Learning the 3 x 3 Matrix can solve this problem.
Here’s a question I sometimes ask when giving a golf lesson.
What do pro golfers Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, and Sergio Garcia all have in common? Answer: They don’t hit into trouble often, but when they do, their short games save them, and accurate chipping is one of the most potent weapons in their short game. In fact, most players with low golf handicaps chip accurately.
Many golfers use the “chip and run” as regular part of their game; and those who don’t have at least seen others do it. The chip and run shot is very similar to a putt, but you play the shot from just off the green. Club selection is vital for this shot, just like any other; in this case, you will want to use irons.
Everyone eventually lands in a bad lie. It’s just a fact of life. Even a good shot sometimes ends up in a divot. Shots off the mark, on the other hand, sometimes land on bare ground or in the rough. Pitching successfully from a bad lie cuts strokes from your score and positions you for your next shot.
Accurate pitching reduces your golf handicap. Turning three strokes into two by pitching close to the pin cuts strokes from your scores. Cut enough strokes and you’ll lower your handicap significantly. Learning to pitch accurately from the fairway is crucial to improving your game.
This is an acquired skill in golf. But, everyone can learn this skill. There are a few elements to consider when reading a green.
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