You have just hit a big shot off the tee only to see your ball travelling towards the trees which flank the fairway.
The first thought is simply about trying to find your ball and you may even opt to hit a provisional shot if you believe it will be lost. However, many golf balls hit trees and drop down back into play. These situations can be very awkward because they often leave you with a second shot which is played under the branches of a tree.
Today we have some great tips to help you when hitting the ball under branches.
The key to this shot is keeping the ball low. If you hit the ball too high it will crash into the branches and the only certain thing about the outcome of the shot is you will not be happy.
Look at what you have in-front of you, is it wise to try and play the spectacular shot which will get you on or close to the green? In most cases the best option is to play safe and get your ball on the fairway and back in play. There will be occasions, say one out of ten where you know you can get close to the green but let’s assume you are going to play safe.
Have a plan in mind of exactly what you want to do and where you want to leave the ball on the fairway. Choose a club with a lower loft because this is the best way to avoid seeing your ball head up into the branches.
Choke up on the club as this will help to keep your hands in-front of the club and de-loft the face when impacting the ball.
You should play the ball back from the centre of your stance. The lower you want to go, the further back the ball should be in your stance but you must use your own judgement to decide exactly where you need it to be.
The further in-front of the ball you can get your head and upper body, the lower you will hit the ball. So, make sure you have your weight on your leading leg and avoid lifting your head back during the shot as this will add loft to the ball.
Try and make a shorter swing because the longer the swing you make, the better chance you have of losing control of the shot. This shot is about keeping the ball low and getting back into a good position and that requires plenty of control.
Finally, make a smooth swing and do not be tempted to try and hit the ball as hard as you can. You will feel like making up for the previous shot but that’s gone now and you cannot do anything about it. The harder you swing the higher the ball will go and that’s the last thing you want.
Keep a nice, smooth swing and the ball will stay down.
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