Playing off soft, mulchy lies

[timd77]

My short game is pretty decent, probably the best part of my game. However, what I really struggle with is those lies which are usually around the back of greens, under trees/bushes where the soil is really soft (not wet), almost like a mulchy compost.

If there’s plenty of room to swing I’ll open up the face and play it a bit like a bunker shot. But when I’m crouched under a tree branch or up against a hedge, trying to stab the ball out, even when I catch the ball first it just goes nowhere, the club goes into the ground and a shot’s wasted.

I’ve had this at a number of courses so it must be a thing.

Anyone else know what I’m talking about and have any tips?

 

[crdb]

I was in a similar situation yesterday & have been many times, I find when i'm under a tree branch or bushes I try to hit the ball harder & end up worse off so I know your pain!

I think we need to think of the shot as a chip & run & take a 8/7 iron for enough loft, steady swing & catch the ball first

 

[Orikoru]

Watch Dan Grieve on YouTube for all your chipping needs. He teaches such an array of shots for different lies.

Some shots are just difficult though. I'm not sure there's a magic way to play a soft muddy lie that's under a tree - you just make a choice and hope for the best. For me I guess I'd use a club with a little more bounce (as less bounce more likely to dig into the mud) and use quite a short swing with plenty of speed to punch it out - really important to strike ball first obviously. But I'm no expert at all. If you get any amount of ground before ball, the ball just goes nowhere.

You could always try bashing it with a hybrid. Next to no chance of that digging into the mud. I use hybrid for chipping off difficult lies at times. It just pops it out and gets it rolling.

 

[jim8flog]

Wedge manufacturers advise using one with a lot of bounce.
Think 10 plus degrees.

I think Orioru's suggestion of using a hybrid is a good one. (fairway wood if you do not carry one).

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Dan Grieve was my first thought. I think he did a winter lies video last year which may help as it dealt with wet lies

 

[timd77]

Thanks for the replies.

The hybrid suggestion sounds like it’s worth a try, makes total sense.

I do watch the odd Dan grieve vid but haven’t seen one for this (soft and dry, not wet), I’ll have a look through later.

I was in a similar situation yesterday & have been many times, I find when i'm under a tree branch or bushes I try to hit the ball harder & end up worse off so I know your pain!

I think we need to think of the shot as a chip & run & take a 8/7 iron for enough loft, steady swing & catch the ball first

I think you’re right. Often my swing is restricted by a branch or some sort foliage and I think the tendency is then to make up for the shorter swing by trying to hit it harder. Rarely ends well. So frustrating because it nearly always ends up going from a chance of par to bogey or worse.

 

[Slab]

Another shout for @Orikoru hybrid option

I have a couple of different (what i call) 'rock' clubs that I swap between depending on what I expect to face that day (i.e a club to use off rocky lies, cart paths, lava rock, mud, roots etc) Basically just old and battered clubs I don't mind getting chunks knocked out of, anyway one is a scrappy 5 hybrid that I've used in the situation you describe, gets through the soil much easier than an iron

 

[RichA]

I play the same shot as when the ball is sitting up in the rough near the green. Firm putting stroke with a wedge, toe down - ball pops up and runs.
I "learned" it from a YT channel - can't remember which.
It doesn't look pretty. It barely looks like a golf shot. But it works more reliably than anything else in my arsenal.

 

[timd77]

I

I play the same shot as when the ball is sitting up in the rough near the green. Firm putting stroke with a wedge, toe down - ball pops up and runs.
I "learned" it from a YT channel - can't remember which.
It doesn't look pretty. It barely looks like a golf shot. But it works more reliably than anything else in my arsenal.

I use this for bare, scabby lies, but will give it a try in this situation too

 

[crdb]

I think I need to try this hybrid shot next time too