Practicing Tough Lies

[User 105]

Guys, do you ever practice shots from tough lies ?

Things like ball above\below feet, uphill\downhill, deep rough, up against fixed obstacles etc.

Us high handicappers probably get in these situations a fair amount of times during a round. Especially at my track where we have mounds running up and down the side of a lot of the fairways.

I could probably save a good few shots a round by not duffing it in these type of shots.

Obviously can't practice some of these shots on the range where you have damn near perfect lie.

So do any of you guys practice these situations and if so how ? Just go out on the course when it's quiet and drop a few balls ?

Thanks

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

i doo. i dont bother going round on the course doing it. i place five balls along the edge of the steep practise bunker and try play them onto the green, its hard because fall on way and you look like a pratt, fall the other and you look like a sandmonster
i also find some grass on the edge of the woods near our practice ground and try again to play them onto the green.
however if i want to use longer tougher lies i go to the driving range and just hit the balls from the trees to the right of it

 

[Herbie]

I sometimes go round the course playing a couple of balls, and I will purposely, take a drive, and even if its middle of the fairway, I will pick up and toss it in the rough, sometimes a second ball in a different spot at driving range.

I also chuck in bunkers and sometimes press one in, or stick one against the steep face, or downslope. I once played a round using every bunker on the course, 2 balls each time to give two different shots. This helps you learn some strategy as well as practice strokes.

 

[Whereditgo]

Following on from the OP - what is the best method for getting out of the long stuff? I'm talking 6" plus and thick (the grass - not me).

I can't seem to settle on which club / swing to try.....not had much success with any tbh

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

i just try and get it out with a wedge than do a duff shot and then have to do the same again 5 yards closer to the hole

 

[Whereditgo]

i just try and get it out with a wedge than do a duff shot and then have to do the same again 5 yards closer to the hole

Yeah I've tried the wedges a few times - but tend to get through completely underneath the ball without getting even that far! Had a bit more success with a long iron trying to punch it out

 

[Herbie]

Get out there in the rough and try a few clubs.
Try punching the ball out and try flipping it out with a wedge shot.
It all depends on the lie itself, often people dont get out of this stuff as they miss read the lie (I do sometimes)there are many many lies your ball can find itself in the thick stuff. If its sunk right down to the ground, sometimes a steep downward punch can pop it out, if its laying on top of this stuff, the moment your club touches the goo the ball may sink down as you strike, pushing it forward into the crap even more. Those are just two examples, there are many more, a good read skill can help you solve a lot of probs, but I would opt more often for a wedge to get out, unless I was confident of my chances with someting bigger.

Can't beat practicing in it though.

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

to be honest if you go into the deep rough on my course you need to seriously do a bad shot so i suppose you have maybe had more experience than me

 

[Herbie]

to be honest if you go into the deep rough on my course you need to seriously do a bad shot so i suppose you have maybe had more experience than me

Try a difficult course and you will get the experience you need

 

[Putting_Green_Pro]

nah im quality haha

 

[Imurg]

When I do practise - not as often as I should - I will always throw down 6 balls and chip them to the hole no matter what the lie is. If you don't practice these shots you won't know how to play them when you need them.

 

[backwoodsman]

Guys, do you ever practice shots from tough lies ?

Things like ball above\below feet, uphill\downhill, deep rough, up against fixed obstacles etc......

Yep - all the time. Every time I go out on the course. Doesn't seem much point playing off that short flat stuff

 

[HomerJSimpson]

All the time. I've spent 45 minutes in the bunker today in wet sad playing downhill lies with a lot of bunker to carry over and the old fashioned plugged lie. I often chip from uphill and downhill lies and although we haven't got deep rough on the practice ground there is something resembling the semi so I give myself the worse lie I can (stamping it into the grass helps)

 

[GB72]

but is there any way of simulating the ball being above or below your feet when not on the course. My course has many sloping fairways and rarely gives a flat lie so practice on this could really help but not practical to go out on the course and hit a load of balls. Can these shots be replicated on a range or practice ground?

 

[jeffc]

All the time. I've spent 45 minutes in the bunker today in wet sad

spot on there homer because the way a ball comes out of wet sand is totally different to when its dry and dusty