How do you play this shot?

[Z1ggy16]

Scenario: It rained hard the last several days and there are several sloppy/muddy lies where the grass is not as thick. Hitting behind the ball, even in the slightly bit has you laying sod. You are faced with these following shots

- 15 yards to a short sided flag

- 30 to 40 yards to flag and you need to carry at least 20-25 yards

- 60 to 70 yards to flag

 

You playing the ball back or forward in stance? More or less club... neutral or open face?

[MonteScheinblum]

First 2 is a power chunk.

 

3rd one is hit the ball solid in general.

[SNIPERBBB]

I don't really change much other than stand a bit taller and hover the club slightly to account for feet sinking into the ground.

[tatertot]

15 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

First 2 is a power chunk.

 

3rd one is hit the ball solid in general.

Monte ... how do you recommend practicing the "power chunk" ... do you have to just wait for the right conditions, or is there a way to do it on a dried out range?

[MonteScheinblum]

13 minutes ago, tatertot said:

Monte ... how do you recommend practicing the "power chunk" ... do you have to just wait for the right conditions, or is there a way to do it on a dried out range?

Kind of have to find the right conditions.  

[Z1ggy16]

35 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

First 2 is a power chunk.

 

3rd one is hit the ball solid in general.

Power chunk, almost like hitting a long bunker shot?

 

I asked this question here bc I had these 3 shots, each cost me a stroke. I did not hit behind the ball much if at all but I noticed my shot came up at least 30% short, which meant not being on the green. I took a SW out and hit normal.... so do I swing harder or take a few more clubs and maybe open the face a touch and swing the same speed?

[getitdaily]

Shot 1 - if I have to carry it 15 to a short flag then I'm laying the face open a good bit, open the stance, hit a flop with a good bit of speed so I'm OK if I hit it a touch heavy. Ball slightly forward. If I don't have to carry it and it's not too wet/soft near the green then I'm playing a shallow, slightly hooded 60 in the back of my stance trying to land it about 70% of the way there. This all depends on conditions, slope near the green, etc.

 

Shot 2 - I'm likely opening the stance just a bit. Ball back just a bit. 60 degree wedge but open it just a hair. Handle forward. Swing on foot line with a moderate downward hit. This one is probably a bit handsy so I hold the face open through impact but lots of speed through impact.

 

Shot 3 - ball back just a touch, take my 75 yard shot and hit it

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

11 minutes ago, Z1ggy16 said:

Power chunk, almost like hitting a long bunker shot?

Not sure what Monte means, but I don't believe it's like a bunker shot.  You're not trying to deliberately hit behind the ball and throw ball + dirt to green.  (Now watch it be exactly what he meant...)

 

I'm interested to see what he means here.  I have an idea on how I'd play that first shot, but I don't know what I'm doing.  He does.

 

[getitdaily]

2 minutes ago, Jayjay_theweim_guy said:

Not sure what Monte means, but I don't believe it's like a bunker shot.  You're not trying to deliberately hit behind the ball and throw ball + dirt to green.  (Now watch it be exactly what he meant...)

 

I'm interested to see what he means here.  I have an idea on how I'd play that first shot, but I don't know what I'm doing.  He does.

 

Definitely what he means. Hit it heavy, on purpose, with speed.

[Jayjay_theweim_guy]

7 minutes ago, getitdaily said:

Definitely what he means. Hit it heavy, on purpose, with speed.

OK.  I do that part.  And smash is degraded enough that it's a very easy shot to leave short if you haven't practiced it.  Or if you lose your nerve.

 

But I'm not trying to deliberately hit some patch of dirt a ball width or so behind the ball and explode the whole mess towards the target.  Like I would in even a long sand shot.  I try to slide the front club edge under the ball, and when done correctly, the ball pops up off the very shallow clubface.

 

The club does continue into the ground, and usually makes a big mess though.

[getitdaily]

1 minute ago, Jayjay_theweim_guy said:

OK.  I do that part.  And smash is degraded enough that it's a very easy shot to leave short if you haven't practiced it.  Or if you lose your nerve.

 

But I'm not trying to deliberately hit some patch of dirt a ball width or so behind the ball and explode the whole mess towards the target.  Like I would in even a long sand shot.  I try to slide the front club edge under the ball, and when done correctly, the ball pops up off the very shallow clubface.

 

The club does continue into the ground, and usually makes a big mess though.

Yeah, either shot is fine. I got into trouble this year by not having the power chunk in my arsenal. 

 

Patchy areas around greens where there was more dirt than grass or grass was super sparse. A touch soft but not mushy. 

 

I have been working on the power chunk. Your method isn't wrong but the power chunk make contact less precise with, usually, the same outcomes. 

 

These aren't shots you're trying to hit tight. They're shots you're trying to leave a reasonable putt and NOT leave yourself with another shot from the same lie or worse, only closer, which makes thr shot even more difficult. 

[MattC555]

I'm with Monte.  I'm playing all of them as if I'm playing out of a very wet, but not overly firm, bunker. 

Edited September 26, 2023 by MattC555

[McScoots]

 

2 hours ago, MonteScheinblum said:

First 2 is a power chunk.

 

3rd one is hit the ball solid in general.

Lee Janzen would love this advice. Power chunk king 

Edited September 26, 2023 by McScoots