Trees are a great addition to any golf course. They provide shade and a great aesthetic. But your feelings toward trees can quickly change when your shot lands behind one. Then, they become an obstacle that stands between you and par.
But all hope isn’t lost. There might be a birdie somewhere between those branches. Whether you pull out hybrid golf clubs or your favorite iron, here’s how you can escape the trees and get back on track.
Punch It Underneath the Branches
There are three different strategies for playing from behind the trees. If you decide to shoot underneath the branches to escape the rough, you can balance risk and reward as you shoot for the green.
With this strategy, the goal is to keep the ball flight low while still producing enough velocity to get out of the rough and near the green.
Start by picking a lower lofted club. If you’ve had a custom golf club fitting, you might have some mid-irons with a lower loft, or you can grab a hybrid.
Then, put the ball back in your stance and keep your hands forward at address. These will help you keep the ball low. Then, lean forward and make sure you don’t bring your follow-through all the way up. Put it all together, and you can keep the ball down enough to punch it underneath the branches.
If you need to swing with more power, whether that’s to increase distance or to break through some low-hanging branches, grip the club tight and lower down than normal so you maintain control while adding the extra swing speed you need.
Soar It Over the Tree
What if you want to go over the trees instead of under them? This is a much riskier shot—if you miss, you’ll hit the branches and fall well short of your target—but it can pay huge dividends if you’re successful. By clearing the tops of the trees, you could find yourself playing on the green with your next shot.
While playing it low was all about limiting loft, now you want to create a good amount of it—probably more than usual. But you still need distance, so instead of clubbing down, take the iron you’d normally play at this distance and get ready to make some adjustments.
First, you’ll want to widen your stance and play the ball further forward than usual. The goal is to swing down on the ball. Create a steep backswing by bringing the club outside of your hands and opening up the clubface. This leads to a faster downswing that gets under the ball and launches it up. Combine this with a follow-through that carries the clubhead up and open as long as possible, and you give yourself the best shot at letting the ball soar up and over those trees.
Play It Safe with Some Damage Control
The least risky option is to play it safe and find the shortest branch-free shot back to the fairway. This might mean shooting sideways or hitting a low roller, but it also means avoiding the risks that could set you back even further.
Getting stuck in the rough for three or four shots because you can’t clear a group of trees is much worse than cutting your losses and getting back on the fairway for a clear shot on your next swing. Take it as a life lesson from the game: sometimes, taking one step back might be necessary to take two steps forward.
About PXG
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Fill your bag with clubs that can help you clear every shot from behind the trees at https://www.pxg.com/
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