Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

[CusePhil]

What is the most unorthodox shot you’ve made, seen or wanted to try? Just yesterday I saw watching the par 3 shootout when Andy North chipped on the green to take the break out of the equation. I thought that was pretty damn cool. I always thought of having a ball about a foot in front of a tree towards the pin side, and hitting backwards towards the tree to bounce it back forwards . I don't know, seems like it would be a cool shot. Since I just started playing last Friday, I haven't had any out of the ordinary shots besides a few punch shots hunched over while under a tree. How about you guys?

Phil

[GregJWillis]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

I had 1 a while back where it was on a almost vertical upslope behind the green. So I played it up the hill and fanned open the face past horizontal and it went over my head and on the green. Phil did this a long time ago in a demo shoot, but I had a chace to do it for real. Fun.

Then the lefthaded shots with a right handed PW flipped over. I get about 1 every 2-3 rounds. I can make it go about 130 yards. Saves a good stroke in a hard to hit right hand position.

[LowPost42]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

The most unorthodox shot I've ever seen was Seve Ballesteros. His ball was in a bunker, against the back lip. In other words, he couldn't get a club on it, as he'd hit the lip of the bunker. So he took his putter (which was like the mini-putt style), turned it on end, and pounded it through the lip. His ball came out! No hitting sidewasys, no hitting backwards... what a move!

Personally, this was my inspiration when I found myself in a similar situation. Now, mine was a little different. I was in a bunker that was right beside the green (I had bladed my approach, and it ran through the green, through the bunker, and was sitting on the grass on the lip). The pin was 8 feet from the edge of the green (so I was short sided) and the green sloped away from me. So I couldn't get a chipping stance (it would have ran too far), I couldn't pitch it (I couldn't stand anywhere close to properly), so I grabbed my putter. Our traps are fairly hardpacked, so I just putted it hard, down the slope, through the bunker, it popped up off the other lip, flew through the air, and landed on the green, rolling 2 feet to stop 2 feet from the cup.

[CusePhil]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

The most unorthodox shot I've ever seen was Seve Ballesteros. His ball was in a bunker, against the back lip. In other words, he couldn't get a club on it, as he'd hit the lip of the bunker. So he took his putter (which was like the mini-putt style), turned it on end, and pounded it through the lip. His ball came out! No hitting sidewasys, no hitting backwards... what a move!

Personally, this was my inspiration when I found myself in a similar situation. Now, mine was a little different. I was in a bunker that was right beside the green (I had bladed my approach, and it ran through the green, through the bunker, and was sitting on the grass on the lip). The pin was 8 feet from the edge of the green (so I was short sided) and the green sloped away from me. So I couldn't get a chipping stance (it would have ran too far), I couldn't pitch it (I couldn't stand anywhere close to properly), so I grabbed my putter. Our traps are fairly hardpacked, so I just putted it hard, down the slope, through the bunker, it popped up off the other lip, flew through the air, and landed on the green, rolling 2 feet to stop 2 feet from the cup.

Now that sounds like one hell of a shot man. I want to try that asap as the bunkers at my club are very hard as well.

[Started2k3]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

How is this for unorthodox?

The ball is resting a few inches from a tree not far off the green, and the pin ball and tree are all in a line. Hence, absolutely no back swing (either RH or LH sorry greg).

This is my solution:
Choose a mid-low iron (7i, 8i, 9i depending on what else is between the ball and green).
Ground the clubhead about 2-3 inches behind the ball.
Press down on the club so that the shaft bends.
Power the club all the way up through to the top of the follow through.
You should be able to get about 10-20 yds - depending on you club selection and power.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

"... Power the club all the way up through to the top of the follow through..."

Did it scoop? Or was there a definate strike?

[Started2k3]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

"... Power the club all the way up through to the top of the follow through..."

Did it scoop? Or was there a definate strike?

I knew this was coming.

I believe it is a definite strike. (I believe that a scoop is not allowed: rule 14-1.) If the clubhead was directly (millimetres) behind the ball, then the shot would result in a scoop. Also a PW,GW,SW,LW would more than likely result in a scoop.

Greg could you please give it a try and let me know if you think it is a strike or scoop?

[bdbl]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

Then the lefthaded shots with a right handed PW flipped over. I get about 1 every 2-3 rounds. I can make it go about 130 yards. Saves a good stroke in a hard to hit right hand position.

Greg

If you wouldn't mind I'd appreciate a description (or step by step dummies guide) of this shot - sounds interesting.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

1. Practice left handed with a real left handed club. Get to where you can make good contact. Use a left handed grip, even invest in a right-hand glove if you plan on practicing this way for a while. Most driving ranges have loaners, so start there. I got to where I wanted to relearn this way completly and now have an entire set!

2. While still at the range, and you have some good shots under you and are warmed up, take out the right handed PW. I use a PW because it has the widest face, and is short and easier to control.

3. Flip the toe of the club down (rotating it clockwise 90 degrees) and now you see that the face is generally square to the target from the left side. The loft of the face is now dictated by the angle the toe of face is as it points down.

4. Take a few practice swings and try to sweep the ground without grounding it. The problem if you ground it, is the toe will dig and keep digging...no real bounce with the club this way...so percise sweeping is necessary.

5. Place a ball in the WAY back of your stance (now off your left foot). You need to do this because the normal face angle of the PW is such that you have to square the face correctly with it in the back. And this is just fine, because you get to hit the ball first, and a ball in the back is easier anyway. If you want to get better at this, using a 7i will allow you to put the ball further up, but you have the shaft longer and the face is narrower...but play around with different clubs what works better for you.

6. Swing 1/2 power to start. The first couple will feel really bad in the hands, because the club is not designed to be hit this way, so expect a lot of shatter. The better you strike the ball first and not bottom out, and the more you are able to feel a normal left-handed smooth transitional swing, the better the ball will go.

You can easily make it go 100 yards...most will be very low, but occasionally you can get it just right and get good loft on it.

The real use of this shot is from a trouble lie. So not only do you have the left-handed issue to deal with, so make sure you can even hit it that way under normal conditions, but you are usually against a tree, bush or next to a bunker that would make it impossible to play a normal right handed shot.

My first real attempts at this were wiffs, and were always, "what the heck made you think you could do this?!?!". So this is why I make myself learn lefthanded, so I could make a good swing at it to better my chances.

It's always fun going to the range, with a lefty club in the bag, starting out with it, makeing good contact and guys next to you seeing you hit it thinking, "ok, he's prabably a 18 hdcp...not too bad". Then taking out a right handed club, flipping it over, and shanking it, topping it, then making a frew good shots and the guy not noticing you have this club this way and he's now thinking, "yikes, maybe a 32 hdcp?!". Then, switching sides and finishing out the practice, and now the guy is completly freaked out and you end up explaining what you were doing. Always fun.

[bdbl]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

A little practice then before I take that one out

Thanks thogh.

Robin

[aftford]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

Hi eveyone
What about the shot that bernard langer played when his ball got stuck up a tree. The 1981 benson and hedges invitational. It still remains one of the most famous golfing photographs to this day.

cheers

[samburk]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

I was so close to the out of bounds wall once at my local club that I was unable to make the swing I needed to chip it onto the green. So I took out my 9 iron and hit the ball into the wall instead. The ball rebounded and flew backwards onto the green. I wasnt able to make the putt though!

Sam

[bill reed]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

hi
tom watson chipping against the wall on the 17 road hole at st andrews at the open and puting it 3 feet from the cup, and that put out the bunker at the US open this year cant remember who it was again, and long time ago lee trevino chipping againt the side of porta loo aiming away from the hole and ball bouncing off at 45% and ladding on the green agian at the open.also bernard langer climing up a tree to play a shot onto the gree.
bill

[slater170]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

that put out the bunker at the US open this year cant remember who it was again,
hi bill
wasnt it jim furyk at the british open?

[bill reed]

Re: Most unorthodox and/or versatile shot?

hi slater
yes thank for puting me right, i must be watching to much golf not to remember that,
thanks
bill