Off the mud

[AlanN]

After the hot summer we had, here,in the UK, a lot of the grass has not yet fully recovered. As a result my local course has a considerable amount of muddy lies, due to the considerable rainfall of the past few weeks.

I find playing off this type of lie almost impossible. Can anybody offer some good advice on playing this shot? Is the basic technique the same for long, mid and short irons?

Thanks to anybody who can assist with this.

regards

Alan

[thebigman]

Playing in scotland, i know what you mean with these lies. I tend to put the ball a little further back in my stance or having a steeper downswing just making sure i hit the ball first, then ground.

[AlanN]

Is this correct?

Hi Bigman.

Thanks for that.

Am I correct in interpreting this technique as similar to that used for playing out of semi rough? Or, particularly with the shorter irons, more of a punch shot?

regards

Alan

[GregJWillis]

I would say no. It is more like you swing exactly the same as you normally do for a full shot but simply put the ball slightly backwards in the stance. This allows what thbigman said, "just making sure i hit the ball first".

If you try to create a punch out of wet grass, you only fly the ball 25% or so less....In the wet conditions you want the fly the ball as far as you can, cause where is lands is where it will stay.

You have the hit a high ball with a wet lie...putting it back will help enough then having to resort to the punch.

[AlanN]

Not wet grass

Hi Greg,

Thanks for your advice but, I think that we may not be on he same wavelength here.

The problem shot that I refer to is not from wet grass, but, where there are patches with no grass at all. The course is built on clay, which is the main factor in this type of lie occurring during the damp Winter months.

regards

Alan

[Golfbald]

AlanN,

We have what you describe in Louisiana, we call it gumbo clay. It resembles a clay pot modeling material when it's wet. Nasty stuff to play off of. I find pinching the ball with no divot is the best shot. If you have a difficult time pinching it, take one more club and swing normal. The clubhead gets sucked into the mud.
Some exercises to strengthrn the wrists never hurt this time of the year.

GolfBald

[AlanN]

Thanks

Hi Golfbald,

Your Louisiana mud sounds even softer than the stuff I am encountering!!

I think that the techniques which you and Bigman have described may be fairly similar. I'm playing tomorrow, on this glue pot of a course, so I'm bound to find a few mud patches on which to try this out.

Now if I could only find every fairway with my drives, I wouldn't encounter this problem!!!! We are allowed to "pick and place" on these.

regards,

Alan

[AlanN]

Getting better

Thanks to the good advice given by the above learned members, I am now striking some good shots off the mud.

Unfortunately, none of the manufacturers make a ball to which mud doesn't stick (as far as I know!!). I was very fed up, this morning, when I played a shot off the mud. A crisply struck 8 iron, going straight at the flag. I noticed that, in flight, the ball colour was brown, not white. Suddenly it turned left, as though it had hit a wall. Instead of being on the green, it went in a pond. An easy 5 became a 7.

How I long for a few days without rain. Here in the UK, we have had too much of the wet stuff over the past few weeks.

[Golfbald]

Alan,

I know what you mean. I've hit some shots high but a little short of the green, i get to the green and the ball would get so sucked down into the mud it disappears. There would be a ring where it landed. I'd have to dig it out with my fingers. So much for lift, clean, and place. Just something to tolerate. Make sure your grooves are clean on each mud shot. If he sloop has somewhere to go it's not against the ball.

GolfBald