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Ok, Your ball is sitting on hard packed ground with little grass coverage,2 yards in front of you is a slope of 3inch deep kikuyu leading 2 yards up to the green with the pin set 3 yards back.How do you play it?
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Re: Shot dilemma
Check no-ones watching, pick the ball up and gently lob it onto the green?Originally posted by golfshooter View PostOk, Your ball is sitting on hard packed ground with little grass coverage,2 yards in front of you is a slope of 3inch deep kikuyu leading 2 yards up to the green with the pin set 3 yards back.How do you play it?
Or more seriously, either try conjure up an "impossible" Mickelsonesque flop shot or ignore the pin position and just pitch it up to the centre / back of the green and take the 2 putts.
Ego would dictate the former, brain the latter, which did you do? -
Re: Shot dilemma
So I've gotta cover 4 yards to the green off hardpack and I've got 7 yards to the flag?Originally posted by golfshooter View PostOk, Your ball is sitting on hard packed ground with little grass coverage,2 yards in front of you is a slope of 3inch deep kikuyu leading 2 yards up to the green with the pin set 3 yards back.How do you play it?
I'd probably play a short, checking chip, knowing it's going to run past the flag. The hardpan will offer extra compression (more spin) and I'd pick my landing spot closer to the pin the worse I am at chipping - the last thing you want is to try an even shorter shot out of the kikuyu.
The tough part is that you've gotta hit it hard enough to go the distance... which is why you also need to be OK with being past the flag. I'd use the lowest bounced, most lofted club I had (in that order). For some it's a low bounce 60, for others it may have to be their gap wedge as their sand wedge is wide soled or large-bounced. Lots of bounce is your enemy in tight-lie situations.Comment
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Re: Shot dilemma
Hi Peter,
I've only played kikuyu a few times, but I recall that your ball does not go anywhere when it hits a patch of kikuyu rough, and once you're in it, it's very difficult to play a shot out of it. So, there is an extreme risk in trying to play a low chip into the 3" rough, in the hope the ball will hit, pop out and weakly trickle onto the green.
I don't think a flop shot is even manageable, with the tight hard pan lie, and only two yards of carry over the kikuyu, and the pin being only three yards on the green.
I agree with bdbl.
TedComment
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Re: Shot dilemma
I would use my lob wedge as it has little bounce and is easier to get under the ball. Set the shaft upright or even leaning back a little so you have plenty of effective loft. (Opening the face for more loft is not recommended on hardpan as it is easy to bounce the leading edge into the ball and thin it) Play a simple chip shot with a short backswing and a high follow through to ensure you are accelerating into the ball. Don't let your wrists turn over through the shot, keep the back of your lead wrist pointing to the target as long as possible. The ball should lob onto the green and check fairly quick so make some practices to get a feel for the correct tempo.Comment
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Re: Shot dilemma
Unfortunately,we are faced with this on 3 holes (the hard pan I mean) and the kikuyu on all of them. The best you can really do is use a wedge say 56 or 60 degree and chop down on the ball hoping you get enough of the clubs loft to pop it up on to the green.You really have to commit to the shot and not worry to much about the pin. Any half measures and your in the grass which I reckon is worse than sand.Personally I like bdbl's first idea.
PeterComment
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