| When your ball finishes in a divot, your heart falls | | | | I emphasize the word firmly. |
| andyou are filled with dismay and perhaps a little | | | | Ok, how about hitting out of a ditch? One of those |
| angertowards the inconsiderate player before you | | | | placedlovingly by the course designer between the |
| who has notrepaired after taking his divot. | | | | fairway and theedge of a hazard. |
| So easy to throw a littlesand over the depression | | | | This is a difficult, shot and you can take a drop and a |
| isn't it? | | | | oneshot penalty. This will probably allow you to get |
| Any way, what to do? You can play a punch shot | | | | your ballonto the green. |
| with theball just inside your right toe, and run the ball | | | | The danger is that you may not get yourball out of |
| onto thegreen,or, hit with your right hand, with open | | | | the ditch and this will cost you a shot. |
| club faceand ball well forward in your stance to get | | | | If you think it is worth a try, here is how you should |
| the ball upinto the air and fly to the green.. | | | | goabout it. |
| In this article, I want to talk about other bad lies | | | | Have the ball in the middle of your stance, andbend |
| fromsimple depressions to ditches and a bit more on | | | | your knees - I mean really bend them. |
| playingfrom a divot. | | | | Bend them enough so that your club head can reach |
| Firstly, if your ball finishes in a divot, you can use | | | | the ball. |
| oneof your fairway metals to get your ball out and | | | | Then during your shot, make sure you keep your |
| onto thegreen. | | | | body at this level during thewhole swing. |
| This is a technique to use if you want distance. | | | | This is one important point. |
| It is superior and much easier than using a long iron | | | | Then next is to hit DOWN on the ball. This is so |
| toachieve the same result. | | | | important. If you try tosweep it, you will almost |
| This also applies not only fordivots, but small | | | | certainly fail. |
| depressions whether with grassy base ornot. | | | | The back swing should be done by picking the club |
| Don't use a metal with a flat sole, but pick the | | | | up sharply breaking yourwrists quickly. |
| onewith the most rounded one. | | | | Your down swing should be a punch type |
| This obviously gets into the depression better than a | | | | shotstraight down onto the ball. You will not be able |
| flat soled club. | | | | to followthrough, so don't worry about this part of |
| Line up your shot a little to the left of the target, | | | | the swing. |
| and thenopen your club face a little. This gives you | | | | This is for a dreadful lie in a ditch. Sometimes the |
| more loft and will aid ingetting your ball up. | | | | ditchis wide enough for a more orthodox swing. |
| If you do not open your club face, itwill meet the ball | | | | In this case, bending your knees and hitting down on |
| too squarely and the ball will have everychance of | | | | the ball stillapplies and are a must, but the swing can |
| running along the ground instead of getting up inthe | | | | be a little moreof a swing instead of a punch. |
| air. | | | | The important things are to keep your body at the |
| A bit like opening the face of one of your wedgesto | | | | same leveland your head still. |
| get the ball up in the air more. You have aimed to | | | | Watch the ball and keep looking at the spot where it |
| theleft of your target because with an open club | | | | was longafter it has left. |
| face, yourball will fade to the right. | | | | You will be able to have some sort of afollow |
| Have the ball 2 or 3 inches further back in your | | | | through and the ball will fly high and long. |
| stancethan normal, and hit firmly down onto the ball. | | | | |