Even if you listen to the best golf tips, and consider all the factors like calculating distance in the wind, you are still not guaranteed to hit every fairway. Sometimes, even when we think we’ve hit an okay shot, we experience a spot of bad luck. That’s why it’s so important to hone your skills, increase your repertoire and develop the golfing IQ needed for a variety of recovery shots that you didn’t know you needed.
Here, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach John Howells runs through seven escape shots for you to call on in various scenarios as you see fit…
7 Shots To Get You Out Of Trouble On The Golf Course
Firstly, some of these shots need a lot of specific practice; others require new dexterity training. The main thing is that when it matters most with scorecard in hand, you only take on shots you can pull off nine times out of ten. If you can’t, hit a different shot.
1. The Left-Hander
(Image credit: Tom Miles)
The idea is to take your club – normally a 9-iron is a good option – then flip it round so you hit it left-handed with the toe pointing down. Choosing the correct grip is also important for this shot. Use a left-handed grip if you can, but if you feel more comfortable with your right-handed grip, so be it. You’re just trying to make a left-handed swing to tap the back of the ball. Don’t swing too hard.
It’s more about a smooth movement to nudge it back into play. It’s risky, but if you can develop a fairly repeatable left-handed swing, it can get you out of trouble when options are limited. With practice, you may even be able to hit it around 100 yards. Make a half or three-quarter backswing and then what feels like a slowed-down swing to just brush the ground near the ball. The main thing is practice – you don’t want to be trying this shot for the first time on the course.
Developing a left-handed swing can actually be quite good for your body from a strength and conditioning standpoint, too. Training the other way can help to rebalance or redress some of the tightness you may have acquired from swinging right-handed over the years.
2. The Right-Hand-Only Shot
(Image credit: Tom Miles)
When you’re facing this lie with the ball near the lip of a bunker, if you were to play it in the conventional way, you would be standing two feet below the ball. That’s not very easy as it creates all sorts of problems with contact. In this scenario, I would advise you to develop a right-hand-only chip shot where you actually stand with your back to…
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