Even the best golfers on the PGA Tour are missing the fairways more than 30% of the time. The golden rule to recovery shots is when you are in trouble take only one shot where possible to get out of trouble. Often this means playing a high percentage low shot from the trees.
A common mistake that people make with recovery shots is not choosing enough loft, by selecting a long iron you may bring long grass and hazards on the ground into play.
The following are keys to successfully play a low recovery shot from the trees:
- Select a club with the appropriate amount of loft to carry any branches or hazards on the ground. The loft selected should also be suitable to keep the ball under any tree limbs above. A mid iron is usually a suitable club.
- Setup with 60% weight toward the target side leg.
- Place the ball only one ball back in the stance. This is critical, if you place the ball too far back in the stance the ball will tend to start to the right of target for right handed players due to contact being made earlier in the swing, when the path and face is moving to the right of the target. This also helps reduce the amount of grass between the club and ball at impact
- Take a half to ¾ quarter length backswing. A longer swing may risk making contact with overhanging branches.
- Swing through impact with the hands leading the club head and the normal loft on the club reduced. Restrict the follow through so it matches the length of the backswing.
Using these tips during practice and play will improve your recovery skills and help you reduce your score.
