We all step up to the tee, in the expectation were are going to hit the perfect shot. Mentally, we can see the ball bouncing down the middle of the fairway, however, the reality is, the ball might not go exactly where you planned it to. This is where the recovery shot comes in to play.
Knowing how to hit a technically perfect shot off the tee or the fairway is great but there are plenty of times when this is not possible. Having hit the ball in to some rough, the trees, bushes or pine needles, the next shot you play, is going to be crucial. Not only to the hole but to your round.
The first thing to think about, when in trouble, is what is the easiest way to get the ball back on the fairway, in the least amount of shots possible. If stuck behind some trees, chances are, you will want to hit a low shot, which will avoid striking any branches on the way out. To do this, the 4 of 5 iron is the best club. Try to drive the ball out of trouble, rather than lifting it, as this will help to keep it low.
Depending what surface the ball has landed on and the weather conditions, footing can become a problem when playing out of trouble. Many players actually lose their footing, especially when playing on a surface such as pine needles. Do not be afraid to do a little maintenance, to help improve the stability of your stance. Clear the pine needles away and ensure both feet are in contact with the ground underneath. It’s not enough to swivel the feet and hope that will do it because it won’t, you will still be stood on top of the pine needles and they are slippery. Take a few seconds to clear them and you will be in a great position to play a good shot.
Not all recovery shots come about because of a poor previous shot. It’s possible to find the fairway, only to walk up to your ball and see it is in a divot, how frustrating. However, this is not the time to get angry, it’s the time to play a great recovery shot. The key here, because the ball is sitting slightly lower than normal, is to take a steeper swing, as this will enable you to make a solid contact. Do not try and lift the ball, allow the natural loft of the club to do that for you, just concentrate on the steeper swing and making a solid contact.
So there we have it, next time you find your ball in the trees, on the pine needles or in a divot, you have the shots in your armoury to comfortably escape.
