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BAD GREENSIDE LIE? LEAN TOWARDS THE TARGET
Hit this shot twice as hard as you think. Play it like a bunker shot: Open the face, lean left, swing hard.
THE FIRST QUESTION pros ask themselves when they get to their ball is, What’s the lie? Analysing how the ball is sitting and adjusting your technique to accommodate the lie is crucial. Average players rarely do this. Take this nasty lie in greenside rough ( below ). Pros know that if they used a standard chipping setup and swing here, the club would get snagged in the grass coming into impact. When the ball is sitting down like this, take your highest-lofted wedge and open the clubface.
The big key, though, is to get nearly all your weight on your lead leg, leaning your whole body towards the target. Notice how it looks like I’m “sitting” into my left leg. This creates a very steep swing, where the clubhead drops onto the ball, not behind it. Another mistake with this shot is not swinging hard enough to get to the green. Hit this shot twice as hard as you think you should. The resistance of the rough will deaden the blow. Play it like a bunker shot: Open the face, lean left and swing hard.
TOUR PROS seem to always miss in the right spots, but how? Most of the time they aim away from trouble and curve their shots towards the risky spots, being careful not to over-curve them. If the pin is tucked on the left side ( previous spread ), pros know they don’t want to miss left, on the short side, so they aim at the middle of towards the hole. Amateurs often go directly at the pin, leading to short-sided misses. Make your target bigger by aiming at the safe side of the green. If you curve your shot towards the hole – great shot! If not, you’re still on the green. the green and work the ball AIM SAFE, CURVE IT IN
86 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
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