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    3 Basic Basic Tips

    Like any other sport, golf has basic rules that should always be adhered to, even if you are not a competitive player and just like to hit a few rounds on the course in your leisure time. It makes the game fair, challenging, and respectful to the other players you are with.

    Here are three such rules:

    1. Do not cheat by switching balls during a hole. The rules state that you must play with the same ball from the tee off to the final putt. Wherever the ball lands on each shot, that is where you play it from.

    2. Always carry a scorecard with you. It is not absolutely necessary, especially if you do not plan on keeping score, but even if not, having a scorecard is a great way to track your progress.

    3. The best way to progress in golf and improve your short game is to compare older scorecards with your current game. In other words, if you just hit the course yesterday, and today bring along that scorecard. You now have an opportunity to look at every shot made an improve on mistakes.

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    • « How To Handle The Swallowed Ball In The Bunker | Home | What Club Should You Use For Chip Shots? »

    How To Handle Impossible Steep Bunker Shots

    By Foursome | September 21, 2008

    One of the toughest bunker shots I ever faced was on a small golf course in my home town. It was my 20th high school reunion and since I was in town a few days early I was able to enjoy old times on the course with a few buddies.

    The course had been revised over the years. It’s an old course, owned and taken care of by a local farmer who was now passing the land down to his son. One of the first differences I took notice of was the steepness of the bunkers. And of course the change dawned on me when my ball made its way to the sand!

    Facing Steep Bunker Shots

    You probably have run into this same scenario. The bunker shot is tough enough but when you are literally facing a shot where your ball is lying right under a steep lip, such situations may cause serious doubt in even the best of golfers.

    Trust me, it is so easy to look up and think right away that it would be physically impossible to get the ball over the lip and onto the green. The lie may even be so bad that there would be no way to launch it at the right angle. So what do you do? Here are a few tips:Go For Broke

    Sometimes you just gotta take risks, even if it means suffering a bit. Look at it this way, if the steep bunker shot is impossible at first glance, then what do you have to lose by trying? So just go for broke and swing away!

    But be warned, you do run the risk that the ball will hit the lip and end up in the same spot or possibly in a more disastrous position, or worse yet – getting too much speed and bouncing back only to hit you – thus causing a two stroke penalty.

    Declare The Ball Unplayable

    Your second option is to simply take your losses and declare the ball as unplayable. As you know this choice automatically gives you a two stroke penalty and you must drop the ball within two club lengths of its original spot. However, the ball must say in the sand so hopefully a more easier bunker shot can be made after the adjustment.

    Move Backwards

    Your first choice was to make a go of it and see what happens. Second, you could just take your penalty and mark the ball unplayable. Now the third option, which is not too smart, but could possibly work, is to play the ball backwards out of the bunker.

    This by far is the easiest way to get the ball back into a positive situation but boy can this be tough on the ego! No golfer ever wants to consider moving backwards in a game. But the choice could possibly be the smartest option in such a defeating situation, so swallow your pride and get to it! It’s only a game after all.

    Topics: Sand Bunkers, Tips & Practice |

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