We all have two sets of shots – the shots we can play to perfection and the shots we can’t. Hitting the ball from the collar may not be the toughest shot in the game, but it certainly is the trickiest, a shot every golfer wants to make part of his arsenal. It’s a challenging hit, no doubt, but with the few tips from pros and regular practice you can ace it in no time.
As in most cases working on the stance, the position of the ball and learning to grip – all the standard advice applies even to the current situation. But, hitting a ball from the collar can be a lot different each time you do it. Based on the condition of the green, amount of rough, and the distance and direction of the tin there are few strategies that golfers can use.
If there isn’t much of a distance to cover between the collar and the tin, and the collar is unexpectedly thick, then the best course to take would be using a high lofted wedge. You can use an ultra lob wedge for such a shot. By hitting a lofted wedge the ball will easily sail over the rough and fall near the tin without much bounce. Utilize an ultra lob wedge for longer chip shot and less lofted wedge for a shorter one.
A normal putter would do the trick in conditions where the collar is cut short and the ball is not too far from the green. Depending on the distance the ball has to travel you can use a delicate stroke or put some power into the shot. Another effective, but riskier attempt involves placing the ball in line with the back foot so the heel of the putter makes contact at an angle and puts the ball over the rough.
Consider using a five iron for a low arc chip shot if the ball has some rough to climb and considerable green cover to trek. You can either use the short iron or middle iron to attempt this stroke. Don’t worry too much about the varying length of the clubs – wedge, putter, or iron – you can change the grip position to maintain the same length.
When the ball is at the far end of the collar with tall grass behind it, attempting a stroke with an iron, wedge or putter is a lot harder. In such as situation, many pros tend to use a hybrid or fairway metal for putting. This essentially solves the problem; now you don’t have to worry about the tall grass during the backswing.
© Bestfaroalgarve.org. All rights reserved. Design by Honored Golfer Productions. Photos by Holiday Planning.