The Way to Punch a Low Golf Shot Beneath Trees

One of many significant features of golf is how many unusual situations we face during only one round of golf, and the more resources we are able to use to get out of those sticky situations with a minimum of harm can be the difference of 5 or 6, or more, strokes in our handicap. One of those sticky situations we invariably come upon is when we have to find a way to punch a low golf shot beneath trees.



There will always be many ways to get out you from this situation, and sometimes the safe tactic, to simply get the ball back on the fairway, is the most effective way. Based on how a ball lies, where additional hazards can be found, and the amount of room beneath the tree you have to work with, on occasion it’s really better to take your medicine and go the safe direction. But to hit the low golf shot beneath trees, or I name it the punch shot, can frequently get you out of difficulty without sacrificing distance.



My first bit of advice regarding the way to punch a low golf shot beneath trees, and this goes opposite to what some people think, is not to locate the ball well back in the stance. It’s correct that you want to deloft the club, and positioning the ball back will accomplish that, but you also choose to put little or no backspin on the ball. You will create backspin if you strike the ball taking a descending arch, and that is what you will do if the ball is back. Instead, so that you can hit a low golf shot under trees, do this:



1. Over club by at least two. You are going to be taking an abbreviated swing, and you want a lesser amount of loft and thus less height on the ball.



2. Place the ball in the center of your stance.



3. Choke down on the club, only a little.



4. Flatten the swing, taking the club back low and don’t hinge the wrists.



5. Maintain the hands well ahead of the ball at contact, giving you a delofted club head.



6. Finish with the club head low and yet again not hinging the wrists.



7. Swing slow and smooth, concentrating on making solid contact to the ball.



I label it a "punch shot", as to me I have the sensation of merely punching the ball low, keeping it just off the ground, and then getting distance with the roll. As mentioned earlier, the quality of the lie will govern if I try this shot. If I can’t get my entire clubface on the ball, it’s too risky to take a crack at. Additionally, if the area where I hope to generate roll from is very wet and won’t yield much roll, the risk/reward of the shot could possibly be too high.



A great little driving range drill is to stand your golf bag up roughly four or five feet in front of you, and try to punch balls through the legs and below the bag. If you keep hitting the bag, cut down on the pace of the swing. Under the proper situation, this can be a usable shot to possess around the golf course. No matter what your level of play, there will be times when will probably be beneficial to understand the way to punch a low golf shot beneath trees.



For more information on golf in general, click HERE, and for some excellent information on improving your short game, click HERE.  Sean O’Kelly is a writer living in London, and has been playing and studying the game of golf for many years.