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How do you approach low running punch shots ?

inthehole

inthehole

Holly Sonders Caddie
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Pocono's PA
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GHIN 11.5
I've developed what I think is a great method for hitting low running line drive punch shots ... out of necessity for all the courses I play are tree lined mountain courses & I find myself under trees often.

I use my lowest lofted iron (5i) and play the ball 6-10" BEHIND MY RIGHT FOOT. I'm not talking about playing it back in my stance - I'm talking playing it BEHIND my rear foot. it takes all the loft completely off the club - making it into less than a 1 iron.

Whenever I'm watching golf, I always watch to see how pro's play low punch shots & I've never seen anyone else do this (they just play it back in their stance, NEVER behind their rear foot) - seems odd to me, as it works so well.

Anyways, just curious how do you guys do it, what club do you prefer to use, and if you've ever tried playing it BEHIND your left foot to keep it super low ?
 
I play it behind my right foot but not 6-10" behind it. Mostly just off of it
 
PhillyV said:
I play it behind my right foot but not 6-10" behind it. Mostly just off of it
Click to expand...
Same, probably in line with my right foot, keep your hands forward, exaggerated follow through to the target (I hardly let my follow through get past parallel to ground)
I have had to punch a lot, playing a course for the last 11 years or so that is lined on both sides of every fairway with trees.
 
Just inside right foot and stand a little more upright/closer to the ball. Consciously keep hands a little forward delofting club even more. If I execute properly will go no more two feet off the ground. Having behind rear foot seems like it'd be awkward and be very timing sensitive.
 
It doesn't seem to be that timing sensitive really. I just can't hit it with a full swing or it will hook - nice smooth 75% swing & it works like a charm.
 
I use the low runner for a lot for 'years' ...basically flighting it down max. I usually have ball placement inside right foot, firm wirsts, abbreviated stroke, on the end of the grip to increase SW and heavy head feel to create lag / deloft. I do this from 54, PW, 9i, 8i, 7i max (as I have a 60yd shot with my 58*). Basically its the same swing with all clubs. Quite often I will lay up short on a par 5 with a 5w to lay at the opening of a well guarded green to execute the low runner to the back pin locations. On Par 5...you have to look at the pin locations prior to the 2nd approach shot, to land a open line to the pin... and not short side yourself. From there I look for the best place to putt from. I get up n down this way a lot, its easier than wedging into wind, The low runner shots distance control is a good thing to learn, as you can use this shot to bump into green mounds and trickle over onto greens etc, deflection shots off slopes into greens.
For me I find softer forged 1025 or JDM blades give the best dispersion & distance control and don't get too hot... or not on less than half strikes. Most of my irons have mild leading edge grinds rounding the leading edge so they resist digging and sure help misses with this shot. A shovel with a sharp edge is more difficult. My main iron for this is usually a 9i or 8i. The low runner is a great shot for your game!
 
Ball just inside by back fot, forward hands press a little and try to stay under 75% swing
 
I play it back a couple of inches from normal. Firm wrists and little or no follow through after contact but that does depend on the length of the shot.
 
I play it back of stance and hands in front of club head, I also use a 5i
 
I hit the low punch with my 4/5/6 depending on what kind of height I have to work with and what distance I'm trying to get to. I play the ball off my right foot/big toe, I grip all the way down to the bottom of the grip, I lean the shaft forward, and make a partial swing. I try not to swing overly fast and I try to exaggerate the follow through keeping it low. 60% of the time it works every time.

ETA - narrow stance for me as well.
 
I have had more success with these (maybe because I am in bad spots a lot). I picked up a tip from a Srixon video last year and it has really helped.
I narrow my stance and choke down on my club quite a bit. I will usually try to keep my hands low on the follow through.
If I need to shape the ball, I will put the club face where I want to hit it and then close my stance to turn it around a tree. Has been really good for me.


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Off the front of my back foot. Will open or close my stance depending on what shot im trying to hit, narrow stance and a small forward press. Swing length is abbreviated in backswing and follow thru.
 
punch everything from 3 hybrid to 8 iron. I hood the face playing it inside my back foot. hands forward and swing 1/2 to 3/4 keeping the hands in front of the clubhead. My tendencie is to pull it left.
 
PhillyV said:
I play it behind my right foot but not 6-10" behind it. Mostly just off of it
Click to expand...

Like the above and with a 5 iron. I've tried with a hybrid but just doesn't work as well for me.
 
mikedean441 said:
Ball just inside by back fot, forward hands press a little and try to stay under 75% swing
Click to expand...
I do this exact same thing, and almost exclusively use my 5 iron for it, just feel more comfortable with it for that shot.
 
a little back of middle, but not too much. abbreviated backswing, try not to let hands get above waist high in follow through, forward shaft lean at impact. don't try to get too much distance because that will lead to more spin and more trajectory.

the issue i have with this shot is that it can be such a hook monster for me. the ball that far back will encourage impact at a point of the plane that is pretty far in-to-out. i'll unconsciously square the face, and hit a hard low ground runner hook.

my old school grandfather used to be awesome with this shot, and he swore that you wanted a wide stance. he was a master with it. i don't do that, but just saying there are options.
 
emart2173 said:
Off the front of my back foot. Will open or close my stance depending on what shot im trying to hit, narrow stance and a small forward press. Swing length is abbreviated in backswing and follow thru.
Click to expand...

I do this as well, My follow through I try to keep low as to make sure I'm staying down through the ball
 
I have found that if I try to punch it, then crazy things happen because you put spin on the ball. I just hit a 6, 7, or 8 iron and hit it clean, just sort of lob it. Then it goes smooth with no spin. Seems to work for me.
 
Guess I'm the odd duck that plays it normal or even forward in my stance a bit. I put more weight on my front leg and leave it there throughout the swing. I use a some forward press to flight it down at address. The swing is abbreviated back and through. Most importantly, I have very little wrist hinge throughout the swing.
 
Back in stance. Hit like i would a chip, open stance, left arm straight, with a club with just enough loft to get under trees or over carry spot.

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I'm an odd one too. I have the ball further forward, but I open up my stance a bit using my 4H. The swing is almost like a power putt, punching through the ball with a firm wrist. Developed this out of necessity ending up in tight lies, under trees, with lots of Texas wind.
 
I play it off my front foot and the backswing goes back low and my follow through stays very low with my hands leading the club face. Depending on the shot I'll sway my hips towards the target instead of turning them.
The shot will also dictate which club I use.
 
Just off of my back foot and then 3/4 swing and always finishing low. Always like hitting these shots
 
Used to get more greedy, play it back but pick the club to just get under what I need to but get up enough to be able to still stop on the green which normally resulted in me getting steep and launching in too high into the branch leaving the exact shot, now I just try to play it off the inside of the back foot then move my back foot about 6 inches forward take my 3 hybrid and keep the plane flat, that usually is good for about 120 yards in the air and low, swing a little less if that is too far and suck it up and not get greedy and take 120 in the air and hop it runs up leaving an easy chip from short.
 
OITW said:
I do this as well, My follow through I try to keep low as to make sure I'm staying down through the ball
Click to expand...

The low follow thru is critical keeping it down. When I forget to do that I hit what I was trying to avoid
 
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