Compressed shots in soft conditions

Good morning,
After reflecting on my round yesterday I wanted to see if there is a better technique for playing in super wet /muddy conditions (aside from just not playing in them). To describe the conditions, we've had rain almost every day this past week. The drives were plugging in the fairways with absolutely no roll out. In the first cut and rough out feet would sink down until the mud. It was a windy day as well which made things even more fun. I normally hit down on the ball with my irons and my first drive found the left semi. I wanted to play a shot in a little lower due to the wind so played it about one ball back in my stance and took a smooth swing. The shot felt like a pure strike yet the ball came out more like a topped shot. I looked down and realized there was an 8 inch trough where I compressed the ball down into the mud and the mud gave. I realized I was not going to be able to play this type of shot and would have to try to pick the ball more cleanly instead of squeezing it off the turf. This is not a strength of mine so it was somewhat of a struggle. Is there a better technique or should I put more work in on shallowing the strike?

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It has basically rained so much over the last 16 months in Louisville that my swing has changed. I only pick the ball now because using the ground to compress the ball on 70% of the days I have played would just lead to a lot of fat shots and frustration.

As you said, gotta shallow out a little and pick it off the turf. At my old club it was notorious for being wet so before every shot I tried to get a feeling for where the bottom of the swing was for better contact

Maybe just go for a thin divot.

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It doesn’t work that way. You can’t get a steep enough AOA to hit the ball into the ground with anything remotely resembling a normal golf swing.

If the ball is partially plugged it is possible to make a good swing and somewhat thin the ball. If that is the case, you should be playing lift/clean/place.

The ultimate answer (assuming the ball isn’t plugged) is hit the ball first and the turf conditions are irrelevant.

-CRW- said:

It doesn’t work that way. You can’t get a steep enough AOA to hit the ball into the ground with anything remotely resembling a normal golf swing.

If the ball is partially plugged it is possible to make a good swing and somewhat thin the ball. If that is the case, you should be playing lift/clean/place.

The ultimate answer (assuming the ball isn’t plugged) is hit the ball first and the turf conditions are irrelevant.

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In very wet fairways, I noticed more fatted shots and I am pretty sure it is because I am sinking into the ground, just a little bit. Like a fairway bunker. I started just choking up a smidge. Fatted shots went away.