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Playing it Down

5150

5150

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I'm not a stickler about playing it down and I don't care if my opponents fluff up their lie... but I'm finding that I enjoy the game more when I take what it gives me and play the ball as it lies.

I don't mean just leaving it in the rough or in the fairway divot, either. In the past if I had tree trouble or whatever, most of my partners would say hey, kick it out of there, get yourself a shot. But recently I've started to enjoy the creativity required to keep one low under the branches, or bend one around back into the fairway, etc. There's something satisfying about coming up with a creative approach, balancing it with solid course management, and then executing the shot.

Last week I tried to cut the dogleg on 18 and ended up under some branches with about 135 left. That's a PW for me, but i would've put it up in the trees with that club - so I grabbed 7i, put it back in my stance and gave it about a 60% swing and hit a low one up just over the back of the green. I got a way bigger kick out of that than I would've gotten from kicking it out from behind the branches and hitting PW.

Anyone else enjoy the creative shots that come along with playing it down?
 
If I'm in the trees I'm in the trees, I'm not kicking it out to give myself a clear shot. Now will I move it a few inches left or right of a root to make sure I don't hit one? Sure. But I still have to execute the punch out.

Obviously I prefer hooking a 7iron or 5iron towards the green. I don't quite have the cut or slice shot from the right side of the trees to get towards the green.
 
I'm pretty handy with a 4i---just not for full shots.

If I'm in the trees or bushes I'll punch out--never just foot wedge into a clearing.

Occasionally I can hit a low running cut shot that rolls up on or near the green. Especially fun from 150 or longer.

It's fun---when it doesn't go through the other side if the fairway.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
About 1/3 of my play is solo and I either play it down (if I'm actually playing golf) or I play two or three balls (if I'm practicing).

But the rest of the time I play in regular, standing group at my club. They generally insist on anything from rolling them out of divots to rolling them anywhere in the fairway (if it's wet or in winter time) along with a few "free drop" situations. When asked my opinion I always strongly advocate playing it down but seldom carry the day. At least we putt 'em out and stay strictly legal dealing with OB, drops from hazards, etc.

The problem is, my score is being combined with 2 or 3 other guys on my team and the entire "field" is rolling the ball. I go ahead and play it down most times but if I'm in a seriously bad situation (tree root, unrepaired deep divot) and I don't roll it then I hit a bad shot I get the seriously stink-eye from my partners. As far as they're concerned I just cost the team a stroke by being a prima donna.

So I split the difference, like I say. Even in the winter I never go along with the ball in hand on every stinking shot. But often at some point during the round I will drop away from a tree or whatever. I don't suppose I'd be kicked out of the group for being a hard-ass about it but it's not the way to act in a group I play with nearly 100x a year for decades on end.
 
CobraX51 said:
If I'm in the trees I'm in the trees, I'm not kicking it out to give myself a clear shot. Now will I move it a few inches left or right of a root to make sure I don't hit one? Sure. But I still have to execute the punch out.

Obviously I prefer hooking a 7iron or 5iron towards the green. I don't quite have the cut or slice shot from the right side of the trees to get towards the green.
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Oh, same here, if I'm going damage myself or my club then I'll move it.

I don't know if I articulated it very well... I think my intent was to say that I find golf to be more fun when I take what it gives me than it is when I manipulate the lie to remove obstacles. I enjoy having to think thru a shot and come up with something different.
 
I play it where it lies except for roots & rocks. When someone else pays for my medical and equipment I'll play those shots.
 
yup, that's what makes golf golf
 
the way i see it (for me and myself) and i dont play competitive golf. But i do post and run a cap for my own self fun and evaluation. But unfortunately it only remind me how i suck. But be that as it may I play it down like Im suppose to. If the situation is too poor then i have the rule option of taking a penalty drop. pretty simple really. But when/if i play one my best or perhaps the best round I know i can feel good in knowing i didnt do so via having moved a few balls i was not suppose to without penalty. For me and my score in my own mind it simply doesnt work another way.
 
Et Tu Brute? said:
About 1/3 of my play is solo and I either play it down (if I'm actually playing golf) or I play two or three balls (if I'm practicing).

But the rest of the time I play in regular, standing group at my club. They generally insist on anything from rolling them out of divots to rolling them anywhere in the fairway (if it's wet or in winter time) along with a few "free drop" situations. When asked my opinion I always strongly advocate playing it down but seldom carry the day. At least we putt 'em out and stay strictly legal dealing with OB, drops from hazards, etc.

The problem is, my score is being combined with 2 or 3 other guys on my team and the entire "field" is rolling the ball. I go ahead and play it down most times but if I'm in a seriously bad situation (tree root, unrepaired deep divot) and I don't roll it then I hit a bad shot I get the seriously stink-eye from my partners. As far as they're concerned I just cost the team a stroke by being a prima donna.

So I split the difference, like I say. Even in the winter I never go along with the ball in hand on every stinking shot. But often at some point during the round I will drop away from a tree or whatever. I don't suppose I'd be kicked out of the group for being a hard-ass about it but it's not the way to act in a group I play with nearly 100x a year for decades on end.
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Yep; I get that. We play a scramble at my club every Saturday that has a "one club length" drop rule. Most of the members take a pretty liberal meaning of that rule. I'll go along with it then since that's what the field (and my teammates) are doing. Personally, I feel like if we're playing a best-ball scramble AND we still end up in lousy spot, we should have to take our medicine, but I'm in the minority.

If we're playing our own ball, then I play it down probably 90% of the time. Frankly I get more satisfaction out of winning when I play that way =)
 
baylrballa said:
yup, that's what makes golf golf
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Right? Maybe it's just a matter of perspective. If I'm gonna shoot a good score, I want it to include taking what the course gives me and dealing with the adversity. I don't feel nearly as good about a birdie if I took a liberal drop to get it.

There's a guy at our club who cheats incessantly... he took first in B flight at the club championship last year (guess who handled the rules around the flights???) and has his name up on the plaque on the wall. I personally couldn't take any pleasure in that win knowing that I cheated to obtain it.
 
I will play it down as often as I can, I get more enjoyment since I have a lot of room to improve and would feel better scoring 90 playing 100% by the rules vs. 88 with a couple fluffed shots and wonder what if I didn't move the ball those couple times. Now if I am by a tree or root, depending on how my game is going that day might dictate how I play the shot (move it over or just punch a few feet and not be as aggressive to hurt my club or self). Not against what others do either and won't call you out on it, but if we are playing in a match and I see you move balls or take favorable positions, I will do the same. Just seems fair hehe!

Edit: This is all for casual play, if I ever played a tournament or really competitive round, I will take my medicine and play the rules to a T.
 
Totally agree - to me that's the essence of golf.
 
I play it down 99% of the time

If it’s more casual and their is a root or rock I will move it

Competitive rounds down and take it as it is
 
There's one simple but perhaps annoying thing about playing a "root rule" or rolling the ball out of divot. The only difference between taking a free drop away from a tree root versus taking an unplayable lie drop away from a tree root is the addition (or not) of one stroke to your score. Same for a divot, if you really want to drop away from the divot then do it and add a stroke.

Other frequently-done pseudo-rules don't have such clear cut alternatives. If you pick up a short putt without putting that may or may not save you a stroke. And a funky drop in a favorable position instead of "two club lengths no closer to the hole" may or may not save you anything at all depending on what would have happened in the counterfactual case when you obeyed the rule.

But the free drops really boil down to simply recording one stroke lower score than you actually shot. Period.
 
Being creative is part of golf, enjoy the funky shots but be ready to take your medicine if you can't go for it. I love playing low stingers, hooks, slices etc to get back in play
 
5150 said:
Oh, same here, if I'm going damage myself or my club then I'll move it.

I don't know if I articulated it very well... I think my intent was to say that I find golf to be more fun when I take what it gives me than it is when I manipulate the lie to remove obstacles. I enjoy having to think thru a shot and come up with something different.
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You articulated it just fine.

Now if you have any tips on how to hit the cut/slice from the right side of the trees please help haha.
 
Yeah, I'm playing it down 98% of the time. Only exceptions are the possibility of hurting myself, the club, or if it's fall or spring here and you get random patched with no grass in the middle of the fairway.
 
Only way I move it is damaging the club or damaging me. Even rocks, ehh. Pebbles? Or like a soccer ball or larger rock? Pebbles, brush away from the front and back and it’s fair game.

Nothing makes me more annoyed than moving from a root though and then hitting the ball... and finding another root that wasn’t visible. Happened last week and maaaan that’s not a fun feeling.
 
alexped2393 said:
Being creative is part of golf, enjoy the funky shots but be ready to take your medicine if you can't go for it. I love playing low stingers, hooks, slices etc to get back in play
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Totally agree. To be clear I don't mean to say that I always go for the hero shot. Sometimes the "creative" one is the low punch that gets you back into play, or in the greenside bunker as a bailout, or whatever.

I'm not a big hero shot guy. Usually doesn't work out for me.
 
CobraX51 said:
You articulated it just fine.

Now if you have any tips on how to hit the cut/slice from the right side of the trees please help haha.
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Haha... have you tried prayer and fasting? I'm not much good at the low cut either. I can hit a high one, but it's tough to keep it low. I guess if I had to I'd take a couple more clubs to decrease loft and swing easier. That's all I got.
 
I always play it down, otherwise my handicap is invalid and a total waste of money.

I will say that I do enjoy creating shots when needed and I think I have a reasonable chance of pulling it off.
Otherwise, I take my punishment and either chip it out or unplayable lie if that works out better.
 
I always play it as it lies, with only two exceptions:

1) If it's in the middle of the fairway and you are in a divot, move it out of the divot. If you hit it in the fairway, you should be rewarded with a good lie.
2) If it's sitting on something that could be dangerous to club or person (tree root, rock, etc), move it enough to ensure safety. I've seen people really mess up their clubs or their wrists/hands trying to hit shots like that.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
 
OITW said:
I play it down 99% of the time

If it’s more casual and their is a root or rock I will move it

Competitive rounds down and take it as it is
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THIS.

But when I am playing with family or friends who might be having a hard time of it, I always encourage them to improve their lie, etc, to try and make their round more enjoyable.
 
SkiBumGolfer said:
I always play it as it lies, with only two exceptions:

1) If it's in the middle of the fairway and you are in a divot, move it out of the divot. If you hit it in the fairway, you should be rewarded with a good lie.
2) If it's sitting on something that could be dangerous to club or person (tree root, rock, etc), move it enough to ensure safety. I've seen people really mess up their clubs or their wrists/hands trying to hit shots like that.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

But in both cases you can comply with the Rules by simply adding one more stroke for the drop.
 
5150 said:
Yep; I get that. We play a scramble at my club every Saturday that has a "one club length" drop rule. Most of the members take a pretty liberal meaning of that rule. )
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there may have been alcohol involved in the following story, I can neither confirm nor deny...some coworkers on a retreat, it somehow morphed into 4 teams playing a scramble for amounts I was not comfortable with and dropped out...and someone else in the group wanted so badly to gamble they covered my and the other person not wanting to play for thousands of dollars. Okay. So we tee off on a tight hole. My job was put something in the fairway so he could blast it. I did, he did. Meanwhile, a group already down 3 holes to us hits it way right and into trees. First guy takes a "1 club drop" that somehow moved him out from under the trees next to their cart...which they then treat as an immovable man made impediment and take another "1-club" drop. Second guy takes a further 1-club drop. By the time the 4th guy hits, the "1 club" length has somehow resulted in the fourth guy hitting from dead center fairway.

Even funnier...we still beat them on the hole.
 
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