A Guide on How to Escape Your Horrendous Lies
Every golfer has been there – you walk up to your ball in the rough, or maybe in a bunker, and see it sitting in a terrible lie. Now, your mind starts to race with ideas of how you can get out of this tough spot, and you probably get a little annoyed and frustrated with yourself for hitting the ball there in the first place. This is no time for frustration or a temper tantrum – instead, you need to come up with a plan to get your ball back on the short grass as soon as possible.
The next time you draw a horrendous lie somewhere around the golf course, use the following tips to get back on track –
- Play it safe. Whatever you do, don’t attempt to hit a shot that could put you in even more trouble than you are already in. Hitting one bad shot is costly enough, but compounding your mistake with another poor shot can really get you in trouble on the scorecard. When you get to your ball, look around and figure out which path is the easiest to get back in play. Even if that means you have to leave yourself a long shot into the green, be smart and don’t make your problems worse.
- Keep your cool. Most bad decisions on the golf course are made when you are frustrated and angry with yourself and your performance. To avoid that fate, try to stay as even-keeled as possible during the round. There are bound to be highs and lows during the day, but don’t let them get to you to the point that it affects your decision making. Take a deep breath after you realize that your ball is in a tough spot, and then get back to the business of hitting a smart shot and finishing the current hole in as few shots as possible.
- Be confident. No matter what shot you decide to try and hit to get out of trouble, make sure to go into the shot with confidence that you can execute the play successfully. Trying to hit a shot that you aren’t confident in is always a bad idea, and will usually lead to more trouble. Pick the shot that you truly believe in, and then do your best to execute the shot perfectly. You won’t always hit good shots, but your chances go up when you are confident.