Finding a lie in a hard pan is a tricky place to find, but you can escape easily by following these tips from Top 100 Teacher Tina Tombs.
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Your foul shot found a hard piece of gravel, or solid panotherwise known as simply the desert where I teach in Phoenix.
Your first reaction is likely to pull your sand wedge to return the ball to safety, as you would normally do in a sand bunker. Uh-uh. of the angle of the jump in your wedges it’s too high to sail on this type of lie – so the club will literally bounce off the gravel as soon as it hits the ground, so you’ll end up digging the shot. This situation requires some creativity.
The first step is to go for a longer club with a straighter lie and some bounce. Say 7-iron. Stay close to the ball with your feet together and, instead of trying to make a full swing, use your kick. (You can even go as far as using the overhand grip.) Now throw the ball. The length of your 7-iron is more than enough to get the ball safely down the fairway.
The best part? Using your putt ensures you won’t hit the ball, which is another way to catch these types of very thin shots. I mean, who tries to get the ball in the air with their pitcher? Go back to the game and go do your level.
Tina Tombs is one GOLF Top 100 Teachers which operates Tina Tombs Golf at Arizona Biltmore GC in Phoenix.
