Playing a muddy course

by SmithersJones Thu 21 Nov 2013, 11:22 pm

At this time of year our course, being Essex clay, gets very wet and muddy. Although we tend to play pick wipe and cheat through the green, I still find that I struggle with playing iron shots a lot of the time, never managing to strike the ball cleanly. I either hit it fat or do exactly the opposite in an attempt to avoid doing so. In fact, I sometimes find it easier to play from the rough, where I can sit the ball up a bit more, than from a wet fairway. So, I'm after tips on catching iron shots cleanly in wet conditions, please. I've tried playing the ball a bit further back in the stance but all that seems to achieve is a bigger splash!

by George1507 Fri 22 Nov 2013, 5:32 am

take one club more and grip down by about a quarter of an inch.

by McLaren Fri 22 Nov 2013, 5:51 am

It sounds like you may have a swing issue that is highlighted by the playing conditions, rather than thinking about your problem in terms of adapting to the conditions.

Fat is fat, whether you are playing a soggy wet clay course or a bone dry links. If it is fat you have caught the ground before the ball. I don't see how the conditions have anything to do with it?

by super_realist Fri 22 Nov 2013, 7:48 am

I actually like playing courses after prolonged rain, what you might lose in distance off the tee you tend to gain in short club distance control as the greens are "drop and stop".

I know what you mean though about fat shots, I think the result just looks worse on a heavy course because the ball doesn't go as far as a result of the club digging in deeper. Simple as that.

What can you about it? Focus on hitting the ball before the ground is all you can do.

by Roller_Coaster Fri 22 Nov 2013, 8:26 am

Commit and try to get a good follow through (oo-er). A club digging in after a decent strike often catches me out. Ball first and get your trailing arm through the line and complete the swing.

by Doc Fri 22 Nov 2013, 8:38 am

SJ I know what you're trying to say, and think it means your fat shots are fatter on boggy course? I'm not a big fan of gloopy golf although I think it makes for good practice as long as your heads in it, otherwise it can feel like a pain as your distances are at least down by one club, your fat shots are fatter and you hit your approach shots well short of the pin. Being able to flush your irons consistently means you dont worry about the fatties. But if you tend to hit a couple each round in these conditions you may do a couple more than the norm.

by puligny Fri 22 Nov 2013, 9:26 am

Tip I was given to "guarantee the strike" irrespective of conditions was to move the ball back fractionally in the stance. Works for me.

by SmithersJones Fri 22 Nov 2013, 9:49 am

I do tend to take quite a big divot, even in dry conditions. Where the ball isn't sitting up on the turf in the wet quite as well as it does in the dry I find that divot becomes a splash followed by a divot, rather than absolutely chunking it (though I'm by no means immune to doing that too on occasion!). I think that's why moving the ball back doesn't make a difference for me.

by **navyblueshorts** Fri 22 Nov 2013, 11:14 am

super_realist wrote:...I know what you mean though about fat shots, I think the result just looks worse on a heavy course because the ball doesn't go as far as a result of the club digging in deeper. Simple as that.

What can you about it? Focus on hitting the ball before the ground is all you can do.

by super_realist Fri 22 Nov 2013, 11:23 am

If you have a heavy shot on a heavy course the club digs in deeper and the ball consequently doesn't go very far and the club loses inertia quicker, if you catch a ball heavy on a hard burnt course the club often bounces a bit more, there's less resistance and friction, hitting the ball with a bit more force and of course the ball runs farther on a dry course.

Clear?

by MontysMerkin Fri 22 Nov 2013, 11:43 am

super_realist wrote:If you have a heavy shot on a heavy course the club digs in deeper and the ball consequently doesn't go very far and the club loses inertia quicker, if you catch a ball heavy on a hard burnt course the club often bounces a bit more, there's less resistance and friction, hitting the ball with a bit more force and of course the ball runs farther on a dry course.

Clear?

PLayed old portmarnock in the summer this year. Fairways like concrete. The number of vokey wedges I managed to hit over 200 yards at about 3 foot off the ground was amazing. Found it very unforgiving. You really need to have a great strike in those conditions as well as in the wet.

by **navyblueshorts** Fri 22 Nov 2013, 11:52 am

super_realist wrote:If you have a heavy shot on a heavy course the club digs in deeper and the ball consequently doesn't go very far and the club loses inertia quicker, if you catch a ball heavy on a hard burnt course the club often bounces a bit more, there's less resistance and friction, hitting the ball with a bit more force and of course the ball runs farther on a dry course.

Clear?

Yep. Crap is crap whatever way you cut it. Got it.

by BlueCoverman Fri 22 Nov 2013, 12:07 pm

You and me both on good old Essex clay SJ, so I know where you are coming from!

In these conditions and at this time of year I find it productive to put a couple of hybrids in the bag. I use a 20 degree instead of a three/four iron and a 23 degree instead of a four/five iron. I find that a 'sweeping' shot off the fairway (or in the rough) with these clubs produces a much cleaner strike as the head of the hybrid is less inclined to 'dig in' to the mucky surface than an iron.

For distances roughly 165 yards to 195 yards this has given me much more consistent shots and results on a muddy course.

by super_realist Fri 22 Nov 2013, 12:10 pm

Jesus Navy, who doused your chips today?

I'm just saying that on a really heavy course your club can stick in so much that you might barely even make contact with the ball whereas on a hard course you might hit the ground, but because it's hard might make a slightly better contact with the ball as it bounces off the turf and hits the ball on the way through.

by SmithersJones Fri 22 Nov 2013, 1:11 pm

BlueCoverman wrote:You and me both on good old Essex clay SJ, so I know where you are coming from!

In these conditions and at this time of year I find it productive to put a couple of hybrids in the bag. I use a 20 degree instead of a three/four iron and a 23 degree instead of a four/five iron. I find that a 'sweeping' shot off the fairway (or in the rough) with these clubs produces a much cleaner strike as the head of the hybrid is less inclined to 'dig in' to the mucky surface than an iron.

For distances roughly 165 yards to 195 yards this has given me much more consistent shots and results on a muddy course.

I think you may well be on to something there Blue, I remember when I was at Uni a friend and I bought a day ticket for Royal Cromer, and it chucked it down all morning. Nonetheless, being young and mad keen and having loved the layout so much we played a second 18 in very waterlogged conditions, and I remember adopting the ¾ five wood (persimmon back then of course!) in favour of mid iron shots because of the conditions.

by raycastleunited Fri 22 Nov 2013, 1:45 pm

Sounds to me that your swing is probably a bit steep. In summer with firm ground (or on the range) you get away with it, but at the moment the soft ground is exposing the flaw, and punishing you more than usual.

by Humpyd Fri 22 Nov 2013, 2:40 pm

Crondon a bit muddy SJ?? Three Rivers is the same unfortunately.

Interesting that you say that you are playing pick and place through the green. Is that a club rule or something just your group have agreed on? It's a good idea I think as if you are fortunate enough to actually find your ball in the rough half covered in mud and underneath the leaves, trying to get it out anywhere near the green without getting a face full of mud is tricky!!

by SmithersJones Fri 22 Nov 2013, 3:38 pm

It's a club thing, Humpyd, happens every year. Unfortunately it means we don't have any qualifiers between November and March/April.

by Humpyd Fri 22 Nov 2013, 3:54 pm

Three Rivers have agreed with EGU that our winter comps can remain qualifying by reducing the SS by 1 shot as we are off mats and the course is consequently a bit shorter.

Winter mats, eh! I bet some on here don't know what these are!!

by 1GrumpyGolfer Fri 22 Nov 2013, 4:16 pm

I remember iceskating a few times on the mats at the Rivers Humpy. Is the 18th still set up with the upwards tilt? One of the funniest things I've seen on a golf course was when a guy set up his ball really high, swung full pelt, took the tee cleanly away and the ball ended up perfectly in the hole for the tee.

by Humpyd Fri 22 Nov 2013, 5:16 pm

1GG, a few of the winter mats are at jaunty angles!!

by BlueCoverman Fri 22 Nov 2013, 5:52 pm

1GrumpyGolfer wrote:I remember iceskating a few times on the mats at the Rivers Humpy. Is the 18th still set up with the upwards tilt? One of the funniest things I've seen on a golf course was when a guy set up his ball really high, swung full pelt, took the tee cleanly away and the ball ended up perfectly in the hole for the tee.

What did you end up scoring on that hole Grumps? Whistle

by 1GrumpyGolfer Fri 22 Nov 2013, 6:30 pm

I know what you're insinuating Blue, and no, it wasn't me. I can't remember, it must have been almost 10 years ago now. To be fair to the guy he grabbed a four iron took a big whack at it and it was probably one of his best shots of the day.

by incontinentia Sat 23 Nov 2013, 8:54 am

footing is very important in muddy conditions. a few chaps from my club have been known to wear football boots in muddy/icy conditions. i've tried it a couple of times and does increase confidence when swinging the club.

by George1507 Sat 23 Nov 2013, 11:01 am

I bet the secretary is just delighted when you pitch up in your football boots.

by BlueCoverman Sat 23 Nov 2013, 3:57 pm

It's when they chuck a couple of jumpers down on the green to make a goal and start a kick-about that he gets really pi$$ed off! Laugh

by **navyblueshorts** Sat 23 Nov 2013, 4:54 pm

BlueCoverman wrote:It's when they chuck a couple of jumpers down on the green to make a goal and start a kick-about that he gets really pi$$ed off!

by George1507 Sat 23 Nov 2013, 5:45 pm

If you hole a good putt, do you slide on your knees to the next tee marker?

Or wave imaginary cards at your opponents when they fluke a chip?

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