Good golfers learn to get out of trouble with a minimum of damage. Damage control is what keeps their scores and golf handicaps low. Watch Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, or any other golfer with a low golf handicap. You'll see that they're masters at getting out of trouble without costing themselves strokes.



Recreational golfers need to learn to do damage control. While it requires focus and concentration to do it successfully, it also takes mastery of a range of shots that are helpful when extricating oneself from trouble. The keys to hitting two of theses shots—the on-demand slice and the on-demand hook—are described below.

Stay Cool

But let's talk about your emotions first. What do you do when you find yourself in trouble? Get mad. Rant and rave. Getting angry doesn't help. Instead, stay in the moment and start thinking about how to do to minimize the damage. Watch Tiger Woods when he gets in trouble. Instead of bemoaning a bad shot, he concentrates on his next shot, especially in pressure-packed situations. And then he goes about executing it coolly and calmly.

In addition, make an honest assessment of your situation, weigh your options carefully, then decide which is the best option for you. Try to make an honest evaluation of your ability to execute each option. Trying to make a miracle shot often gets you into more trouble than the original shot. So assess your capabilities honestly. Then pick the shot that makes the most sense.

The Low Hook

Often, the best course of action option is just punching out on to the fairway. If that's your choice, make sure you get the ball on the fairway in good position. That will set you up for your next shot.

But other times the best course of action is playing the shot you've been given. I teach students in my golf lessons to consider hitting a low hook or a low fade in these situations.

Here are the basics of the low hook shot:

1. Adopt a closed stance

2. Position the ball back in your stance

3. Deloft the clubface

4. Follow an inside track

5. Release the club through impact

Start by setting up with a slightly closed stance, but position the ball slightly back from your normal position, with your hands in line with the inside of your front leg. Deloft the club by squaring up the leading edge to the target line. And flex your back knee inwards to settle your weight on your front side.

During the shot keep your legs and hips quiet, your weight slightly forward, and your body low. You don't want to get too much body into the shot. As you take the club back, follow an inside track, maintain your arms and hands ahead of the club, and keep your head still. You want to use mostly your hands and forearms for this shot. Release the club through impact.

The Low Fade

With a low fade the idea is the same—go around trouble— but your stance and swing are obviously different. Set up with a slightly open stance, but position the ball forward a little more than normal. Deloft the club by squaring up the leading edge to the target line. And flex your back knee inwards to settle your weight on your front side.

Also, keep your legs and hips quiet and your head still. And start the club outside the target line. You want to follow an out-to-in-to-out swing path. You want to use mostly your hands and forearms for this shot as well. Release the club through impact.

You're going to hit into trouble sooner or later. No matter how low your golf handicap or how many golf lessons you've had, at some point you'll find yourself with a bad lie, in a patch of deep rough, or behind a clump of trees. These situations can cost you. So take your time, evaluate the situation honestly, and choose the shot that's right for that situation.

Copyright (c) 2008 Jack Moorehouse