grass. Then, at address, open the clubface slightly. Make a longer, fluid swing. Keep the club moving but don’tHOW overaccelerate.TO PITCH FROM DEEP ROUGH. First, find a similar spot to rehearse this shot. Get a feel for how the club will react in deep

ALL SECONDARY CREDITS • WILL GO HERE • AS SHOWN T Y B S H P A R G OTO H P

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. CUBAN A B U C D. . J B WITH RON KASPRISKE RON WITH SMALL LAIRD BY without a hazard or out-of-bounds.or hazard a without side the on err Always area. target the into bleed to ball the allow and left farther even aim should slicer,you a you’re if But green. the of left or short been should’ve spot that straight, fairly it hit I because Forme, target? my miss I should ball my for spot best the where’s flight, ball typical my on Based yourself, ask green, other any or this into approach your hit you Before here. be to want don’t you Regardless, stroke. penalty a me cost and hazard the into roll didn’t ball my lucky was par.I save to try to shot lob tough a play to had and hole 10th Beach’s Pebble on trouble into got I Here 1. greens. the around IQ course golf your raising by simply shots save you help will that remember to things three you give to going I’m Here, management. course on focus time, on short you’re if Instead, that. do to practicing hours and hours spend to have don’t you is, news good The 4s. into 5s and 5s into 6s turn to want Youregulation. in green a hit don’t you when strokes saving by is improve to way fastest ability,the your matter No round. your define will that trouble into get you when do you what it’s and time, the all great it hit to going not you’re words, other In shots.” bad of game a It’s shots. good of game a not is “golf that saying hogan ben THE GREEN SHOT AROUND PLAY THAT BEFORE YOU -G TRTEGIES E I G E RAT ST E M GA T- R O H S YOU SHOULDN’T BE HERE BE SHOULDN’T YOU 1 1 0 2 R E B M E C E D was famously quoted as quoted famously was /

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‘USE A 9-IRON FOR A LONG BUNKER SHOT SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO SWING HARDER.’

2. KNOW YOUR BEST 3. HOVER YOUR CLUB BUNKER OPTION IN HIGH GRASS Here I missed the green and now have a Even if you miss the green in a good place, long bunker shot. Many amateurs would like I did here, you’ll probably have to chip grab their sand or lob wedge, but the loft or pitch from the rough. In tall grass, don’t on those clubs forces you make a bigger ground the club at address. Not only can swing than normal and hit too close to the pushing the grass down cause the ball to ball to get it to the hole. A much better move, as it might not have settled, but it play would be to take a 9-iron or even an also positions the club to dig under the ball 8-iron and make a smooth bunker swing. and miss it completely. Instead, hover your The lower-lofted club still has enough wedge so its sole is the same height as the bounce to explode the ball out, but it will bottom of the ball. As you swing, maintain allow the ball to travel farther with less your posture. The club will find the ball’s effort. You won’t have to take a big hack. bottom, and it will come out great. ♣

X X / GOLFDIGEST.COM / DECEMBER 2011 LAIRD SMALL is director of the Pebble Beach Golf Academy.