Part III: The Short Game
Lesson #45: How To Miss It Close

We've all experienced the dreaded fat wedge shot, where the clubface digs into the grass behind the ball and the ball goes only a few metres. But did you realize that this 'mistake' is also a legitimate greenside shot?

Consider this situation. You're in the rough and a bunker separates you from the green. Because the ball is sitting down, you know that in order to get it out you'll have to apply such force that the ball will soar clear over the green.

In this predicament, your only shot is the intentional fat shot. You play it the same way as a bunker shot, from a wide-open stance and with a wide-open wedge. What you want to do is slice into the turf with the heel of the wedge. This will open a slit in the ground and the rest of the club will carve under the ball. Hit down hard, and enter the turf about 3 centimetres behind the ball.

The turf will act as a buffer between the club and ball, and the ball will come out as softly as a sand shot. But before you go out and try this in your next match, be aware that two things are absolutely vital: soft turf and hard practice.

Illustration by Jim McQueen

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