Many weekend golfers automatically take a drop when their ball finds the water. Usually, that’s the correct choice. A ball in the water is rarely playable. But it does happen occasionally. Before making the decision to play a water ball, assess the situation carefully. The wrong choice may not only get you wet, but also cost you strokes–to the tune of a double or triple bogey.
Here are four questions to ask before playing a water ball:
How far is the ball submerged?
Can I take a balanced stance?
What club should I use?
Can you play the ball to a safe place?
The key to playing a water ball is how far it’s submerged. If more than half the ball is under water, take a drop. You won’t be able to get the club to the ball. If it’s not, do the following:
Check to see if the lie allows you to take a balanced stance. You must swing aggressively here, so if you can’t take a balanced stance you’re wasting your time. Also, find a safe landing spot before taking the shot.
Take the pitching wedge out of the bag. It has a high degree of loft and a sharp leading edge. You’ll need both to cut through the water. You’re in a hazard, so you can’t touch your club at address.
Treat the shot like a buried lie in the sand: Open your stance, play the ball in the middle, close the clubface a bit, and use a steep wristy backswing and downswing. Bring the club down forcefully through the ball. You want to hit directly behind the ball and to accelerate into the ball when hitting from the water. Punch the ball to a safe landing spot.
Usually, you’re better off taking a drop when the ball finds the water. But on those rare occasions where you can hit it from there, follow the keys explained above.
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