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Sports

This Week: Tips for Hitting From A Flyer Lie

PGA Pro Rick Ewing gives golf lessons each week to improve your overall game.

PGA pro Rick Ewing offers tips each week to improve your game. If you would like a private lesson from the Old Warson golfing pro, email him at rickewing@pga.com

The Flyer

The key to hitting from a flyer lie is to anticipate and predict how the ball will react—which, unfortunately, isn’t always easy. 

First, let’s define what a flyer is.

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Typically, flyers occur when grass gets caught between the clubface and the ball. This results in a sort of “knuckle ball” shot that spins less, flies farther and rolls longer.

To get a sense of how the ball will react, look at how much grass is around your ball and in which direction it’s growing. The most common flyer is in light to medium rough that’s growing toward the target.

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If you think you’ve got a flyer lie, take one extra club, make a smooth swing and expect the ball to release more once it lands.

Deep Rough

When the ball nestles down in thick rough, it doesn’t fly as far as from a typical lie.

The main thing to guard against with a shot like this is the club bottoming out before it gets to the ball. This will cause the clubface to close and the shot to veer left.

To make good contact, take a club with enough loft (a higher-lofted hybrid is ideal), stand closer to the ball (which allows for a steeper swing) and open your stance (which helps you swing from the outside in).

Hold the club a bit tighter in your lead hand, and accelerate through the hitting area. 

These adjustments help your club bottom out at the ball and prevent the clubface from shutting.

For those who would like a private lesson with Old Warson Pro Rick Ewing (Patch offer only), contact Rick at rickewing@pga.com.

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