In determining club selection, I used to think that distance to the target was the most imprtant thing. But after my first outting last sunday, I started to think that the lie was more important.

There were a few occasions where, on a par 5, I'd have about 210 yards to go, so I'd naturally get out a big club, a 3wood or 3hybrid and try and knock it up as far to the target as I could. Although this worked fine on the first par 5 off a good lie, there were disasterous results the next few times simply because i'd have a bad lie.

After duffing my 3hybrid a few yards off the bad lie, I was scratching my head and asking "what went wrong there?" 

When the 4th par 5 came along towards the end of the round, after driving up the fairway, I'd left myself about 240 to the green. I had a bad lie again (the course was very dry and quite sandy in places) I decided to lift out my 7iron and lay up short and leave an easier wedge shot into the green. It worked a treat.

I'm really starting to learn course management and strategy now that I'm playing with the society.

How important is the lie to you when selecting your shots? Or should I just learn to use my big clubs from difficult lies?

You can't make any decisions regarding a shot until you've assessed the lie, distance and hazards, on top of that it's definately not a good idea to attempt a shot you cannot produce at least 5 times one after the other succesfully!!!!

Course Management can drop your handicap significantly and it pays to think your way around the course (as you have found), learning how to hit certain shots comes with experience and trial and error, but you must have a consistant swing to start learning more difficult shots.

Also remember you are only playing against the course not your opponent, it doesn't matter to you what he does, your only focus is in your game and one shot at a time.

This is the biggest thing that has helped me make more pars and be in with a shout of a birdy.

Most times I only carry Driver, 5-PW, two wedges and a putter - So when I'm looking at around 200 yards to the pin I used to just try and smash my 5 iron to get as close as possible.......rarely worked as planned. So now I use my 7 iron to get within 50-70 yards.

If I'm looking at 260 to 280 to the pin I'll take out my 5 iron and just have a nice calm swing to get within my PW range, this is starting to work for me - and whilst I'm not getting loads of birdies, I'm getting more chances of birdies.......and par seems so much easier when it works out.

What I need to work on is consistantly stringing together a good tee and second shot to put me in with a shout of par on every hole.

The lie dictates the shot options under all circumstances, Ray. It is very nice to think that you can reach the par five in two with a well struck, accurate shot, but you are, like me, a high handicap player and the lay up option is the most reliable way to play a par five.

It is also worth remembering that a well struck long iron will go further into a stiff breeze than a wood and far easier to use from a tight lie.

The lie is very important to your next shot.

As I walk upto my golf ball I will be looking up at the green ahead to see what hazards, etc. I can see.

Then when I arrive at my golf ball I'll put my golf bag down about three pace away from me (so that I know I won't be hitting my bag during my swing). 

The next thing I do is look at the lie of the ball.  I take into account everything, am I in a divot or sat up nicely?  Is it an uphill, downhill or flat lie?  Is the ball above, below or level with my feet?  Each one of these factors will determine the flight of the ball.

Only when I've looked at the lie of the ball will I get my SkyCaddie out and find out how far it is to the middle of the green.

Once I've done these two things I then select the club that will get my ball to the green, or the point on the fairway where I want to layup too.

I saw a good thirty minute programme on Setanta Golf once that gave a very good insight into the routine you should get into before deciding what shot to play.

Russ

The lie definately dictates the shot you can play and you need a rough idea how the ball will react.

For me I will always try and find a way to get to the green whether it be hooking or slicing around a tree or playing from rough. I have the skill to pull these shots off but if I cannot then I will definately lay up to one of my controlled wedge yardages wherby I will still have a good chance of par or birdie.

A good tip if the lie is a little dodgy is to play the ball further back in your stance and make a more descending blow (even with a 3 wd). The steeper you attack it the more the ball will pop up. This does tend to put a lot of spin on the ball so you must make sure your swing is up for the task.

Next time you are on the range play around hitting different shots, but not just gentle fades and draws, set up to hit big hooks and slices, high shots, low shots. The more you practice this the more option you will have on the course when faced with a similar situation. It's great fun too especially with a friend.

Steve

theres just one problem with your theory wayne and thats that a lot of high handicappers and me cant produce any type of shot the same 2 times after each other never mind 5 so in that case they not be able to play any shots. haha

I had this situation today just about every Tee shot landed in a depression in the ground my 4 Fybrid which I like a lot just kept duffing scuffing and topping consistently ( you could say: yup I can repeat the same shot 5 times Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!). So I just decided to play safe and pulled out my trusty 7 and hey presto I was back in the game.

You have to accept the fact that you are going to get a bad lie every now and again, even when your ball is on the fairway!

It's how you deal with the bad lie that counts.

Russ

Have to say Irons are the 1st choice when you are in a depression or divot, much cleaner connection.