Down hill lie from @50 yds.

[JArmour]

I have had this situation come up twice in the past two rounds and both shots I've bladed.

I use my lob wedge and no matter what I do I can't make clean contact. I choke down and everything.

Do I need to open the face way up and play almost like a bunker shot with the 56 or am I better off just hitting a low easy punch type shot.

[David Hillman]

Depends on how much room you have. If you can run it up, a punch and run will be a lot easier to hit, so go that way. But if you have to carry something and stop it, then it's just a really tough shot.

[Dusty90]

Try to get yourself perpendicular to the slope that you are playing off of. If you are trying to stand straight up with a down hill lie, the tendency would be to balde it like you decribed.

But with that being said, I find that if I am in the fairway, a partial shot with my 52 or Pitching wedge works much better than my 58, especially from tricky lies.

[dave.]

You are blading it because the leading edge reaches the ball before the hands. Keep the ball back in the stance and the hands in front at impact. This really takes practice off a downhill lie, but you will hit with spin and there will be no need to open the face a lot, just hold the face at impact with the hands, ie an arm shot. Think about the wedge Harrington hit on the 72nd at Carnoustie last year, face held open so it would not turn over, ie left hand in control.

It takes practice. Hitting with a face wide open off any lie is a low percentage shot, only do it if you have no other option. Personally from 50 with a downhiller I would going for a 52 every time, the 56 will have more bounce. Its a low punch with spin, the ball will ghrab second bounce

[JArmour]

Thanks guys.

After blading the one today I was leaning towards the 52 low punch shot. I've had that shot maybe 5 times in two years and now I have it twice in two days on the same hole. With a tournament this Sunday I thought I would turn to you guys for some advice.

[JEFF4i]

Two more things to elaborate on Dave...

Try and make your shoulders somewhat parallel(sp?) to the slope. This should help. Also, make sure you continue swinging down after making contact. As long as you hit the ball first, don't worry about snagging it fat. This will help get some spin, but you won't get much. Bunker protected? Just save yourself the headache, avoid the bunker, and get yourself on the green.

[zaphod]

What Jeff said. Also as with any shot with sloping lie--really maintain posture and balance during swing getting to front side.