Escaping From The Trees... 3 Top Tips That All Golfers Need

For many golfers, finding the trees at least once during a round is likely, while escaping without a big score is less so. In the interest of being proactive, we enlisted the help of Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Barney Puttick to share three top tips to rescue your round when you are out of position...

Barney Puttick

Barney has had an impressive professional playing and coaching career, including once tying two-time Major Winner Greg Norman for 3rd place in a 36-hole event. Barney teaches at Mid Herts Golf Club, and has helped countless players improve their game in a career spanning more than 45 years. His expertise in the industry make him an invaluable source of wisdom for anyone looking to get better at golf.

Bonus video: How to hit a stinger

1. Choose the right club

The key is deciding what club will keep it under those branches in the photo – a low-lofted iron or maybe even a hybrid. You’re then playing what I call a ‘hockey shot’ with your hands ahead of the ball at address.

A hybrid is perfect when trees restrict your backswing because you can just hinge the wrists, come down on top of the ball and bunt it forward slightly more powerfully than with, say, an 8-iron. This will help you squeeze out a little more distance.

2. Get creative

When you’re beside a tree, playing one-handed with your back to the target can be an option. Here, you need plenty of loft – perhaps a pitching wedge – then hinge the club back and hit through. This one is more about getting it back in play.

3. Flip it around

Flipping the club around and playing left-handed is another option. I‘d recommend gripping as if you were left-handed. Loft is again the key so you’ve got plenty of clubface visible and a wide hitting area.

This might seem counter-productive, but rehearsing shots from the types of positions outlined above can help you to escape without racking up big numbers. It’s worth spending a bit of time practising the tips above, as all are perfectly practical options that could easily save you a shot or two.

Barney's escaping tree trouble checklist

1) Choose the right club depending on your position, but likely pick a club with less loft to avoid branches

2) Use your creativity – you might just need to manufacture enough room to make a swing, or at least get your club on the back of the ball.

3) Practice your escape shots, you never know when you might need them