Lets face it – golf is one of the world’s most unpredictable games. Even the pros find themselves having to hook a ball out of the water; discover they’ve broken their best putting club or that they’ve run out of tees. That golfing nightmare can happen at any time and to any golfer. But to help you make the most of those difficult situations we’ve put together a list of top golf tips especially for when things don’t go quite as planned.
Tree in the way of your golf ball
Trees on a golf course not only make it attractive but also add obstacles along the way. Even the pros find themselves driving round trees, over them or even out of them. Classic moments on the golfing circuit include Tiger Wood hitting a magnificent shot from behind a tree at the AT&T National in 2012 and Sergio García driving his ball out of a tree at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2013.
The rules
If your golf ball lands in a tree, you can either play it (by climbing the tree) or declare it unplayable. The choice obviously depends on how easy it is to climb the tree and how agile you are!
Trees at Rio Real – the golf course is about as tree-lined as they come. Check out our pro tips for getting around them.
Your golf ball lands in the water
Water hazards too come part and parcel of all golf courses and getting your ball wet happens to even the best players. We’ve all seen the pros taking their shoes and socks off to take that water shot. Sometimes it pays off such as Matt Every’s hole in one from a lake at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2013 and sometimes it doesn’t.
The rules
You can hit the ball as you wish but you cannot touch the water with your club before you take the shot.
Read more about water features at Rio Real.
No putting tee
One of the worst scenarios in a round of golf is when you lose or break your putting tee. But don’t panic – reach into your bag for a fairway wood or hybrid club and make the most of a difficult situation. Controlling the ball will be more difficult but not impossible – focus on hitting the ball smoothly and the right distance.
Not enough tees
When you discover you’ve run out of tees, your first option is to borrow from your golfing partners. If that’s not possible, try making a small mound out of sand or soil and teeing off from that.
The rules
You don’t need a tee to play a shot.
Stock up on plenty of tees before your round of golf at Rio Real at our Golf Shop.
Be prepared
The best way of preparing yourself for every eventuality on the golf course is getting in the practice. Play regularly and take a course at the Rio Real Golf Academy to refresh your skills and learn new ones.
