Recovery Shots: Are ”trouble shots” eventually going to be treated different than shots from the rough? Seems like hitting a knockdown onto the green from under a tree (or even getting close) would result in more strokes gained, given the starting circumstances, than doing the same thing from a foot off the fairway. |

Yes, recovery shots are treated differently than the rough. I explain it this way. If you are in a position where you can’t hit your “normal” shot toward the green (e.g., blocked by a tree, in rough so deep that you need to hit an 8-iron instead of a 5-iron, or in a bunker where you need to hit a wedge instead of a 5-iron), then that should be called a recovery shot, which essentially place the “blame” on your two shots combined to the previous shot (e.g., your tee shot), not the next shot.

Related question: Will you introduce obstructed lies, in addition to sand and rough?

Answer: Obstructed lies are called recovery shots in the Golfmetrics app.

Related question: “I’d like to check and ensure I’m using the “recovery” category correctly, as I don’t want it to artificially inflate my approach SG.

If I hit a driver into the trees, say 130 yards out, and I’m blocked by trees, but can hit a lowpunch draw with a 6-iron to advance it up to or on the green, should that be treated as a “recovery” shot (since I can’t play a normal shot from 130 yards – ie. wedge), or should it be a “rough” or “deep rough” shot so as to not artificially inflate my approach SG when I get it on or close to the green?

Currently if I can’t hit a normal shot in relation to the distance left due to tree trouble I am inputting these as “recovery” situations, which may be increasing my driving handicap, and decreasing my approach handicap, compared to where they would be if these were input as “rough” or “deep rough” situations.”

Answer: There is a bit of judgement involved in choosing the ‘deep rough’ versus ‘recovery’. Generally, if you must chip out and not advance the ball very far, or if it is a very risky shot through a tiny opening, then I label that as a recovery shot. On the other hand, if you have an open shot in the general direction of the green and can hit a good shot close to the green (but a lie that is more difficult than rough), then I label that a a deep rough shot.

So I’d label your ‘low punch’ as deep rough.

Finally, suppose your ‘low punch’ is executed about average for that type of shot. Then I’d look at the SG of the low punch shot and you should see that ‘recovery’ would lead to a quite positive SG for that shot (which is incorrect), where labeling it as ‘deep rough’ should see that lowpunch have an SG closer to 0 (which is correct).