Ball Against the Collar
Also known as: ball against the collar, ball against the fringe, ball sitting against the fringe, ball resting against the first cut, ball against the rough around the green
When your ball rests against the collar of longer grass, try a bellied-wedge putt. Hold a sand wedge like a putter, raise it slightly and strike the ball's equator with the leading edge. The club skims through the grass and the ball rolls like a putt.
The collar is the band of longer grass around the fringe. When the ball rests against it, the grass behind the ball grabs any club you set down. A normal putt snags, and a normal chip gets tangled.
The bellied wedge solves this. Use your putting grip and stroke, with the wedge's leading edge level with the middle of the ball. The edge passes above the thick grass and hits the ball's equator, so it rolls with little bounce. Use a little more stroke than a putt of the same length.
A hybrid or fairway wood also works. Grip down and use a putting stroke. The wide sole glides through the grass behind the ball. If the grass behind the ball is thin, a firm putt can work too.
Tips by skill level
Practice the bellied wedge on the green first. Aim the leading edge at the ball's middle and make a smooth putting stroke.
Hover the club before you start. Pressing the club into the grass makes it catch on the way back.
Example
Her ball stops against the collar ten feet from the hole. She grips her sand wedge like a putter, hits the middle of the ball, and it rolls to tap-in range.
Why it matters
This lie turns easy up-and-downs into three-putts. One simple stroke turns it back into a putt.
Common mistakes
- Setting the club down in the thick grass behind the ball
- Hitting down on it like a normal chip
- Using a normal putting stroke that snags
- Striking the ball too low with the wedge's edge
Frequently asked questions
Can I putt a ball resting against the collar?
Yes, if the grass behind it is thin. If the grass is thick it grabs the putter, so a bellied wedge or hybrid is safer.
Can I use a hybrid when my ball is against the fringe?
Yes. The hybrid's wide sole glides through longer grass. Grip down, stand close and use a putting stroke.
Related terms
- Bellied WedgeA bellied wedge is a strike where the leading edge hits the ball around its middle. The shot comes out low and running: milder than a full skull, but still a mis-hit.
- Texas WedgeA Texas wedge is a putt played from off the green, such as from the fringe, the apron or a firm fairway. Putt it when the grass between you and the green is short, smooth and dry. Many golfers find it easier to control than a chip, since a mishit putt rarely costs as much as a skulled or chunked chip.
- Chipping With a Hybrid or Fairway WoodYes, you can chip with a hybrid or fairway wood. It works best from tight lies or the fringe when the ball can roll most of the way. Grip down, stand close and use a firm putting stroke. The wide sole glides over the grass instead of digging.
- Parts of a Golf Course (Tee Box, Fairway, Rough, Fringe and Green)A golf hole runs from the teeing area, or tee box, to the putting green, where the hole or cup sits. The fairway is the closely mown strip between them. The rough is the longer grass around it, and the fringe or apron is the short collar around the green.
- Up-and-DownAn up-and-down means holing out in two strokes from off the green: one chip or pitch (the "up"), then one putt (the "down"). It is a key short-game measure.
Related guides & benchmarks
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