This swing tip video will help you learn how to play your best golf shots from soft lie conditions.

Soft lies occur when ground conditions on the golf course are wet and soggy. The problem with playing golf shots from this type of lie is that if the club head strikes the ground before the ball, because the turf is soft and wet, the club head will dig into it and lose a great deal, if not all, of its speed resulting in a shot with very little, if any distance.

The key to playing successful shots from soft lies is to strike the ball cleanly and to get the club head to strike the ball first, rather than the ground. Take the following approach and you should play successful shots every time you are faced with soft lies.

First of all, hold lower down the handle than you usually would. This will shorten the distance between the club head and yourself and as such encourage you to swing the club head into the golf ball rather than the ground. As you swing the club, you need to make a downward striking action with the club head into the ball, so to encourage this set slightly more weight than usual on to your left side (if you are a right handed golfer) and set your hands ahead of the club head, or to the left of the club head and ball as you are addressing the ball. Finally, play the ball from the centre of your stance. These alterations in your set up will encourage you to make a more upright backswing and as such, you will attack down more on the ball as you swing back towards it.

As you swing you should maintain a very static head position and experience very little weight transfer, work on keeping your legs relatively still during your backswing, to encourage your centre of gravity to remain in the middle of your feet, if not just to the left of the middle.

Maintain an upright posture during your swing, keeping the same amount of flex in your knees and maintaining the same spine angle throughout your swing. This will ensure you keep yourself at the same height throughout your swing and that you do not drop towards the ball and ground which would cause you to strike the ground before the ball. A good swing thought here is to keep your chin up throughout the movement.

Hold lower down the handle, set your weight slightly left, keep your hands ahead and play the ball from the middle of your stance. Keep your height during your swing and make a down strike with the club head to the ball and you will be hitting your best golf shots from soft lies when you are next out on the golf course.