How to know when ‘water shots' are worth the risk

Taylor Moore hits a shot out of water during the second round of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational.Getty Images

Few golf shots invite more second-guessing than a ball sitting in water. That’s especially true when just enough of the ball is above the surface, giving you enough false confidence to go for it. But that’s when most golfers get themselves into trouble.

The reality is, water doesn’t just sit there — it changes everything. Before you think about giving one of these lies a go, it’s important to know how to read your lie. Understanding what water does to a shot is often the difference between an impressive par-save and guaranteed disaster.

In a field test conducted by Cameron Robinson, head professional at Brentwood Country Club in Los Angeles, it became clear that the amount of the ball visible above the water is a reliable predictor of how much the shot will be affected.

For example, a ball just grazing the water behaves much like a heavy lie in wet sand. When tested with a 52-degree wedge, the ball launched predictably and carried with enough height to clear a steep bank of 68 inches above the water’s surface. In simple terms, the shot performed close to normal expectations.

But when a ball is partially submerged — even a quarter under water — the resistance at impact is significantly more pronounced. The club no longer moves freely. Instead, it displaces water and strikes the ball almost simultaneously.

“The club meets much more resistance, with both the water and the ball absorbing energy,” Robinson said.

At these depths, Robinson found that a 52-degree wedge could still produce enough launch to clear the bank, but only if he increased his speed and changed his swing to a chopping motion.

The most dramatic shift occurs when the ball is fully submerged. Using a swing that would normally produce a 60-yard shot with a 52-degree wedge, Robinson saw the ball travel only about 15 yards — roughly 25 percent of the expected carry. The strike simply couldn’t transfer enough energy through the water to produce sufficient speed.

Loft, in this case, proved to be a critical variable. Robinson found that while a 60-degree wedge produced the largest splash, it also delivered the worst results. That’s because added loft increases water resistance and reduces strike efficiency. In contrast, switching to a 45-degree pitching wedge gave Robinson a penetrating ball flight and allowed the ball to launch higher and carry farther.

Technique, as Robinson discovered, is just as crucial as club selection when it comes to escaping these tricky lies. He explained that golfers must generate maximum speed at impact while stopping the club abruptly immediately afterward — a motion he calls “putting the brakes on.”

“This [move] creates maximum speed at the strike before the club rapidly decelerates after impact,” Robinson said. “The motion is similar to the technique often used when hitting through thick weeds or heavy rough, where maintaining speed at the ball is critical to prevent the club from losing energy before contact.”

The lesson is simple: water lies are unforgiving but not impossible. If there’s a rule of thumb to live by in these scenarios, Robinson put it best:

“The deeper the ball sits in the water, the more important both club selection and commitment to the strike become.”

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