Have you ever been in the situation where skipping your ball across a water hazard was the wisest courses of action? I can honestly say that over all my years of playing, I have never needed this shot. I have skipped my ball across a hazard accidently the odd time, but to intentionally to attempt this shot would be considered pure folly. This would be poor course management to even try. I mean, why would we need this shot in our bag?
Just in case you need this shot, here is Butch Harmon and Rickie Fowler to describe how to execute this hail mary:
After some deep thought, I actually came up with a situation where skipping the ball would be valuable. After I receive my invite to the 2021 Masters, I can join the big boys as they attempt this shot on the 16th hole:
Of course the most famous skip shot was by Vijay Singh in 2009 which resulted in a hole in one!
Skipping your golf ball across the water for fun is about the only time I can envision attempting this shot. The risk reward is too high. However, having said this, I will try it next year on the 17th hole at Osprey Links and see if I can duplicate Vijay Singh’s success. I will make sure I have some water balls on hand or maybe I will just go into Rick or Blair’s golf bag and use theirs. š
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
Skipping the ball is a shot we used to try about once a year, though we weren’t going for a green. We also switch hit on a par 3, or tried to. And hit drivers off the deck. Again, or tried to. A group of us at an office I used to work at and a few of their relatives had a men’s golf weekend once a year. We rented a couple houses next to a course in south central Florida and played until we dropped over a long weekend. A lot of fun, and some interesting golf to boot. The course has an 800 yard par 6 on it, and one of golfs largest greens on a par 3. It’s a monster. We played it before things like range finders and had to guess at the distances every day when the flag moved. There was seldom a day someone didn’t get it wrong and leave himself a 100 foot putt. And that 800 yard hole is one I eagled. Once. And only once. It wraps around a lake. I hit a great drive and decided to try and cut the corner over the water. It should have been wet, the 3 wood I hit was terrible. A low bullet that I pulled badly enough that I just knew it was going in the water. But the level of the water was really low that year and there was a dozen feet of muck on the banks. That low bullet I hit skipped twice and shot up onto a spot that was playable. I was still a long way away and I hit another 3 wood out of the muck. It was right and hot again but probably one of my better strikes ever. I never figured out what it hit, but it took one bounce almost dead left and went right for the flag and hit it. A one in a million. The putt took the whole hole to fall but it did. What’s the old saying? Luck favors the bold. š
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Kevin,
Your recounting of your trip made me smile. I can see trying all those things thanks for sharing!
Cheers Jim
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