Attempting a clean strike from thick grass requires a decisive downward movement so that the clubhead can cut through the dense turf. The tournament The Open Championship demonstrated how difficult the situation can be for top players trying to hit from thick bushes and deep grass. Several approaches are presented that can help manage this challenging situation.
Hitting from thick grass is one of the most difficult tasks on a golf course. Heavy grass snags the clubhead, reduces swing speed, and can easily twist the face of the club upon impact. The main principle is to accept the situation, choose a realistic target, and focus on safely getting the ball back into play.
First, you must carefully assess the ball's position. Check how much grass is behind the ball and whether it lies flat or half-buried. If the ball is low, avoid attempting a long and ambitious shot. Instead, use a club with a higher loft, such as a pitching wedge or sand wedge, and aim at the fairway.
Your stance should facilitate a steeper angle of attack: place the ball slightly further back in your stance and shift more weight onto your front foot. If additional loft is required, you can slightly open the clubface, but you must maintain a firm grip, as the thick grass will try to close the face. During the backswing, use an early wrist hinge and feel as if the club is moving quickly upward during the backswing. Then, execute a decisive downward strike through the ball. It is important not to try to 'sweep' the ball out of the grass—the goal is first to hit the ball, and then allow the clubhead to cut through the thick grass.
Club selection is paramount. Thick grass reduces both distance and control, so it is better to choose a club with a higher loft rather than a lower one. Trying to force a long iron or driver through a poor lie often leads to another difficult shot. Finally, remain patient. A sensible recovery shot may not look impressive, but it can prevent a double bogey or worse. Play toward the wider part of the fairway, accept the inevitable, and give yourself a good chance to recover on the next shot. Smart course management is often more valuable than taking unnecessary risks.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has presented a list of 43 players who will gather in Johannesburg. This squad is intended to prepare for the upcoming match against Argentina in Buenos Aires on August 8th, as well as for the series of 'Rugby Greatest Rivalry' (RGR) matches against New Zealand.
As part of tactical division, Erasmus decided to send five players to their home clubs so they can gain game experience during friendly matches against touring All Blacks. Simultaneously, ten experienced Springboks players have returned from the injured list.
Among the high-profile players returning from injuries are props Eben Etzebeth and Luke de Jager, versatile forward Franco Mostert, captain Siya Kolisi, midfielders Sacha Phelenberg-Mngomezulu and Handre Pollard, versatile back-rowers Ethan Hooker and Keenan Moody, centre/flanker Andre Esterhuizen, and midfielder Morne van den Berg.
Meanwhile, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Evan Roos, Andre-Hugo Winter, Embrose Papier, and Jaco Williams have been released to play for their clubs. Prop Ruben van Heerden, who debuted for the national team against Wales last Saturday, was excluded from the main squad to allow him to adapt at his new French club Montpellier, although he remains in reserve.
Erasmus emphasized that the decision to split the group was made after careful consideration to give every player a chance to prove themselves before the RGR series. He noted that splitting into two groups would be the best option for the Springboks team and the athletes themselves, allowing them to earn a spot in the squad.
The coach added that some players are recovering from injuries and need valuable game time. Therefore, the selection of participants for the trip to Argentina will depend on their progress during next week's training camp. The remaining players from the 43-man squad will stay in Johannesburg with the coaching staff to begin preparations for the matches against New Zealand.
Erasmus stressed that this arrangement benefits all parties. Players sent to their clubs will get the opportunity to face the All Blacks in relevant mid-week matches, which will be invaluable experience when forming the final squad for the RGR. Thus, it is viewed as a 'win-win' situation.
He also explained that since the number of players who can go to Argentina is limited, it is fair to give everyone equal chances. Some players training in Johannesburg will complete their recovery phase under the supervision of the medical team, while others, who have played a lot of rugby, need a break to recover their bodies.
Looking ahead to the confrontation in South America, Erasmus warned against underestimating the Los Pumas team. He noted that they are a quality team that has proven its capability in previous encounters. Furthermore, he reminded that Los Pumas defeated them in Argentina the last time they met there in 2024, so the team intends to send a strong contingent to Buenos Aires.
Currently, the Springboks are resting with their families before gathering in Johannesburg on Sunday. The group traveling to Argentina will fly out in two waves next Sunday and Monday.
Next Wednesday, the 22nd, Chapecoense and Flamengo will meet for the 19th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. The match is scheduled to start at 9:30 PM Brasília time and will be held at Arena Condá, located in Chapecó, in the state of Santa Catarina.
The match between the two teams will be broadcast live on TV Globo, covering several regions, including Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, Acre, Alagoas, Amazonas, Amapá, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Pará, Paraíba, Piauí, Rondônia, Roraima, Sergipe, Tocantins, and the Federal District, as well as the city of Juiz de Fora-MG. The event will also be available on the Premiere pay-per-view service.
The probable formations have been defined: for Chapecoense, coach Rafael Lacerda will field Matheus Aurélio; Everton, Rafael Thyere, Eduardo Doma, and Bruno Pacheco; Camilo, Bruno Matias, and Giovanni Augusto; Ênio, Bolasie, and Italo. As for Flamengo, under the command of Leonardo Jardim, he would have Rossi; Varela (Emerson Royal), Vitão, Léo Pereira, and Alex Sandro (Ayrton Lucas); Evertton Araújo (Pulgar), Jorginho, and Lorran; Bruno Henrique, Samuel Lino, and Pedro.
The game's refereeing will be conducted by Rafael Rodrigo Klein (RS), with assistants Victor Hugo Imazu dos Santos (PR) and Leila Naiara Moreira da Cruz (DF). The VAR will be operated by Marco Aurélio Augusto Fazekas Ferreira (MG). It is important to note that the definitive lineups will be disclosed approximately one hour before the start of the match.
Both teams arrive at the end of the first round of the Brazilian Championship in contrasting positions. Flamengo occupies second place with 34 points, one game behind leader Palmeiras. In contrast, Chapecoense is in last place in the competition, having accumulated only nine points.
Flamengo returned to the Brasileirão after participating in an international break in Portugal, where they played four international friendlies. During this period, the team led by Leonardo Jardim drew against River Plate and won against Lausanne, Benfica, and Olimpia. For this match, the coach will count on the return of players who participated in the World Cup, but still cannot count on Lucas Paquetá, De la Cruz, Carrascal, and Léo Ortiz. Furthermore, Luiz Araújo is absent due to a knee injury sustained in the friendly against Olimpia.
Chapecoense had already returned to competing in the Brasileirão during the World Cup break, being defeated 2-0 by Bahia in a postponed match. Coach Rafael Lacerda plans to make adjustments to the squad aiming to achieve his second victory in the championship and try to begin a recovery to get out of the last-place zone in the table. While Flamengo presents itself as a strong candidate for the national title, Chapecoense focuses on reducing the gap to the teams fighting to stay in the elite.
Coritiba and Palmeiras will face each other this Wednesday, July 22nd, for the 19th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. The match is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM Brasília time at the Couto Pereira Stadium, located in Curitiba, Paraná.
The live broadcast of this confrontation between Coritiba and Palmeiras will be available through Amazon Prime Video. The probable lineups and refereeing team have been defined, although final confirmations will be released approximately one hour before the start of the match.
For Coritiba, coach Fernando Seabra will lead the team with players such as Pedro Rangel, Tinga, Tiago Cóser, Jacy, and Bruno Melo, in addition to Thiago Santos, Sebastián Gómez, and Josué. In attack, there will be Lucas Ronier, Breno Lopes, and Renato Marques. Palmeiras, under the command of Abel Ferreira, is expected to field Carlos Miguel, Giay (Khellven), Gustavo Gómez (Fuchs), Murilo, and Arthur, with Marlon Freitas, Andreas Pereira, and Lucas Evangelista in midfield, and Arias, Mauricio, and Ramón Sosa in attack.
The assigned refereeing team includes Anderson Daronco (RS) as the main referee, assisted by Nailton Júnior de Sousa Oliveira (CE) and Michael Stanislau (RS). The VAR will be operated by Rodrigo D’Alonso Ferreira (SC).
Both clubs return to the pitch after the break dedicated to the World Cup, in a match that marks the end of the first round of the Brasileirão. Palmeiras currently leads the championship with 41 points, surpassing runner-up Flamengo by seven points. Meanwhile, Coritiba occupies seventh place, with 26 points.
Palmeiras used the mid-season break to play six training matches. Coach Abel Ferreira will not be able to count on Flaco López, who remains with the Argentine national team after the World Cup, as well as suspended players Paulinho and Allan. In contrast, Vitor Roque returned to the squad after overcoming an ankle injury. Coritiba, for its part, has the return of right-back Tinga and forward Lucas Ronier, but will be missing Pedro Rocha due to suspension, as well as Fabinho and Lucas Taverna, who are out due to injury.
