Deep Rough

Could anyone help me!!

When in DEEP rough what is the best shot to play?

I always seem to take 2-3 shots just to get it out,

I am a hacker but am currently having a few lessons.

Hi John,
When you start this game the best advice for getting out of the rough is easy:

The way to achive this is to take a lofted club 8 iron to wedge, nothing longer than an 8 iron mind, open the face slightly to allow for any grass wrapping around the hosel closing the face and take a steeper attack into the ball.

One thing to remember is don't try to clear the trees or thread the ball between them, just accept the drop shot and take the easiest route back to the fairway even if this means going sideways, this alone will save you shots and reduce your h/capp.


Hope this helps.


Ian.

__________________
Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

To add to Ian's comments, play the ball back one width further in your stance (this promotes a much steeper swing, reducing the amount of grass between club and ball), and break your wrists early in the backswing (again, promoting a steeper swing).

I like the replies but I'd like to add something else. My "something else" isn't quiet a direct answer but more a "learn from the master" tuition.

For goodness sake find the easiest way to get out of trouble and the ball back in play. I see it so often while I play in pro-ams or do on-course lessons where golfers try to thread the golf ball under trees, through a gap and then over the next tree, through another gap the size of a loo roll and lay it up just short the cross-bunker (you know what I mean ...).

First, find the easiest way to get the ball back in play. Look at all the options, including going either side and backwards.
Next, work out how to get the ball there.
Next, try to figure the swing you need.
Next, match the club to the required swing.
Next, reherse the swing and prepare.
Then execute.

Here's an example that happened to me and I use it often to example the point of thinking:
I hit it into the trees left and was in serious trouble. There was a fairway further left with a water hazard. No option to my right. No viable options forwards nor backwards. I couldn't take an unplayable becuase it wasn't going to help me 2 club lengths and keeping the flag in line I would have stayed in the trees.
So what do I do? I don't just hack at it ...
I hit a low 8-iron and hit the ball into the water hazard (on purpose).
My drop: I dropped it keeping the line of entry with the flag in the middle of the fairway ... I played up that fairway and got my next on the correct green and made 6. Had I buggered around it may have taken me 3 to get it out at least.

So, find the easiest way out even if it means playing your next from a different golf hole or from a bunker ...

__________________
Golf is easy ... once you know how.
Graham Arnott, teaching professional
Kelrosa Golf Studios
www.kelrosagolf.com
Class 'A' PGA Member
Full Member: World Golf Teachers Federation (GB&I)

Sometimes I am the golfer that threads the trees, over the bunker and stops it on the green. Usually, I just put the ball back into play, but when either i am playing poorly or very well i will take a long club out of the rough. For example:

Last tournament i was on a par 5 about 530 yards long. My drive was long and right probably 250 out from the hole. There are trees in front of my line to the green, with a hazard just past those, just 15 yards from the green. There was of course the 140 yard shot that i could play back to the fairway, but i decide to go for the homerun because my round couldn't get any worse. I pull a 3W out of my bag knowing i had about a 3% chance of getting solid contact because of how buried the ball is. I swing as hard as i can just to get it air borne and i hit a laser between the trees over the hazard, 5 yards from the green. Smart? Most definitely not. Well executed? As good as i could

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Don't think I'm not that sort of player as well. I've tried some Ballesteros shots too, some work and some don't. Mostly they don't work ... but I know what you saying, that rush when they do work - there's nothing like it.

Mostly I get the feeling of taking a new Nike Gold out of the sleeve.

One thing that help me alot when I play out of rough is to not rest my club on the ground. If I pressed the club down behind my ball im usually pushing more grass toward the ball which will result in bad contact. Also, open your clubface slightly (so the grass doesn't grab on the the hosel and flip the clubhead closed) and come steeper into the ball (by hitting steeper on the ball, you have to go through less grass and you will make much better contact). Good Luck

Thanks everyone for your helpfull replies!!


Everything you have said now makes sense, No longer do i expect to hit a dream shot every time im in the rough.

Pick the safe option and get back in play!!

Thanks again, hope you can continue to help me in the future.

PS. Best score so far is 98. Just so you can see if im improving with all your help!!!!

I generally close the club face slightly because the grass drag on the clubhead pulls it open a little ... especially that nasty tangly stuff.

There are so many variables in the rough. I was watching the Golf Channel the other day and they were explaining how to play different rough shots based on the lie. Variables included sitting on top or down in the rough and the lie of grass with the direction of the shot, against the direction of the shot or across the direction of the shot. But I think the general rules of open the club face, hit down on the ball and use a lofted club are pretty sound. I find I do a little better when I concentrate on a normal speed swing hitting down on the ball and definitely follow through. For me swinging extra hard doesn't get me much.

I deffinately agree with jambalaya.

the reason you have to open the clubface is because the long grass will grab the hozzle and close your club face as you swing through.

remember: your only aim when in deep rough is to get the ball back in play.

key points:
1) open clubface
2) ball back in stance
3) hit down onto ball
4) keep wrists firm.
5) get ball back in play

regards to all .......Terry

I was watching the golf channel uk last night and it had a short session on this. The one thing that i found they stressed was to put the ball back in the stance and try to hit down on the ball rather than through it. otherwise your club will get caught up in more rough. Therefore make the attack angle to the ball steeper

I keep a 9 wood in my bag for the thick rough and the long rough (you may aswell give up if it's a combination of both - any contact is an achievement...)

I generally grip down on the club - even 3 inches down the grip, swing 1/2 to 3/4 depending on how challenging the lie is and let the club do the rest - easy swing, not too far back and bang. You could be looking at 150 yrds with a 1/2 swing out of tough rough...

Often I leave a nice hole dug around the ball - but it gets the thing out and the loft (29 deg) can be good at getting a poor contact into the air. It's not a precision tool - but it can get you up and out in awkward stuff.

As much as people say that they'll rarely use a 9 wood - I use mine more than my -
lob wedge - 60 deg
3 iron (which I've gotten rid of)
3 wood (I'm hitting the driver well).

I would drop all of the above 3 clubs before my 9 wood.

Anyone of the same opinion? Or am I just a big girl with my 9 wood in the bag?????

a 9 wood? thats one thing i always try not to do is hit a wood as i find it gets caught up too much. alaways take a high lofted iron and just try and get it out

I agree that a wood out of the rough is a big no-no. But a 9 wood is a different animal - you don't sweep it like you would a 3 or 5 wood. The fact it has a head on it allows it to cut through rough without getting too badly tangled, you don't sweep as much so theres less rough to head contact than with a normal wood. Also - don't swing it hard and only 1/2 swing with it. I gave it to a friend once and he did a full swing - tried to sweep it out and topped the ball - and said it was a **** club.....

You need to give the club a chance.

Next day your out practising, drop a few balls into some rough and 1/2 swing with a 9 wood - see how easy it gets out after you get comfortable with it....

Anyone on my side here???