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brianf40us · 08-13-2007, 05:29 PM

How does everone go about hitting out of thick rough (ball position, swing plain, distance from ball) I have problem with hitting out of thick rough the grass always always grabs my club and i usually never hit the ball solid and usually results in a slice or somthing out of the normal.

300Yards · 08-13-2007, 06:53 PM

I usually club down two clubs. Swing at more of a decending angle, snap my wrists hard, and roll my right arm over my left real hard. Be sure to hold the face closed, on the followthrough. That should help to keep the ball from going right.

brianf40us · 08-13-2007, 06:56 PM

By clubing down you mean going from a 4 iron to a 6 iron

MAN I FEEL STUPID HAHAHA

65nlovenit · 08-13-2007, 07:27 PM

I think he meant the other way around, if your at a 6 iron distance, but in heavy rough, use a 5 or even a 4, and hang on tight when you make your swing, that grass is going to want to grab the club and twist the club face open. Swing down on the ball on a steep angle, the idea being to get the club under the ball and the let the loft pop it out of the rough. DO NOT USE A WOOD IN DEEP ROUGH, a sweeping swing wont get it out.

Fourputt · 08-14-2007, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 300Yards

I usually club down two clubs. Swing at more of a decending angle, snap my wrists hard, and roll my right arm over my left real hard. Be sure to hold the face closed, on the followthrough. That should help to keep the ball from going right.

I'm a bit confused...

In my experience, heavy rough (talking 3" or more) tends to grab the hosel and close the clubface for you... holding it closed isn't a problem... trying to KEEP it from closing down is. I find that I have to address the ball with the face open, and even then it can be very hard to keep the ball from going left. Watch the pros when they are hitting from the deep stuff in a major type of tournament. Most of the time the ball goes well left of the target.

One other thing, if you are planning to really get the ball back in play, then you are much better off playing back to the fairway with a wedge or short iron and taking your medicine. Deep rough is no place to be trying a mid to long iron... it's too hard to control either distance or trajectory. You won't see the pros do it at the US Open, why should us ordinary mortals try it? Take a shorter club, play the ball back in your stance a bit to minimize the distance the club has to move through the grass before it hits the ball (steeper line of attack), grip extra tight with the last 3 fingers of the left hand, and say a little prayer to the golf gods.

You have to evaluate any lie in the rough and determine from experience what your chances are for advancing the ball. And expect surprises... sometimes the ball will unexpectedly come out hot, other times you will struggle to advance it at all. My home course has every kind of rough imaginable, from 1" first cut off the fairway, to 2" ordinary rough, to 3"+ grass bunkers, to native that can be from 6 inches to 3 feet tall. And all types can have good and bad lies... and most of the time if I'm in deeper than 2", I'm playing a safe shot... sometimes even 2" rough can leave you with little more than a pitch out.

So best advice to the OP, don't get too greedy. Evaluate your chances honestly, put your ego back in the bag and play for the bogey.... you might just make par, but at least you'll make far fewer "others".

Foster4 · 08-14-2007, 02:19 AM

3" or higher rough ...Usually have to hit about 1 or 2 clubs lower depending on lie and which way the grass lays..If its laying with the swing or the ball or is on top watch for a flyer lie...But if your talking about sitting down anything below 5 will be tough to get it out with and will turn over more causing the ball to go no where....Get a lofted club ...slightly back in stance...Pick the club up fast cuz you want to hit it at a very steep angle so nnot alot of grass gets tangled on the face or hosel...A fade swing (outside to inside is easier to hit too in this lie) Also you don't want your clubhead collapsing meaning closing from the grass catching the hosel...This is basically a strengh thing..some ppl just cant do it ...Also if you grip the club very tight with your leading hands pinky and ring finger it'll help keep the club open at impact...Those are my tips..