Hitting from the thick stuff!

[Divot]

I live in AZ and most of the courses I play just do not have rough that is thick. I have learned to hit out of desert lies and tighter lies in general.

This week, I flew back home and played a few rounds with my dad. Man, did I get worked from the rough! I was just not expecting it to hurt my scores the way it did...my approach shots and pitches were terrible.

Anyt tips on playing from the rough?

[mikelz]

I live in AZ and most of the courses I play just do not have rough that is thick. I have learned to hit out of desert lies and tighter lies in general.

When it settles to the bottom, I use no more than a 7 iron and pick it up abruptly with my hands.

That produces a very vertical swing that minimizes the grass between the ball and the club. I said no more than a 7 iron because you can only take what it gives ya'. I've been happy to get sand wedge back in the fairway.

[MunkeyGolfer]

I do about the same as mike. Most times when I am in the rough I just grab a wedge and put the ball back on the fairway.

[Franco!]

Get steep.
Hack it out.

[Lemay427]

Open the face a tad and grip a little firmer. I agree with the responses about going with a steeper angle.

[bruce]

Yes,open the face slightly and grip tighter,i only grip tighter with my three outer fingers on my left hand though.Play it slightly back from normal and a steeper swing.

[LottaBalata]

I noticed lately, as the rough at my home course has grown tall and thick from tons of rain (I live in central/southern Indiana), my shots out of the rough are poking left--like a pull.

I heard Johhny Miller explaining how the guys were really having to open the club face when they were in the thick stuff. . .Is the heel/hosely getting caught? And thats throwing the toe in?

Sorry to threadjack, but I was wondering if this is what I've been experiencing. I haven't been opening the clubface much at all out of the rough--hasn't been this thick on my homecourse for a couple years now!

[Divot]

Fair enough...thanks guys. I was most likely being too aggressive, try too hard to advance the ball toward the hole instead of just focusing on the getting back it into the fairway.

[SpacklersEdge]

This was a good question.

A lot of people are saying they just get it back to the fairway, but how are the pros able to hit quality shots, like from 170 out onto the green to still putt for birdie?

Are they just that much stronger, higher swing speed than us normal folks?

[CG031]

This was a good question.

170 out is a 8 iron or sometimes even a 9 iron for some of these guys. For others a 7 iron but more amatuers don't hit it as far. When the pros are hitting 8 or 9 out of this stuff it's a huge advantage as oppose to some of us amatuers hitting a 6 or 7 out of it, or maybe even a 5 iron.

[mikelz]

I noticed lately, as the rough at my home course has grown tall and thick from tons of rain (I live in central/southern Indiana), my shots out of the rough are poking left--like a pull.

I don't think you are threadjacking - this is about the rough.

Yes, I've heard that Johnny Miller explanation and I've heard it from just about every pro now working TV. It certainly has happened to me and my golf buds. It sure is tough to get the ball up when the rough forces a duck hook. Opening the face is one way to beat it - with a risk. I've "powered" the club through the ball, get caught up and the face doesn't close. Those shots can go anywhere.

[sonicblue]

Rough grabs onto the hosel as you swing, and the toe closes down. If you open the clubface at address, you're hoping that effect occurs, and that the clubface goes from open->square, instead of square-> closed. Of course, this requires your estimating how much it will close.

IMO, hitting out of thick rough successfully all starts with the shot decision and expectation you set. If it's really thick and you're 180 out, you're likely not getting on. Pick the good miss area, pick a club you're comfortable with, and execute that plan. As others have said, the shot itself is really as easy as:

* set the wrists early and hard
* use the big muscles, shoulders are going to get you out, not arms
* keep your wrist set as long as possible, so your impact is with a very steep descent, minimizing grass contact as much as possible.

Gouging one out with an 8-iron to a nice spot 40 yards short of the green, where you can chip and putt, will leave you with much more confidence than an unsuccessful Happy-Gilmore-esque flail at it with a 6-iron.

[iacas]

Another reason to open the face a bit and try to swing a little out-to-in is that the swing path (vertically) is usually a bit steeper. You'll go through more rough trying to hit a draw or a normal swing rather than hitting a cut (in effect - likely the ball won't cut much because you won't put much spin on the ball).