Playing out of the rough

[Howie]

Hey guys,

I am interested in getting your perspective on some simple course management. Obviously we all hit into the rough more times than we want. My question for you is when your ball gets stuck in very high/long grass. This is obviously different than standard fairway rough, where if the grass gets as high as a little bit over the ball, you would still make a full swing.

For the long weedy grass that is a few inches long, do most of you take a full swing or do you chip it back onto the fairway? If you are offering advice, please take into account that I am lingering between a mid to high handicapper.

Thanks!

[Leftygolfer]

I would definitely take a full swing. I will not hit anymore than a 7 or 6 iron out of deep rough.

I think small swings might be a really bad choice. It would be so easy to leave it in a spot right in front of you. I am a mid handicapper, I will give you an example of how I would play a hole.

Hit in thick rough right long par 4. 180 left. No way getting there. I will take a 8 iron aim to left corner of the green and my goal is to 50 hards short of the green. If I get alot of ball I will be just short, If I get what I expect I will have a 50-75 yard shot in from the fairway. My goal is to not make a double.

[Uber$winG]

This question is a bit too vague…

One has to consider all the elements figuring into the shot:

What kind of lie is it: uphill, downhill, above your feet, below your feet, is the grain of the grass either with or against your swing?

How far to the flagstick?

Where are the hazards?

Do you have an unobstructed shot (that is, are there trees or shrubs in your target line)?

Which way is the wind – if there is any?

What is par for the hole?

[aleski]

  Howie said:

Hey guys,

I'd go at/towards the flag only when leaving it short would mean I'd still be on the fairway. In other words, hitting over hazards or yards and yards of the same deep stuff is something I wouldn't do. Instead, I'd find a way to get to the fairway.

[lumpuckeroo]

  aleski said:

I'd go at/towards the flag only when leaving it short would mean I'd still be on the fairway. In other words, hitting over hazards or yards and yards of the same deep stuff is something I wouldn't do. Instead, I'd find a way to get to the fairway.

This tends to be my style also.

[Kailam19]

I would take a full swing and only use a short iron

[verse214]

  Über$winG said:

This question is a bit too vague…

For a 34 handicap like the OP I do not think it is too vague of a question at all - for someone with your low handicap it may be. With a handicap as high as a 34 I would not hit anything stronger than an 8 (or even a 9) out of ANY rough - high grass or "standard" rough - plus I would be swinging with a full swing. You're going to need that loft to dig the ball out and until you become more skilled, I do not see any point in using a lower lofted club to get out.

[Howie]

Thank you for the advice guys. Too many times I would try to full swing out with a mid iron. A short iron would make more sense, as the loft would help bring the ball out of such high grass.

So you are saying use a short iron for most types of rough? I imagine I could use longer irons or hybrids if the ball was still visible above the grassline correct? If it's under that line, use a short iron. Is that a reasonable game plan?

[iWALK18]

  Leftygolfer said:

I would definitely take a full swing. I will not hit anymore than a 7 or 6 iron out of deep rough.

I think this is really solid advice. I also would say not to hit lob wedge, and maybe not even sand wedge, as you can go right under the ball. So generally, the safest clubs to use out of tall tall grass are 7-8-9-pw

[Leftygolfer]

  Howie said:

Thank you for the advice guys. Too many times I would try to full swing out with a mid iron. A short iron would make more sense, as the loft would help bring the ball out of such high grass.

I think that sounds good. It might be a good idea even on the better lies in the rough. Bogey is the goal.

[mellojoe]

Some fun advice I got one time:
I guess it could simply be stated as this: "Don't try to do too much!" Get it back into the fairway and play on.