Advice for hitting out of very deep green side rough?

[kpaulhus]

Yesterday I played a course for the first time, and made the mistake of not testing out the greens first. They were the fastest Ive ever played. My birdie putt actually soared off the green and I ended up with Bogey.

My question though, is most of the courses here in Jacksonville have very deep rough, like drive past your ball in the rough. Whenever I missed a green by 5-7ft It would end up in this and was usually below the top of the grass. I tried all afternoon to chip out and I would hit a 16 inch dud shot or get too much and skull it across the green....all of these shots were taken with my 52 wedge.

any tips on this situation?

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

I'd up it to a higher lofted wedge if you have one, (if not, buy one). And even then, I typically open the face way up and play it like a sand shot. The most important thing is to commit 100% to the swing. It has to be aggressive all the way through or else you're screwed. Just figure - once I hit it it's done, no sense in going at it less than 100%.

[kpaulhus]

Yeah I had a few where mid way through my downswing I wasnt sure how it would end up....and it popped up and died on the fringe. I am going to be getting a 56 and 60 wedge soon.....gonna check out the used bin for some Callaway X-Forged tonight after work.

[Where's the Cart Girl?]

I use my 56* for just about every shot around the green thats not a clean chip I wanna get rolling sooner than later, but with these types of shots the 60* is nice to have so you don't have to open up quite so much if it's real ugly grass. Good luck.

[max power]

Sharp angle of attack, hit down on the ball, weight on left foot.

[kpaulhus]

Thanks guys. Ill give it a try again this weekend. I plan on playing the same course to see if knowing it the second time around will really lower my score. I was just so mad at my self because I could get a GIR from the 150, then 3 putt.... or chip within 10 ft for an up/down and 3 putt. 39 putts in my round....that 96 could have easily been an 89.

[mdvaldosta]

Like already said, if it's sitting down in the rough (with grass behind the ball) you gotta play it like a bunker shot. That's the safest way.

[kafka01]

If you play it like a normal chip you never will know beforehand, how the ball comes out, since you get an different amount of grass between ball and blade everytime.

Like others said before - high lofted club, open clubface, play it like a bunker shot - not easy, but not much choice either.

[Saint]

With the deep rough, you need to have an out to in swing path on those chips to help pop it out. I have a tight grip, and you have to commit, or the grass will kill your speed. Imagine a shaft behind your ball about 3 feet. You want to stay outside of it for the rough, and to the inside in the fairways.

[Dub]

Sharp angle of attack, hit down on the ball, weight on left foot.

+1 for this method....chip, pitch and etc from deep rough around the greens.

It's a different monster for sure.