Playing out of Rough

As you are aware, the rough on the golf course is the grass that we all wish was mowed. It lurks everywhere but the tees, fairways, hazards and greens. The trouble with trying to get out of this long grass is that the grass gets in between the clubface and ball. This results in little or no backspin, poor direction and longer or shorter distance than is desired. If the lie is bad, the wise choice is to just get the ball back in the fairway.

How to Play the Shot

To properly hit the ball, make the following adjustments. Play the ball back in your stance and put your hands forward. This will allow you to take the club more upright on the backswing thereby avoiding the long grass. From here you will be able to create a steeper angle of attack into the ball, striking it with a descending angle that will get it out. For this particular shot, use a firm grip and constant arm pressure to keep the grass from twisting the clubhead and changing your intended shot path and trajectory. When you execute this properly you will have the best chance of good contact and getting the results you wanted. But again, be smart; if you have a tough lie and a lengthy carry over water, the wisest shot may be to simply get the ball back in play.