Hitting out of the deep rough.
posted in Instruction |One of the harder shots in golf is hitting out of the deep rough from 150 to 250 yards from the pin. The trick is getting the club to hit as much ball and as little grass as possible. The first thought to go through your mind should be a steeper swing, because your regular swing will most likely get caught up in the grass. I would not recommend trying to it your 3 wood in this situation or even a 3 or 4 iron unless they are hybrids (they have the extra weight needed to stay on course in the thick stuff). Usually the 5, 6, 7, or 8 iron is best due to the length of the club being shorter which makes a steeper swing path easier. Next set up with a couple of adjustments in your swing. First move a little closer to the ball than you might normally set up and put the ball closer to your back foot than normal. Next set up for a fade (open stance with your back foot closer to the ball than your front) and open your clubface slightly (toward your back foot). Your grip should be a little tighter than normal but do not choke it to death. Next put more weight on your front foot than your back. Try to swing more up and down than normal and a little harder than you would normally swing (say 85% instead of 70%) but don’t overswing! If you feel you can, try to keep your hands ahead of the club head in your downswing, this promotes better contact. What you will find is that the ball usually comes out lower than normal so you will get more role out than your standard shot. Remember this is one of the harder shots in golf so if you don’t get it the first time keep trying, eventually it will help you bring your scores down and you’ll impress your golf buds with your shot making ability.