Accelerate Through The Rough

1) Inspect the lie. Figure out its severity. Ask questions. Is the grass growing toward or away from the hole. How much of the ball is above the surface of the grass, if any? Is the grass dense or sparse. The reality is, the more you hit out of the rough, the more you’ll know what to look for. When you’re playing a round, and you’re in the rough, practice a few shots. You can’t do that on the range.

2) Figure out what club you’ll need to get to the green. When in doubt, use more loft. A simple rule of thumb is, choose the club that will cut through the grass the best. Sometimes that means settling for landing the ball short of the green, then use your skill to chip or pitch.

3) Play the ball a little back towards the center of the stance. This allows you to make a descending blow into the rough and allow cause less grass to get between the club and the ball.

4) Accelerate. Accelerate. Accelerate. When playing these shots, its critical to accelerate through this lie. Make sure to swing in balance which will the proper push from the ground to swing hard enough and accelerate through contact. Remember it’s a battle between you and the grass. You must win.

Hint: when in doubt use more loft! It’s safety first. Make sure your next shot is not in the rough.