Tony Jacklin and Lee Trevino both went for the 9th hole from the tee during the 1972 British Open at Muirfield in Scotland. Jacklin tried to hit the ball over the fairway bunker on the left, while Trevino took a safer route down the right side. Both of them ended up in the rough, but they were only a few irons away from the green. Then came two great shots that both landed about 20 yards (18 m) short of the green but ran onto it. Then, both players made their eagle putts.
Most of the time, golfers have trouble when they hit into the rough. Even great golfers like Trevino and Jacklin spend more time than they'd like in the rough. But you can get out of trouble and back onto the fairway without losing any strokes if you make a few changes.
When a golfer who plays for fun gets into the rough, he often gives up because he is scared. Instead of looking at where the ball is lying, as many golf instruction books say to do, he grabs a club and swings at it, hitting it into the rough or into more trouble. When he's done, he'll have a score of 8 on the scorecard.
Many golfers, even those who have taken lessons, mess up when they hit from the rough, whether it is thick and heavy or light and fluffy. But you don't need a lot of lessons to learn how to get out of the rough. You just have to be smart about it and know what changes to make.
Heavy Rough
The most common thing is to hit into thick rough. The grass is too tall, and that's the problem. It grabs your club's hosel and closes the clubface at impact, which makes you pull the ball to the left (for right handers). The grass also slows down the club head and takes away the ball's backspin. To get out of heavy clumps of grass, you almost have to use brute force.
Most golf tips say that it's important to pick the right club. You need a club with a sharp leading edge, like one of the shorter irons. The edge cuts through the tall grass, making it easier to catch the ball in the middle. Try a lofted wood (5, 7, 9) or a lofted iron (9 iron, pitching wedge). The loft helps you fly faster. Try the 6 iron if the ball is buried. And don't try to hook or slice the ball hard. The grass that is longer and thicker makes the ball go straight.
The place of the ball is also very important. If it's too far forward, there's too much grass to get through. Too far back, and the ball doesn't have enough lift to get into the air. With the longer clubs, place the ball left of centre (for right-handed golfers), and with the shorter clubs, place it right of centre.
Do the following, as well:
- Stand up straight
- Don't let your hands get in front of the club.
- Aim your body slightly left
- Open your clubface
- Put your weight in front of you
- Try to come at it from a steeper angle
- Dig a hole after the ball.
Set your wrists a little bit earlier than usual during the takeaway, and put your weight in the middle of the ball at the top of your back swing.
Light Rough Fluffy
To hit from a light, fluffy lie, you have to make some changes, but it's still hard. Like the thick rough, the grass is the real bad guy.
When the grass is fluffy, the ball sits up high, almost like it's on a tee, so don't use your regular swing. You should try not to undercut the ball, which keeps you from making solid contact. Instead, try to sweep it off the "tee" by barely touching the grass tips with the blade of your club.
Do the following, as well:
- Cut down on your back swing
- Make sure the ending is fair.
- Hover over the address of the club
- Move the ball forward #!#
- Put your teeth on the club
Move your hands about an inch and a half (2.5 cm) down the grip and move the ball forward in your stance. This will help you swing with a more sweeping motion.
By hovering the club, you can catch the ball on the spot and keep it from moving at address. Choking up on the club limits your backswing, but it also makes your wrists bend a little earlier in your takeaway. Also, at the top of the backswing, stop the club just short of being horizontal. Try to end in a way that is fair.
You don't have to be scared of the rough, whether it's deep and thick or light and fluffy. Just calm down and make the right changes, and you'll be able to deal with the problem. Also, be true to yourself. Try not to take on too much. If the rough looks really hard, you should try to hit the ball onto the fairway.
The goal is to set yourself up for the next shot, not to lose more strokes by hacking away. You might not hit the green with your next swing, but like Trevino and Jacklin, you might hit a shot that leads to a surprising finish and maybe a lower handicap.
