Playing Out of Thick Rough

Golf courses are set up to challenge you and one aspect which is guaranteed to come into play during a round of golf is the rough.

The thickness, texture and dampness of the rough changes from course to course and day to day.  Chances are, you will find the same rough on the same day, to feel completely different.

You could be unfortunate and see your ball fly in the rough on two consecutive holes.  Yet if one part of the rough has been in the shade all day, this will make it different to a section of rough which has been bathed in sunshine.

Therefore, you should always play each rough shot on its merits and balance the risk of the shot you are considering, with the potential rewards.

Many amateur players will opt to use the club they are most comfortable with when playing from the rough, regardless of the situation.  While you may feel more confident playing the shot, the result will never be as good as it should be and you can easily end up dropping shots.

When playing a ball which is buried in deep, wet rough, you must use a club which has plenty of loft and has enough weight to cut through, under the ball.  In this case, a pitching wedge or sand wedge would be the best option.

You should always look at taking the easiest route to getting your ball back on the fairway.  Locate the most direct route to the fairway and the easiest path for the ball to travel, which will give it the best chance of ending on the short grass.

A ball being played from thick or wet rough, will never carry as far as you may think, so take this into account when playing your shot.  The best option is not always playing forwards, you may be better off playing sideways or even backwards, so keep this in mind and always look around you before playing the shot.

This tip takes on extra importance when there is a hazard in-front of you.  Do you really want to try and clear a lake from the rough?  Probably not, so be willing to accept your punishment and get your ball back into play as easily possible.

When in thick rough, position the ball towards the back of your stance and bring the club down steeply towards the bottom of the ball.  Open the club face and having contacted the ball, be prepared to re-grip the club firmly, as when it travels through the grass it is easy to lose your control of the club.

Playing out of thick rough is something which most people do not want to practice.  Why would any golfer want to practice a shot they are hoping never to make?

The reality is, we all end up in the rough when playing golf and if you can find a local field where the grass is longer and thicker than a standard fairway, you should practice this shot.  You will feel much more comfortable playing it when required during a round of golf.