End of the Week Tip: Approaching the Green from Thick Rough

Every Friday be sure to check out my End of the Week Tip. Please comment and share these tips, especially if you like what you read!

Rough conditions vary course-to-course and sometimes even day-to-day on the same course.  Most courses will have a period of time where for whatever reasons the rough gets super thick.  Here are some tips to help you escape the rough and put yourself in position to score:

·      Beware of the flyer.  When your ball finds the rough you can experience a variety of different lies that require different plans of attack.  Occasionally the ball will sit up in the rough creating what is called a flyer lie.  Use a higher lofted club than normal in this situation as the ball will likely come out fast with little spin.

·      Adjust your angle of attack.  If the ball is sitting down in the rough, you will need to attempt to hit down on the ball to reduce the amount of grass getting between the ball and the clubface. One way to increase attack angle (hit down on the ball), is to keep more weight on your lead leg, left leg for RH golfers, throughout the swing. 

·      When in doubt, play it safe.  Most players get in trouble by being too aggressive in the rough, often resulting in shots that miss their targets or even worse stay in the rough.  If the ball is swallowed up by tall grass, there is no shame in taking a high lofted club like a pitching or sand wedge and simply getting the ball back in the fairway.