Escaping From The Worst Rough

Is there's any worse lie than when you're in really thick rough and the grass is growing against your ball? When that happens, the grass slows down the clubhead, grabs the hosel, and shuts the clubface. It's a recipe for disaster. But you can escape the rough by adjusting your setup to accommodate the thick grass.

Below are six keys to this shot:

1. Take an extra club

2. Stand closer to the ball

3. Position the ball slightly back

4. Open the clubface a little

5. Make an early wrist hinge

6. Use your normal swing

This shot sounds tricky, but it's not. Like many shots in golf, it's mostly adjusting your setup. If you make the right changes, you'll get out.

Take an extra club, position the ball slightly back of its normal position, and stand a little closer to it. (If the grass were growing toward the target, you'd take less club on the shot.) Standing closer helps you swing the club more vertical, reducing the time the clubface spends cutting through the grass.

Open the clubface a few degrees, offsetting the shutdown effect of the grass. Grip the club tighter, preventing it from twisting in the grass. And take your regular swing, but hinge your wrist early. Your thumbs should be pointing toward the sky by the time the club reaches hip height in the backswing.

Hinging your wrists early is the key move. It creates the angle you need to come down sharply on the ball. It also prevents the clubface from coming in contact with grass for a long period. The less contact with the grass, the less chance the club will twist in your hands and shut the clubface down.

Getting out of thick rough with the grass flowing against the ball is tricky. But if you make the right adjustments to your setup, you'll escape with little trouble.

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Wayne