Even the best golfers end up in the rough occasionally. Sure, it’s not ideal, but you shouldn’t let it derail the hole. With the right strategy and technique, it doesn’t matter if the ball is covered in overgrown grass or nestled next to a tree root—you can hit it out of the rough and back onto the fairway. Here are a few tips to help you play through the rough like a pro using your favorite golf irons.
Evaluate the Situation
You need to evaluate the situation before you even pull a club from your bag. Not every “rough” is the same, as getting your ball out of overgrown grass is different than hitting a ball sitting in a patch of dirt.
If the ball sits on top of the grass, you can approach it more like a tee shot. However, if it’s buried in the grass, you’ll need to grab a wedge and focus on cutting through to get it out.
Another aspect to check is the direction of the grass. If it’s growing with the direction of your shot, that’s good news. If it’s growing against your shot, you’ll need to add a little more power to your swing.
Focus on Digging the Ball Out
Almost anywhere in the rough, you’ll need to do a bit of “digging.” The grass or weeds will catch your iron as you swing through, but there are some steps you can take to make sure you still get under the ball and dig it out of the rough and back onto the green.
Place the ball further back in your stance and take a steeper swing than usual. The grass can pull your clubface shut, so open it up and put more weight on your front foot as you swing through.
All these adjustments help you dig your ball out and escape the rough in one clean shot.
The Scarier the Lie, the Shorter the Iron
Pulling out a long iron to try and hit a 150-yard shot and get back in the game might be tempting. This only works if the rough left your ball exposed on a fairly flat surface. Otherwise, it’s always better to stick to shorter irons as they can help you achieve your primary goal: escaping the rough.
Longer irons require a shallow swing that tends to get caught in the grass. This can cause mishits and leave you in an even worse position than before. That’s why the deeper in the rough you are, the shorter your club should be. A high-number iron or even one of your wedges is the best bet to help you dig the ball out.
Plus, if you’re using the most forgiving irons in your bag, you’ll get the solid contact you need to get back on the green.
Strengthen Your Grip and Speed Up Your Swing
You might swing with a lighter grip on a typical fairway shot, providing more control over the clubface. However, in the rough, all sorts of debris and plants can catch on your club and knock it off course if you hold it too lightly.
To counteract this, grip your club a little tighter than usual. You don’t need to hold it as hard as possible, but just a firmer grasp that doesn’t leave any wiggle room. In conjunction with that grip, swing hard and with confidence. Don’t go all out, but make sure your club has the energy to get through the rough and make contact with the ball.
With all of these tips in mind, hitting out of the rough will become automatic for you.
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