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Help me with this pitch shot from deep rough!

KellyBo

KellyBo

Golf, Have Fun or Quit!
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Our new course has a lot of deep rough. I found myself with a lie similar to this one today about 30 yards from the pin going over a trap. Needless to say, that shot didn't go too well. I've found some online stuff that says you should use the bounce of your wedge and hit under the ball to get it up in the air similar to a sand shot. I haven't had a chance to practice that yet. How do you get the ball on the green in this situation?
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At our new course, ya pray alot :beat-up:
 
To me it would depend on what I am trying to do with it. Its a very tough shot and the grass can wreak havoc on your club head going through it. If its hit away, I have always tried to play it one way.

Have the ball "2 ball lengths" back in my stance.
VERY firm grip on the club.
Swing away.

Others believe that you open up slightly and use the leading edge and bounce to play it link a bunker. That can work as well, my only issue with that thought is more things tend to change with the face angle of the club through the grass with this shot and my own game.
 
Kelly that needs a steep angle of attached with a 56*, directly behind the ball. Its tough to say where is will go. It will have zero spin and come out low.
 
One thing my instructor has always told me about a shot like that is to really firm up your left hand on the grip.
 
Sounds like I need to stay out of the rough. :)
 
You need to use the bounce KB. Get the wedge under the ball and bounce it the heck up to a better lie!!
 
To JB's point, get the ball back in you stance and I would us a 60 degree wedge, swinging hard and hitting down on the ball. Goal is to get it over the bunker. That is one nasty lie, I might add
 
I'd kick the ball to some lighter rough.

If people were around and jerks about the rules then I'd play it similar to a bunker shot and hope!
 
Kelly, is that ball plugged in that lie or just sitting down that much? The picture is really hard to tell. Whatever you decide to do, you've gotta trust it and really make an aggressive swing.
 
Kelly, it's my belief that out of that kind of lie, your best bet is to take your highest-lofted wedge and chop down at it at a steep angle, with almost no follow through. The ball will pop out low and will come out hot with zero spin, so if you hit it too hard to make sure you clear the trap and it ends up going over the green, so be it. In other words, you have to take your medicine.

Here's Luke Donald explaining the technique (though on a lie not as bad as yours):



It *might* be possible to flop it, but from that lie, I'd say most people's chances of pulling it off are very low. Generally when people are talking about using the bounce and getting under it, they're talking about a ball that's sitting up a bit, not one that's completely buried.

Just my opinion.
 
Yeah, that is a horrendous lie. I'd probably use my lob wedge and open it up like a bunker shot...then swing away. My goal would be to clear the bunker and get it on the green anywhere...not even paying attention to the pin.
 
I would hood a sand wedge ( as you would to play a fried egg lie in a bunker) and swing normal, should come out and release. A chunk and run so to speak.

You could also open the clubface on a sand wedge assuming the thick grass will close the clubface. I prefer the first method myself.
 
Im thinking a firm leading hand with a short blast kind of swing similar to a bunker shot.
 
Thanks for the tips guys. I'll practice this shot until I figure it out! Might even do a comedy video of me trying. NOT
 
I play those shots with my 56 and as if I were hitting a long bunker shot with a bit of a lip. I am a huge "feel" player with my wedges so while it might not be textbook, I like to open my stance with my feet closer together than usual, open the club face and come in with a very steep angle of attack.

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Jersey Nate said:
Yeah, that is a horrendous lie. I'd probably use my lob wedge and open it up like a bunker shot...then swing away. My goal would be to clear the bunker and get it on the green anywhere...not even paying attention to the pin.
Click to expand...

Absolutely just play for the green. Especially if the pin is near the front. And as much as you don't want to have any negative thoughts in your mind pre-swing, you need to be conscious of where your likely miss will be in that situation


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Puttin4Bird said:
I'd kick the ball to some lighter rough.

If people were around and jerks about the rules then I'd play it similar to a bunker shot and hope!
Click to expand...

lmao that would be nice but no go here bro . It's all down and dirty :beat-up:
 
P4B - that's why I enjoyed playing that round of golf with you so much! Nothing but laughter.

Here's a video I just found that makes it look pretty easy and in line with what a lot of you are saying.

 
mward2002 said:
Kelly, is that ball plugged in that lie or just sitting down that much? The picture is really hard to tell. Whatever you decide to do, you've gotta trust it and really make an aggressive swing.
Click to expand...

KB may have not seen this question but no, this type lie happens quite frequently at our golf course. Many times you can not find your ball unless you walk right over the top of it. The rough is the same way outside of the fairways too. The ball sits way down and it drives you crazy trying to find them!
 
I would open up a 60* and hope like h** it landed somewhere between the hole and the clubhouse ..lol. Any advice i would give would make it worse KB :bulgy-eyes: I fight the same lies all the time as well with little to no success .
 
Basically like this:



But with a very firm left hand grip to keep the blade from closing.
 
try to hit the ground about 1.5 inches behind the ball, swing really steeply, and power through it. don't worry too much about getting onto the green, just get into a better lie, and if you're lucky you'll be in a position to put it in the hole, or at least get an up and down.
 
I'd play it like Wadesworld and Freddie suggested. Step angle, down on ball, very little follow through. Almost a punch shot. Goal us to get a better lie somewhere around green. Hard to be very precise with a lie like that.

Is that fescue grass? Doesn't look like Bermuda which is going brown and dormant now.
 
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