Tip #30: Dig it out of the Rough

When you find your ball nestled deep in thick rough, you don't have a flyer lie. In fact, the best you can hope for from this situation is sort of a floater. Dense grass will slow down your clubhead to the point that you'll be barely able to extricate the ball. Whereas the flyer takes off like a rocket, this floater ascends like a blimp.

Thick rough will grab your club and close the face at impact, so you'll want an extra-firm grip in your left hand.

Your club selection on this shot is restricted to the short irons -- 8, 9, and the wedges -- with the pitching wedge usually the best choice. Play the ball about two inches back in your stance because you're going to have to go down after the ball. To further increase the steepness of the swing, open your stance a few degrees so that your feet, knees, hips and shoulders align to the left. Your clubhead should align square to the target line. It's the same basic alignment as for a slice, but when playing a short iron from the rough you won't have to worry about any sideward spin.

Since the grass will grab at your club and close the face at impact, you'll want an extra-firm grip in your left hand. Alternatively, you can aim the clubface a bit right of your target at address, thereby allowing the grass to turn the face into a square position at impact.

The swing should be an aggressive, forceful one. If you get a kick out of swinging hard, this is the place to enjoy yourself. It's a powerful, steep chop that must go down and through the thick stuff. Be sure to keep the club accelerating through impact; otherwise you'll risk moving the ball only a few feet. The faster you can get the club moving through the ball, the faster that ball will climb out of its nest and the farther it will go.

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