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Get tough from the rough
After hitting his first eight fairways in regulation during the final round of the 2002 U.S. Open, Tiger Woods misfired on the 11th hole, pushing his trusty 3-wood into the right rough. With his ball buried in six inches of wet, thick vegetation, it appeared that pitching out with a wedge would be Woods' best option. But Phil Mickelson was charging, so Tiger felt that he needed to go for the green. He took his 8-iron and, with a mighty swipe, ripped through the heavy grass. His ball soared up and out of the buried lie and landed in front of the green with enough steam to roll onto the putting surface.
Woods' unrivaled ability to recover from rough undoubtedly led to his claiming the second leg of the 2002 Grand Slam. His strength is a key factor in executing these shots, but his technique is perfect, too. Fortunately, technique can be learned. The next time you get a buried lie -- that is, when your ball looks like a lonely crouton in a deep dish of Caesar salad -- here is how to play it. Assess the lie How is the grass pressing against the ball? If the grass is leaning away from the target, it will slow your club down and reduce the distance the ball will carry. If the grass is leaning toward the target, the ball will tend to come out relatively "hot" and roll a good distance upon landing. Know the distance to your real target In "Masterful approaches" we talked about knowing the yardage to the entrance of the green. When the ball is in deep rough, your target might be 20 yards in front of the green. That gives your ball extra room to roll onto the putting surface -- as Woods' did on the 11th hole. Technique Setup. You want to execute this shot similarly to a sand shot. Align your stance to the left edge of the green, but set your clubface slightly open, aimed toward the right edge of the green. These two angles will balance each other out and the ball will respond by going straight. (With your stance slightly open, the swing path of the shaft is somewhat steeper. This makes it easier for the club to avoid as much grass as possible.) Swing. As you make your swing, try to keep the clubface slightly open as it rips through the grass. Use a stronger club -- a 7-iron, say, instead of an 8 -- because you will be holding the clubface open for extra loft, so the ball can jump out of the lie. (Thick grass will tend to grab the hosel of the club and shut the clubface down through impact, making the ball go sharply left -- if it gets out of the grass at all.) This is where the strength of a Tiger Woods is such an asset. He can keep the clubface slightly open, allowing the ball to be compressed and jump up and out. Focus on the finish. It is tempting to swing hard at the ball instead of swinging through the rough and into a balanced finish. Follow your normal swing fundamentals and guide the tip of the shaft down the target line. The clubhead's momentum will force the ball up and out of the grass. These shots from deep rough are extremely difficult, but they can be very rewarding when you learn how to execute them properly. © 2002 Rob Stanger Rob Stanger is teaching professional at the Mission Hills Country Club Golf Learning Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Contact him at robstanger.com.
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