Try Using A Four-wood From Heavy Rough

One of the maxims that golf conservatives most honor goes: always use an iron out of the rough. But, quite aside from the fact that it is sometimes wise to gamble, there are many occasions when a four-wood actually is the best club for such a shot. Where the grass is thick this club, used correctly, can do a much better job than an iron. It is a relatively heavy-headed club and has plenty of loft. It will, therefore, cut through even deep grass without being thrown off line. In fact, the four-wood seems almost to have been designed for this kind of rugged work.

When playing such a wood shot stand slightly closer to the ball than is usual. The main problem is to allow as little grass as possible to get between the clubface and the ball at impact. The solution lies in taking the club back rather abruptly and hitting down sharply into the ball, but with a full follow-through, thus almost exploding the ball out. This shot will usually slide off to the right a little, so aim slightly to the left. The four-wood can even be used profitably in the rough well inside the club's normal distance, provided you choke up on the grip. Also keep in mind that any ball coming out of high grass will have lots of over-spin, and therefore will roll a long way. This makes it possible to reach some holes that might not have been within normal four-Wood range.