short wedge shots in the rough

[nokids]

Any advice on how to hit a wedge shot when the ball is in the deep rough and very close to the green? For example, you're in thick rough, 1 yard from the green and 5 yards from the pin. So the landing area of this ball has to be 2-3 yards away.

I messed up a couple of these shots yesterday and it's so annoying. I used my 60 degree wedge, and I think my problem was that I was hitting the ball the same way I would hit my putter, with a smooth stroke and follow through equal to my backswing. This resulted in the ball not popping out. My ball would land way short of my intended landing area.

Today I watched a video by Phil Mickelson where he talked about not trying to scoop the ball (obviously), but to dig the wedge into the ball to make it pop up.

Any other tips? Stance? Normal grip or strong grip? Open club face?

Thanks.

[Hacker]

I'm no single digit capper but I play these shots with the ball well back in my stance (off of my right ankle) and basically hinge my wrists and stab down at the ball with no follow through.

If you catch the ball first the ball will pop straight up and only carry a short distance. I noticed that the pros were using the same technique at The Open championship around the greens.

[nokids]

ohhh, i had the ball forward. i'll try putting it back next time.

thanks Hack.

[leftylucas]

The only thing that I would add to Scott's description is to keep the angle of your wrist cock to impact again with no follow through.

[Ruskie]

Another way is to play it as a bunker shot, splash it out basically. You see tour players do that often out of gnarly rough. To do that, open the face, open the stance, play the ball forward and hit an inch or two behind the ball.

Edit: You also have to swing harder than a normal chip, about half the speed of a bunker shot the same distance.

[nokids]

i think i get it now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chmGiHPrVgk

[BC MIST]

Another way is to play it as a bunker shot, splash it out basically. You see tour players do that often out of gnarly rough. To do that, open the face, open the stance, play the ball forward and hit an inch or two behind the ball.

Excellent description. I would add that for any shot like this, you must feel like you are going to follow through even though the thick grass may prevent this from happening.
A smooth stroke versus a stabby one will prevent the right hand from flipping at the ball, where fat/thin shots result. A must is to feel like you are hitting down on the ball or dropping the club head on the ball and with an open club face, the ball will pop out.

An experiment to try. Roll the club face open going back and try to shank the ball coming through. If you don't actually shank, the ball will pop straight up.

[Domo]

just do this:

http://www.youtube.com/user/coregolf.../1/34TD-Kq7ZEM

simple really...any child can do it ;-)

[jvincent]

It all depends on the lie.

Sometimes the "chunk and run" is the right shot, sometimes you can open up the club and play a mini-flop, sometimes you have no choice but to hit it past the hole and try to make a putt.

[jeffc]

I've got one word. Floppadoppolous.

[adam]

just do this:

http://www.youtube.com/user/coregolf.../1/34TD-Kq7ZEM

simple really...any child can do it ;-)

Oh great now I'm gonna spend an hour at the range trying to do this and probably anger a few of the customers while doing it . . .

[leftylucas]

The rough was not too bad at Stonebridge Pablo so Hacker's method worked great for me. For tougher rough Ruskie's is better.

[SRT4SS]

I prefer the "bunkershot" method using a sand wedge and the lightest grip pressure possible.

[Ruskie]

It really comes down to how much green you have to work with. The "stub" method is easier to execute, but will more often than not make the ball run after hitting the green. The "bunker shot" is a little trickier, with less margin for error, but will launch the ball higher, so it's easier to stop it.