ARE THEY EVER GOING TO CUT THE ROUGH?
and BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU SEEN MY LAWN?
Every spring I repeatedly get clobbered with the question, “Are they ever going to cut the rough?” The thick, lush grass of the spring season is also surprisingly present in my lawn, and I can guarantee that I don’t deserve any credit for it. It’s all Mother Nature’s doing. The plentiful moisture of thawing snow, spring rains, warmer temperatures and replenished carbohydrates in the plant from winter dormancy combine to make grass lusher and cause it to grow vigorously. Unfortunately for golfers, golf shots from that healthy springtime rough are the most difficult you'll face all year.
If you find yourself experiencing more than the normal escape-from-the-rough difficulties during this time of year, you are very likely scooping the ball through your impact zone. That’s a fancy way of saying your swing arc bottoms out before arriving at the ball (players who do this also seldom take a divot unless they’ve hit a fat shot). To improve your chances of escaping the rough, it is absolutely necessary to make your swing reach its bottom after contact with the golf ball. In other words, apply a descending strike.
To help you practice this, go to your local home improvement store and purchase some foam pipe insulation designed for half-inch water pipes. Easily cut with a pair of scissors, you'll only need a 12 to 15 inches section of insulation so make several and give them to your friends. Place the foam pipe 12 inches behind the golf ball and perpendicular to the line of your shot. Place the ball in the center of your stance and with a half-swing 7-iron, practice descending onto the back of the ball while missing the foam obstacle (you'll soon see why I am recommending foam).
As you get more comfortable with the drill and gain more and more success not hitting the foam with your clubhead, gradually increase your swing to full speed. With continued success, start moving the foam closer to the ball until you can get to the point where you’re able to avoid touching it when it is 6 to 8 inches behind the ball. Now we’re talking tour-quality descending strikes! While your improved technique will give you a fighting chance in the rough, club selection is critical. Loft is your friend. You must have enough loft to get your ball to jump over the grass in front of your ball. Yes, when the rough is deep and lush, trouble surrounds your golf ball on all sides.
You'll have to give yourself a little extra room as the golf club gets longer and the swing arc subsequently gets shallower, but this drill works with any club hit off the turf. The descending strike you’re honing will allow you to make better contact with the ball before the lush rough grass gets in your way.
And remember, like every other tip I give you, don’t practice until you can do it right; practice until you can’t do it wrong.
If you find yourself experiencing more than the normal escape-from-the-rough difficulties during this time of year, you are very likely scooping the ball through your impact zone. That’s a fancy way of saying your swing arc bottoms out before arriving at the ball (players who do this also seldom take a divot unless they’ve hit a fat shot). To improve your chances of escaping the rough, it is absolutely necessary to make your swing reach its bottom after contact with the golf ball. In other words, apply a descending strike.
To help you practice this, go to your local home improvement store and purchase some foam pipe insulation designed for half-inch water pipes. Easily cut with a pair of scissors, you'll only need a 12 to 15 inches section of insulation so make several and give them to your friends. Place the foam pipe 12 inches behind the golf ball and perpendicular to the line of your shot. Place the ball in the center of your stance and with a half-swing 7-iron, practice descending onto the back of the ball while missing the foam obstacle (you'll soon see why I am recommending foam).
As you get more comfortable with the drill and gain more and more success not hitting the foam with your clubhead, gradually increase your swing to full speed. With continued success, start moving the foam closer to the ball until you can get to the point where you’re able to avoid touching it when it is 6 to 8 inches behind the ball. Now we’re talking tour-quality descending strikes! While your improved technique will give you a fighting chance in the rough, club selection is critical. Loft is your friend. You must have enough loft to get your ball to jump over the grass in front of your ball. Yes, when the rough is deep and lush, trouble surrounds your golf ball on all sides.
You'll have to give yourself a little extra room as the golf club gets longer and the swing arc subsequently gets shallower, but this drill works with any club hit off the turf. The descending strike you’re honing will allow you to make better contact with the ball before the lush rough grass gets in your way.
And remember, like every other tip I give you, don’t practice until you can do it right; practice until you can’t do it wrong.