When The Going Gets Rough

     The best advice I can give about play from the rough is: don't.
 That is, don't get in the rough in the first place.

     Should you, however, find yourself off the short grass and in 
the rough, the first order of business is: Get Out! 

	This requires a thorough analysis of your situation and  an 
accurate assessment of your escape options. Only then should  
you even consider the possibility of getting to the green from your 
less than position "A" location.  Getting out of the rough and back
to the fairway may mean shooting perpendicular to or even away 
from the green. In some  extreme situations the best decision may 
be to declare an unplayable lie and take the penalty for a drop.

     The average golfer who finds himself "Rootin' in the Rhubarb" is 
often mentally upset that his ball is in the rough in the first place. 
The deeper the rough, the greater the upset. Stay calm, put the last 
shot out of your mind and concentrate on the task at hand.

     On most courses the "Man With the Mower" will produce two 
levels of rough: the first and second cuts. The first cut or "light 
rough" is generally only 1 to 1 1/2 inches taller than the fairway. 
Far less trouble than the second cut which can be pretty sorry, 
unkempt and bury you up to your ankles if not your knees.

     Backspin is what makes the ball fly, controls trajectory and 
determines roll. The grass that gets between the club face and the 
ball when playing from the rough reduces  backspin. All but a very 
few shots from the rough will have less backspin and will,  therefore, 
fly lower and roll further than shots from the fairway. In nearly all 
cases you will need less club than normal for the chosen distance.

     The only exceptions are when the ball is sitting up tee height on 
top of thick grass and you need the distance that a fairway wood can 
give. The biggest risk in this case is in cutting beneath the ball, 
putting a nasty mark on top of your club and achieving about as 
much distance vertically as horizontally.

     Less spin control also means that this is not the time to think 
about playing any sort of curve around an obstruction. Pick another 
route to the fairway that guarantees success and GET OUT.

      Finding your ball in the first cut generally presents little 
problem in getting the club on the ball. It may often be played as 
you would any fairway shot while remembering that you will need 
less club to allow for the lower flight and greater roll.

     When the ball is nestled down in the grass your objective is to
get the club to the ball with as little grass as possible coming 
between the ball and the club face. This requires a steeper swing 
than normal with a more lofted club than the distance would normally 
dictate. The longer the grass, the steeper the swing and the more 
lofted the club. 

	Open the clubface very slightly at address and position the 
ball about an inch further back in your stance. Pick the club up with 
your arms and wrists and lift it vertically on the backswing rather 
than sweep it back horizontally from the ball. Maintain a firm grip, 
ensure that you lead the club head into the ball with your hands on 
the downswing and concentrate on bringing the club down FIRMLY 
into the back of the ball.

     A shot from long grass may be a good spot to consider using a 
choked down fairway wood. Long grass will not only slow your swing 
from friction but from wrapping around the hosel which also tends to 
turn the club left of the line of intended flight. A fairway wood, 
because of it's smoother shape and lack of sharp edges will slide 
through the grass with less resistance and less tendency to be turned 
off line.

     Whichever club you choose, remember to pay particular attention 
to your footing, (you'll have less contact with your spikes), strike 
down firmly into the back of the ball (don't "wish" it out) and stay
with the prime objective: Get Out.