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Hitting from the rough

• skippyopolous 8 Posts

  Tue, Jun 29 2010 6:23 AM

  I just had my 3rd WTF? moment for this round and am wondering if anyone else finds that the rough percentages that are presented are bordering on tarot card status? 30-40% rough next to green on beth par 5 13th - play for the percentage and the ball flies right over the green to the other side! Is this another 'random wind effect' in the game that we just have to live with, or can you use the percentages effectively?

  Any advice would be great.

  Thanks, Skip

• b0geybuster 2,574 Posts

  Tue, Jun 29 2010 10:56 AM

  you never mention club choice, shot selection or spin.  It is bordering on tarot card status to determine anything regarding this shot!

  Cheers

• WGTniv 1,788 Posts

  Tue, Jun 29 2010 12:49 PM

  Hi skippy,

  The lie percentages do not indicate the amount you will lose as a result of being in that lie.  For example, a 30-40% rough lie doesn't mean you'll lose 30% to 40% of your distance.  The amount of distance you lose will simply depend on the lie itself and is something that you'll need to develop a feel for.

• neildiamond11790 1,115 Posts

  Tue, Jun 29 2010 2:02 PM

  Like bogey said, what was the club, the type of shot and the spin?

• skippyopolous 8 Posts

  Thu, Jul 1 2010 2:18 AM

  Hi guys, I think I was hitting a pitch with my starter lob wedge, using backspin. The ball just flew out of the rough and landed straight in the rough on the other side! I can see now that the percentages don't actually indicate how much distance will be taken off the shot, so how do you work out what they do indicate?

  Thanks again for any input!

• b0geybuster 2,574 Posts

  Thu, Jul 1 2010 11:06 AM

  Basically the deeper the rough the more you add.  Sounds silly, I know, but you need to work it out.  I myself add 15% more most roughs, using my calculations of course, and this may not work for you.  

  I barely ever use pitch or chip shots any longer, mostly Full shots with my 64 degree wedge.  

  Cheers

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Jul 1 2010 12:06 PM

  skippy-that % you see is how much of the ball is buried. A simple way to get close to the right club to use is to add 1/2 club for 20-25% lies, add 1 club if it's 30-40% and add 2 if it's 40-50%. 50-60% or worse lies mean you're in trouble and should punch back into the fairway.  

  Also, the Chip and Pitch Tips was written by a log time player here and is worth reading. GL

   

• skippyopolous 8 Posts

  Fri, Jul 2 2010 6:12 AM

  Thanks so much for your tips, I guess the best way to play the rough is to just stay on the short stuff!

  Skip

• Snaike 3,678 Posts

  Fri, Jul 2 2010 12:45 PM

  skippyopolous:

  I guess the best way to play the rough is to just stay on the short stuff!

  QFE.... 

  Hear, hear! 

• RChapman2010 172 Posts

  Mon, Jul 5 2010 10:27 PM

  I, myself, have given in to the flop, as I find it can solve a lot of my rough problems (if it's a short shot), but from the fairway, what YJ suggested is good stuff...

  I'm not a rough expert yet, but with practice I've found I can still usually save par and sometimes even birdie under the right circumstances... and if you're looking at it with course management in mind, sometimes it's better to play the average and just get out.

  But like everything else - practice, experience...