Short Game · Tip
Pitch From Thick Rough Like It's a Bunker Shot
Part of our short game programs for fat or chunked. Build a program with it
A pitch from deep rough plays a lot like a bunker shot. Ball forward. Face open. Hit slightly behind it and let the grass pop it out. Keep your lower body quiet going back. Many golfers stand up and change their low point. Don't get too steep, either, or the club can slide under the ball. Swing through hard. Keep your posture. Turn your hips all the way. Your goal is simple: get it on the green.
Step by step
- Ball forward, face open.
- Plan to enter slightly behind the ball.
- Keep your legs quiet going back.
- Hold your posture through.
- Turn fully and just find the green.
Why it works
Thick rough grabs the hoseL, so a normal pitch can twist the face shut and kill the speed. An open face with the ball forward adds loft and uses the bounce, so the club glides through the grass instead of digging. Entering slightly behind the ball lets the grass and club push the ball out together, and a steady posture keeps the low point in the same place every swing.
Common mistakes
- You stand up on the way back or through, which moves the low point and leads to thin or fat contact.Keep your knees flexed and your chest angle the same from setup to finish.
- You make the swing too steep, and the club slides under the ball and leaves it in the grass.Use a moderate angle of attack and let the bounce on the open face work through the grass.
- You quit on the swing as the grass grabs the club, so the ball comes out short.Swing through with full commitment and turn your hips all the way to a full finish.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball comes out high and lands softly on the green, even if it does not roll far.
- You see a shallow scrape through the grass starting just behind where the ball sat.
- Your finish is balanced, your chest faces the target, and your posture has not changed.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice from light rough first, with the ball sitting up, until the open face and the entry point feel natural.
Harder: Move to a ball sitting down in thicker grass, or pick a smaller landing spot on the green and try to hit it.
Common questions
Should I open the clubface in thick rough?
Yes. For a right-hander, open the face at address and then take your grip. That adds loft and lets the bounce help the club move through the grass.
Why does my ball come out low or short from deep rough?
Usually grass gets between the face and the ball, or you slowed down through impact. Keep the face open, enter slightly behind the ball and keep your speed through the shot.
