Written by GOLFTEC

Learn to successfully navigate deep rough pitch shots by properly utilizing the bounce of your wedge.

Locating your ball in thick, greenside rough is, well, rough.

While EXTREMELY frustrating, however, this is isn’t the end of the world — or your round. Especially if you know how to play this type of pitch shot correctly, which starts by viewing it more like a bunker shot and using one, very important aspect of your wedge to your aid: bounce.

Using Bounce

Bounce is the angle formed between the leading edge of the clubface and the lowest point of its sole.

In bunkers, bounce helps the club from digging too deeply into the sand. That same thought applies to deep rough, helping the wedge slide better through the heavy grass as opposed to dig.

The Setup

Setup for this shot varies from a typical pitch shot. Your stance should be more open, or left of the target for right-handed golfers, and the face of the club should lie slightly more open at address to encourage effective use of the bounce.

The Swing

First thing’s first: Simply getting the ball onto the green is the main goal here, so forget trying to thread the needle to a tight pin and realize the best play may be to go for the middle of the green.

Since the deep rough can drastically slow the club down through the strike, the swing for these shots should harness enough force to help get the ball up and out of the thick grass. It can also help to think about keeping your hands close to your chest as you follow through, which will help maintain the club’s loft and use of the bounce through impact.

VIDEO: Deep Rough Pitch Shots

To help you add this shot to your bag, GOLFTEC illustrates how to successfully get out of deep rough by using the above technique, a little patience and a lot of practice.

 GOLFTEC Canada is the Master Franchisor for GOLFTEC in Canada, currently operating 19 Improvement Centres across the country, from Vancouver to Ottawa, including in select Golf Town locations. In Canada, they teach more than 22% of all private lessons, with 70 Certified PGA of Canada Instructors as full time coaches across the country. In their private lesson facilities, they teach all levels of golfers, from beginners to aspiring tour players.