Your lie is hit or miss whenever you hit your ball in the rough. It could be sitting up perfectly or could settle deep down in the rough. If you do have a ball that is buried in the rough, changing your approach to executing the shot could be the difference in having a putt for birdie or facing an up and down par effort. In this Play Better Golf segment, world-renowned teaching pro, Martin Hall, is joined by Srixon staffer and Tour pro, Jon Curran, to discuss techniques about how to play your shot from the deep rough.

https://youtu.be/CJtIZKtFZuw

Martin Hall: Martin Hall for Srixon here with John Curran, PGA Tour player, and I have put him in a stinky lie right here. We’re about, what would you say we are from the green here you.

Jon Curran: 95 yards.

Martin Hall: 95 yards and I’ve put this ball down in some soft, mushy Bermuda grass, so carry on.

Jon Curran: So one of the things I like to do with my wedges and my short distance shots is gripped down on it so you can always, you always have a logo here on the grip. This one says Cleveland. I’ll probably go down to the “d” here, it just gives me a little bit more control of the shaft gives me a little bit more, makes the shaft uh just a little bit stiffer through impact and especially when we’re going down deep to try to dig this thing out.

So I’m going to grip down on it, I’m going to put it a little bit back in my stance, maybe narrow the stance a little bit and keep the swing short compact and really have a lot of speed through impact and you know so you don’t decelerate through the ball.

Martin Hall: See I think right there, there is a number of changes you’ve made their from a normal 90-yard wedge shot and people would say, “well it’s just one swing you know.” No no, there’s multiple golf swings. So let’s have you set up, talk us through how you’re going to hit it, and then do your best to get it out of that horrible lie I’ve given you. Would you be going for the pin or would you settle for on the green?

Jon Curran: Well obviously depends on where the pin is. I think you’ve got to drop your standards down pretty low when you have a really nasty lie like this and not try to definitely not try to get too cute with it. If you’re over water, if you’re over the bunker definitely yeah play for the safe for the safe shot.

Martin Hall: All right talk me through it as you hit it.

Jon Curran: Okay, so I’m going to grip down on it probably down to the last letter on the logo of the grip. I’m going to narrow my stance a little bit. Put the ball back in my stance. Keep the swing nice and compact and have a lot of speed through the ball.

Martin Hall: That came out really, really well and that ball is probably not more than 10 feet away, deep divot obviously determined by the sort of swing but I think that’s great advice for the viewers who might be watching. This how you change your setup and change your swing depending on the lie you have, great shots absolutely.

Jon Curran: Thanks.