3 Tips for Short Chips Out of Thick Rough

Golf ball and iron in grass, extreme close-up.

One of the toughest shots in golf is to chip a ball sitting in thick rough a few feet from the green. The chip requires touch, but also a firm stroke to lift the ball out of thick grass.

Here are three tips to help get your ball out of the rough and onto the putting surface.

Use of lofted club. Select a lofted club, preferably a wedge. Players often use a club with less loft for short chips near the green (i.e. 7-iron), but thick rough can smother a lower trajectory shot. A lofted club will elevate the ball quickly to clear the grass. Open the clubface slightly to increase its loft and elevate the ball quickly.
Position the ball back in your stance. Move the ball back in your stance so it’s positioned just inside your rear foot. This will help you hit the ball first, which is critical popping it up in the air. If you position the ball in the center of your stance, you may catch the grass or ground first and “chunk” your shot.
Steepen your path to the ball. A steeper angle of attack with your downswing provides two benefits. It allows the clubface to cut under the ball and lift it immediately into the air. It also helps to avoid the dangers of catching the thick grass behind the ball. A shallow, sweeping swing to the ball may catch the grass first, which can close (and de-loft) your club.

These three tips will help you execute shots consistently when your ball sits in thick rough surrounding the green. Before hitting your shot, however, remember to pick a spot on the green to land the ball. Factor in the distance and pitch of the putting surface so you leave yourself a short putt to the hole.

Caddie Quip: A common mistake when hitting this shot is to decelerate your swing before contact. (Players are worried they’ll hit the ball across the green.) Maintain your clubhead speed through contact to master this shot.

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