Show commitment During Golf Swing

Once you have amended your address position, pick the club up fairly steeply in your backswing and then concentrate on hitting purposely down and through. One hundred per cent commitment is essential, since anything less than a full swing will make it difficult for you to achieve any great distance.

If the ball is lying deep, thick rough you have little option other than use a wedge simply to get the ball back in play on the fairway. However, from semi rough a 4 or 5 wood may be a better choice, for its broad, flat sole will ride the grass rather than digging into it as an iron might do.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Check your ego before attempting to blast the ball out of heavy grass.

Unless your ball is lying perfectly and sitting up nicely in thick rough, do not even think about playing anything other than one of your wedges or a mid iron at most, anything else is just not worth the risk. Nine times out of ten the sensible strategy is to get the ball safety back on to the fairway.

Making a clean escape from deep, thick rough

1. To avoid swinging the club head through lots of thick grass in front of the ball, play the ball back in your stance, pick the club up steeply in your backswing and hit down sharply.

2. Depending on the lie, you will probably have to hold on to the club tightly through impact to stop the thick grass twisting the face into a closed position. Commit to the shot and never decelerate the club head through impact.

3. Make it your goal to swing through into a decent length follow through. You may struggle to release the club, and the rough will inevitably restrict your swing, but you should always accelerate the club head purposely through impact.