# Challenge



## GolfBoy (May 13, 2006)

What do you consider more of a challenge when you are playing?

Hitting the ball over a lake or hitting the ball out of the rough?

I find it harder to hit it out of the rough because the grass is so thick and I have a tough time getting it out of there.


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## fitz-uk (Apr 28, 2006)

Depends what you are trying to achieve.

They have grown the rough so much at my course now that no matter where you are in it, all you can do is take a wedge out.

There are severe penalties for missing the fairway off the tee now.

Hitting over water shouldnt be a problem, you need to forget its there, if you focus on the water then your ball will get wet.


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## GolfBoy (May 13, 2006)

Ok, thanks for the tips on water. I still have trouble with the rough though. I haven't tried using a wedge though so maybe that is the problem. I don't have a full set of clubs.


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## fitz-uk (Apr 28, 2006)

Its part of course management and taking your medicine if you hit a loose drive.

You cant expect to hit the green from the rough every time, whereas on the fairway you stand a much better chance.


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## GolfBoy (May 13, 2006)

I was listening to a golf cast on a radio station, and the man said that if you are in the rough, that you should focus on getting it to the fairway before you get it to the green. Is that true?


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## fitz-uk (Apr 28, 2006)

Depends on the situation at hand.

For arguements sake, if you are playing a long iron into the green on a par 5, depending on how deep the rough is - it could turn the head over the end result being that the ball could still end up in the rough 5ft further away from you.

So instead of being 250 yards away from the green for 1, you are now 245 yards away for 2 and still in trouble.

If you could have got a 8,9,pw at the ball and moved it 70ft down the fairway or more, you are now 180 yards out for 2 with a much more makeable shot to hit the green for 3.

Its a hard thing to do, to choose to play a lofted club and knock it down the fairway a little rather than going for glory. Its all about the percentages, and giving yourself the chance to make putts - you cant do this from the rough.

If the ball is sitting nice in the rough, or the rough isnt too deep then you can risk getting a longer iron at the ball. 

Ask yourself the question, would you rather lose 1 shot or 2/3 shots because of a loose drive?

Its not set in stone, there are times when you can risk the long iron shots, but this is part of your own game you need to learn.


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## Prea (May 11, 2006)

Depends on how close the water hazard is to your target area.


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## Deep (May 23, 2006)

Most of the time I would say rough. It depends on where the green and the water is. If its a good distance then yes, I would say the water hazard.


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## white_tiger_137 (Mar 23, 2006)

That depends. Are we talking 220 yd shot into the wind all carry over water to a green that slopes front to back on a hole that I need to par to shoot 70? Or just a shot that would be easy under normal circumstances, except now there's a lake in the way. Given my lack of control over my drives lately, I've become pretty proficient at hitting out of the rough.


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## Deep (May 23, 2006)

white_tiger_137 said:


> That depends. Are we talking 220 yd shot into the wind all carry over water to a green that slopes front to back on a hole that I need to par to shoot 70? Or just a shot that would be easy under normal circumstances, except now there's a lake in the way. Given my lack of control over my drives lately, I've become pretty proficient at hitting out of the rough.


Exactly the lines I was looking at. It all depends on the situation you are in and how you have been playing that day.


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## fitz-uk (Apr 28, 2006)

I honestly dont see playing over water as a challenge. If it is then there is some bad course management going on.

Lets say there is a stream running through the fairway 280 yards from the tee. And off the tee you hit the ball 260+ with your driver. If you take your driver and find that you end up wet, its bad course management. A 3 wood to 230 then a 5 iron onto the green are the shots to play.

Everyone hits a bad shot now and then, and will catch the ball fat and drop it in the water - we are only human. You cant play to the bad shots though.

It takes an amazingly bad shot to bring water into play (poor course management), but it doesnt take much to find your ball in the rough every now and then. The trick with the rough is to know your limits, how important the shot is to your round, and being prepared to take your medicine.


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## Deep (May 23, 2006)

yes, for the less accurate it is more difficult with the water since we are more likely to hit rouge balls, but still I would say rough would more than likely be the worst challenge.


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## Wheelerm (May 26, 2006)

GolfBoy said:


> What do you consider more of a challenge when you are playing?
> 
> Hitting the ball over a lake or hitting the ball out of the rough?
> 
> I find it harder to hit it out of the rough because the grass is so thick and I have a tough time getting it out of there.


Depends really, how think the rough is, if its semi or long i still, either way, find it quite easy but hitting over a lake or water, once again, depends, all i do it try to imagine that its not even there. If it is quite fat away and you think you could get up and over with something like a 3 or 4 i always lay-up just to be safe then aim to hit then green, but thats just me :laugh:


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## Prea (May 11, 2006)

Deep said:


> It all depends on the situation you are in and how you have been playing that day.


Same thing with the ruff; deep, shallow, in a divot, in tall grass.


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