# How to play in heather lies...



## vkurup (Jun 18, 2012)

Played at Worplesdon GC this weekend.  Amazing course. Had a few good holes, but otherwise scored like a cricketer.  Everytime I hit into the heather, that was the end of it. I probably needed a machete to get out of the heather.  The heather would barely get above ankle height, but cost me my game.   Had a similar experience at West Hill last year.  The harder I go at it, the more difficult it became.  


Any thoughts on how to play the heather  situation.


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## rosecott (Jun 18, 2012)

Take your punishment and use a 9 or a wedge and get it back in play.


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## Aztecs27 (Jun 18, 2012)

Yep. Take a lofted club, keep your head still and your eye on the ball and and take a committed swing. If you're lucky, you'll get it out. If you're unlucky, you'll break your wrists!


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## CMAC (Jun 18, 2012)

Heather is very tough and tangly, it's 'bendy' nature means it wraps around the clubshaft easily shutting down the face and driving the ball further in.

Best results I get is to play it like a bunker shot, SI/PW/9i open the face well up (30-40 degrees) grip down the shaft an inch, grip tightly and have a steep backswing and downswing, ball should pop up straight and at least get out which is all you can expect.


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## vkurup (Jun 18, 2012)

tnx guys, Sounds obvious when i look back at it...  
I tried using my 4-hybrid (logic being that I should be able to scoop it out - famous last words).  

Also, any view on the swing speed?  The harder I went for the ball, the more difficult it became.  I am assuming, that i need to slow down to pop it out.


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## DaveM (Jun 18, 2012)

My best advice would be. To use a cliub off the tee. That will not go in the heather, but stay on the fairway.


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## Aztecs27 (Jun 18, 2012)

vkurup said:



			tnx guys, Sounds obvious when i look back at it...  
I tried using my 4-hybrid (logic being that I should be able to scoop it out - famous last words).  

Also, any view on the swing speed?  The harder I went for the ball, the more difficult it became.  I am assuming, that i need to slow down to pop it out.
		
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Try to take a committed but controlled swing.


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## ScienceBoy (Jun 18, 2012)

Aztecs27 said:



			Yep. Take a lofted club
		
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I disagree, take something like a driver instead... and use it to take two club lengths relief 

If it was me I would look to take a drop out of the heather if possible.


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## Birchy (Jun 18, 2012)

DarthVega said:



			Heather is very tough and tangly, it's 'bendy' nature means it wraps around the clubshaft easily shutting down the face and driving the ball further in.

Best results I get is to play it like a bunker shot, SI/PW/9i open the face well up (30-40 degrees) grip down the shaft an inch, grip tightly and have a steep backswing and downswing, ball should pop up straight and at least get out which is all you can expect.
		
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I go for the bunker style option too. Too many times ive tried slamming it out and making some yards and nearly snapped my arm off so something had to give and i didnt want it to be my arms


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## Heidi (Jun 18, 2012)

I'm with science boy - take a drop every time! its just too evil and unpredicatable!


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## Region3 (Jun 18, 2012)

I may be doing it wrong (plus haven't played much on courses with heather) but I'll take a lofted club with a lot of bounce (SW for me), put the ball almost back to my right foot and have a very steep swing. I try to hit down at the ball pretty hard like I'm just trying to bury the club in the ground.


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## bigslice (Jun 18, 2012)

ScienceBoy said:



			I disagree, take something like a driver instead... and use it to take two club lengths relief 

If it was me I would look to take a drop out of the heather if possible.
		
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lol lol lol lol


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## pbrown7582 (Jun 18, 2012)

As already mentioned the best way to play heather is avoid like the plague but if you are in it as much loft as necessary to get out sideways! Your far better play a sw then your hybrid from the fairway rather than 3/4 hybrids from the heather.


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## thecraw (Jun 18, 2012)

rosecott said:



			Take your punishment and use a 9 or a wedge and get it back in play.
		
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The best bit of advice you'll find on this thread!


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## patricks148 (Jun 18, 2012)

Take your punishment wedge out.

Open the club face, works the same on really deep rough too.

Our place is brutal at the moment and the heather hasn't even kicked in yet.


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## USER1999 (Jun 18, 2012)

8 iron max, but don't expect much more than 100 yards out of it. Mainly I take a 50 degree wedge, and come out sideways. It's a proper hazard.


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## Foxholer (Jun 18, 2012)

Apart from considering taking a penalty drop, I believe there are only 2 possible clubs to consider when you are actually IN heather - as opposed to the odd occasions when you are in scrubby heathery stuff with a clear path to the back of the ball which has a clear path out.

If down in/near roots, then the SW is the only club possible and you should find the nearest bit of fairway - or even grassy rough - to escape to. If it is sitting up enough, then use a 9-iron. The logic for these is that they both have a decent weight to get through the heather and reasonable loft to get it up and out. Neither a PW nor an 8-iron have sufficient of one or the other to be as useful imo.

Worplesdon is only 'medium to tough' in the penal heather stakes. Hankley Common is more severe and Walton Heath the most severe - like wire! Camberley looked quite bad today too, though there's far less of it about than at Worplesdon (or West Hill). 

Of course, the real solution is to avoid it in the first place, but often easier said than done!

Oh I forgot! A 'controlled' 120% swing is what's called for generally! Like a bunker shot from a soggy lie!


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## vkurup (Jun 19, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			Apart from considering taking a penalty drop, I believe there are only 2 possible clubs to consider when you are actually IN heather - as opposed to the odd occasions when you are in scrubby heathery stuff with a clear path to the back of the ball which has a clear path out.

If down in/near roots, then the SW is the only club possible and you should find the nearest bit of fairway - or even grassy rough - to escape to. If it is sitting up enough, then use a 9-iron. The logic for these is that they both have a decent weight to get through the heather and reasonable loft to get it up and out. Neither a PW nor an 8-iron have sufficient of one or the other to be as useful imo.

Worplesdon is only 'medium to tough' in the penal heather stakes. Hankley Common is more severe and Walton Heath the most severe - like wire! Camberley looked quite bad today too, though there's far less of it about than at Worplesdon (or West Hill). 

Of course, the real solution is to avoid it in the first place, but often easier said than done!

Oh I forgot! A 'controlled' 120% swing is what's called for generally! Like a bunker shot from a soggy lie!
		
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I think some sound advice... need to get into heather more to test this... but need to try it when not playing a competition!!

Maybe convince the mrs to allow me to grow some heather in the garden.. much better looking than the weeds I have today.


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## Hooker (Jun 19, 2012)

Im no expert but I can pass on what I was taught, works in thick rough too.

Take a 9 iron, choke down on it, take a committed swing on it trying to take some kind of divot, hitting down on the ball. I was in heather a couple of times yesterday at Camberley heath and was able to put it to the test, escaped succesfully everytime.


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## richart (Jun 19, 2012)

Region3 said:



			put the ball almost back to my right foot and have a very steep swing. I try to hit down at the ball pretty hard like I'm just trying to bury the club in the ground.
		
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That's how I play out of thick heather but I would go with a sharp leading edge without too much bounce. Steep angle of attack required otherwise the club will snag and give it a good old whack ! Also allow for the ball to run when it hopefully comes out. The woody part of the heather tends to get between the ball and the grooves so it comes out hot. If I am playing out of thick heather around the green, I play it like a bunker shot with an open face. Very easy for the clubface to turn inwards otherwise

I would mention that despite playing on a heathland course, with its fair share of heather, I only have limited experience of this type of shot.


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## Deleted Member 1156 (Jun 21, 2012)

Lots of heather at my place and there are basically two options. If you have a very good lie, by which I mean nothing behind or directly in front of the ball, you have a reasonable chance to progress the ball towards the green. If however it is sat down and that is 90% of the time then chances are you are looking at a lofted club back to the short stuff. As stated above, it really can wrap around the hosel so it's a good idea to aim right of where you want the ball to finish because there is a strong chance the clubface will close over through impact.


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## munro007 (Jun 21, 2012)

You need to get a 28* degree rescue club, also great for fairway bunkers.


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## Foxholer (Jun 22, 2012)

munro007 said:



			You need to get a 28* degree rescue club, also great for fairway bunkers.
		
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Yep. One of those will turn the little patch of heather you are in into a fairway bunker in no time at all! :whoo:

Any idea where I can get one?


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## munro007 (Jun 22, 2012)

Foxholer said:



			Yep. One of those will turn the little patch of heather you are in into a fairway bunker in no time at all! :whoo:

Any idea where I can get one? 

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Funny you mention that, i just got one from my Pro, you know who thats is, the one and only, top 100 fitter in the world, he's that good, i forgot his name. 

All joking aside, this bad boy rescue club, will get you out of any kind of rough.


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## vkurup (Jun 22, 2012)

munro007 said:



			You need to get a 28* degree rescue club, also great for fairway bunkers.
		
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Is that a 5-hybrid?


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## patricks148 (Jun 22, 2012)

munro007 said:



			Funny you mention that, i just got one from my Pro, you know who thats is, the one and only, top 100 fitter in the world, he's that good, i forgot his name. 

All joking aside, this bad boy rescue club, will get you out of any kind of rough.
		
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28 deg hybrid won't get you out of bunkers at my place, need a 56 deg at least


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## munro007 (Jun 22, 2012)

I can use it in 2-3 bunkers at my place. 

Yes it will replace my 5 iron, so much easier to hit, but its not the nicest looking club. lol


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## vkurup (Jun 22, 2012)

munro007 said:



			I can use it in 2-3 bunkers at my place. 

Yes it will replace my 5 iron, so much easier to hit, but its not the nicest looking club. lol
		
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if it does the job & is legal, then dont care how it looks....  I know a lot of examples around the house that can fit that description.


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## billyfish (Jun 22, 2012)

Ok ! This is a good tip that I have used and it works. When you are in deep rough or heather , grip the shaft very tight with your left hand (right handed gofers) And try and hit it a little harder.  Tight left hand  stops the shaft from twisting.


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## Foxholer (Jun 23, 2012)

munro007 said:



			I can use it in 2-3 bunkers at my place. 

Yes it will replace my 5 iron, so much easier to hit, but its not the nicest looking club. lol
		
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Actually, I use my 4 rescue from some fairway bunkers. But would never risk a hybrid from the heather.

I was out with a bunch of Americans today for 36 holes at Walton Heath - which does have the wire-eist heather I know - and there was no way that it was anything other than SW or 9-iron from the heather. And these were guys that had got around RSG, Cinq Port, Hoylake, Birkdale and Sunningdale (both) quite successfully before today!


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## MashieNiblick (Jun 23, 2012)

I grew up playing at places with plenty of heather, East Berks, Hindhead and Hankley Common (could get on for a reasonable green fee there in the 70's ).

It's all been said really. 

Pro at East Berks bascally told me take your sandwedge, play for the fairway, grip tight and swing hard.


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