How to play in heather lies...

[vkurup]

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.

 

[rosecott]

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

 

[Aztecs27]

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!

 

[CMAC]

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.

 

[vkurup]

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.

 

[DaveM]

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

 

[Aztecs27]

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.

Try to take a committed but controlled swing.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Yep. Take a lofted club

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.

 

[Birchy]

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.

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

 

[Heidi]

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

 

[Region3]

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.

 

[bigslice]

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.

lol lol lol lol

 

[pbrown7582]

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.

 

[thecraw]

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

The best bit of advice you'll find on this thread!

 

[patricks148]

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.

 

[USER1999]

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.

 

[Foxholer]

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!

 

[vkurup]

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!

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.

 

[Hooker]

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.

 

[richart]

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.

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.