Putting out of longish grass

[bkuehn1952]

I have fiddled around with putting from various lies. Part of the experiment involved hitting a bit down, to get the ball to sort of pop up and over the grass. Seems to work although I am not sold on it yet.

[jasonfish11]

In certain situations I use to flip the putter toe down and pop a ball out of thick rough that way, and one time a plugged lie in a bunker. It doesn't work with my current putter though.

[DougE]

IMO, as far as putting (or using a putter), there are too many variables to deal with in most instances where the ball is in short rough. Yes, I agree, a downward strike works to get the ball up and out of the thicker grass, but still, trying to figure out how hard to hit it so that it stops somewhere in the vicinity of the hole can be quite a guessing game. For me, 19 times out of 20, I'm much more confident with a wedge (or maybe even an 8 iron with a putting stroke) unless the ball is literally sitting within an inch or two of the collar/fringe.

Using the end of some blade putters, depending on their design, can also be an option, per JFish's suggestion. I have tried it, though it is not really something I practice, so it is rare when I pull that shot out of my hat. I have only tried it when the ball is sitting down in thicker stuff, within about a foot of the fringe. The pointy end of the putter blade certainly moves much more easily through the thick stuff. This can be a good option for some of the thick, deep Bermuda rough lies around the greens down South.

[legitimatebeef]

I have fiddled around with putting from various lies. Part of the experiment involved hitting a bit down, to get the ball to sort of pop up and over the grass. Seems to work although I am not sold on it yet.

Weak! Don't do this. Use a wedge, try to put it in the hole. #yolo

Anna Nordqvist of the LPGA is a very good player but she is also a chip-phobic who reaches for the putter way too often. It's a pathetic sight.

[GBOGEY]

I've tried this when the distance is not long to the hole, say 5 feet. I'm usually successful getting on the green but not very close. If any distance is involved, I'm more likely to go hybrid putt, especially I'm finding this useful on Bermuda grass.

[DougE]

Ran into the situation yesterday. My 5i approach did not hold the green and rolled into rough about 5 feet off, leaving me about 30 feet away, to a somewhat uphill pin. In normal conditions, there is no way I would have putted, but with the winter rough so short and sparse right now I actually did consider putting. However, in the end, I chipped it with a 58* and due to the short rough, got more spin than I expected. Consequently, it checked up well short, even though I hit it as hard as I had planned to. I missed the putt to save par. A bit annoyed at the unexpected check, I went back to the same place I chipped from and dropped another ball. This time I used a putter. Sure enough, got it hole high, but just about a foot left. Would have been a tap-in up and down. Woulda, shoulda, coulda.

[bkuehn1952]

...A bit annoyed ... I went back to the same place ... This time I used a putter. Sure enough, got it hole high, but just about a foot left. Would have been a tap-in up and down. Woulda, shoulda, coulda.

Been there done that too many times. I wonder if sticking with the option that works 80% of the time makes more sense than to try to "guess" when a substitute shot will be the 20%. I will ponder that idea.

[CeeBee]

Same here. I’ll putt almost every time.

[gpickin]

I'm terrible with a wedge, so i putt from the fringe, or 2nd cut, but anything longer is just not consistent enough for me... I like hybrid putting... and moving to 8 iron putting more too, to help my wedges.
Whatever gets me landing on the green and rolling is best.

But you can play a shot 50 different ways, its what works best for you.