Like most shots the top professionals can make escaping out of thick rough look ridiculously easy at times.

When it comes to this part of the game there is no doubt that physical strength is a distinct advantage, however introducing the following principles will help you get your ball back into play more consistently without having to hit the gym.

Select the right club This will be determined by how the ball is lying. The more loft you have, the easier it will be to get the ball out. So don’t be greedy trying to gain distance, the priority is to get back into play in as few shots as possible.

Choose the right line Selecting the shortest route back to the fairway is normally the safest policy, especially if the ball is lying poorly. Unfortunately this might mean playing out sideways or even backwards. Trying to carry a lot of the stuff you are already in, or other hazards tends to only compound the original error and leads inevitably to higher scores.

Consideration should also be given to the direction that the grass is growing as it far easier to play with it as opposed to against it and this will therefore influence the direction of play.

Open the face Given the club face will invariably close at impact due to the long grass tangling round the neck, it is important to open it at address.

Hold on tight Gripping the club tighter will help to further reduce the possibility of the club closing too much as it hits the ball.

Swing harder Don’t be concerned if you feel you are thrashing at it or that you have no control as the objective is simply to try and get as much energy transferred to ball as possible. It is therefore vital once all the other factors are in place that the swing has enough force to do this.

Loft Up?

John Senden raised a few eyebrows a few weeks ago when he won the Valspar Championship using a 12-degree TaylorMade SLDR. While the average driver loft on the PGA TOUR has increased over the last 10 years, going from roughly 8 degrees in the early 2000s to over 9.2 degrees last season, Senden’s 12-degree driver represents a growing equipment trend on TOUR.

Once in the minority, drivers with lofts of 10 degrees or higher are becoming commonplace on TOUR.

There are a number of reasons for the increase in driver loft — from the emergence of multilayer, solid-core golf balls with low-spin characteristics to the introduction of launch monitors that help optimize loft, launch angle and spin to get the most out today’s driver technology.

The center of gravity position within the club head has also played a role in the recent loft increase.To reap the benefits of the low-spin design, some players had to “loft up” — a slogan TaylorMade has been pushing since SLDR’s official launch at the Farmers Insurance.

Shifting the CG forward and adding loft allowed players to launch the ball higher and with less spin, a combination that saw some TaylorMade staff players pick up ball speed, an increased launch angle and gain between 7-10 yards.

It also gave them more forgiveness on shots hit low on the face.

John Senden’s victory stands out because he was the first player to win a PGA TOUR event with a 12-degree driver (metalwood), but the fact of the matter is the CG shift has seen players convert to new TaylorMade drivers and add loft at an alarming rate.

TaylorMade’s New Demo Drivers now available to try at Enniskillen Golf Club free of charge.

For all the latest equipment offers check www.thegolfcabin.co.uk Liam Mc Cool, PGA Club Professional Enniskillen Golf Club, Castlecoole 028 66325250 Get ready for the Golf Season- Lesson Deals now available