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Stuck in the rough with a hybrid in hand? PGA Golf Coach Erika Larkin explains how adjusting your stance — not your swing — can help you launch the ball cleanly and avoid the dreaded low hook. It’s a simple setup tweak that can save you shots when the grass grabs your club.
Erika Larkin – From the Fairway
In this short tip, Erika Larkin walks through how opening your stance when your clubface is slightly open sets up a natural cut shot — one that actually works in your favour from thick rough. Rather than fighting the lie, this approach uses the geometry of the swing to cut through the grass on a steeper angle, producing a higher launch and a more controllable ball flight.
Key Takeaways
Open the stance to match an open face:
Open the stance to match an open face:
If your clubface is pointing slightly right at address, opening your body line to the left creates the conditions for a cut shot without changing your swing.
Let the path do the work:
With your stance open, your swing naturally travels out-to-in along your body line — no manipulation required. Just make your normal swing and the geometry takes care of the shot shape.
A cut from the rough is a feature, not a fault:
The steeper angle of attack and open face helps the club cut through thick grass rather than getting tangled in it, launching the ball higher and preventing the low, hooking miss that goes nowhere.
Next time you find yourself in the rough with a hybrid, try opening your stance at address before you swing — it costs you nothing in technique and could save you a very frustrating bogey. This tip suits mid-handicap golfers who want a reliable escape strategy rather than trying to force a clean strike from a difficult lie.
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