150 Yards Out

[timhowe]

Here’s a thought.

My best most reliable shot in my bag is a 150 yard 8 iron. This is the shot I practice most and the shot I feel most comfortable with. So, I sat down one day and worked out what club I would need (par 4’s only but you could do it on a par five with your second shot) off the tee to leave me 150 yard out from the pin. I then wrote these down and went to the club and put it into action.

What a difference it made.

I no longer take the Big Dog out on a tight par 4 or sweeping dog leg. On one hole at my local club (350 yards) I normally took the Driver and hoped to thread it through the eye of a needle. 7 out of 10 attempts I would be in the trees as it was a very tight par 4.

I now take a 5 iron and hit that about 200 yards leaving me the requisite 150 yards out. The anxiety and pre-hole stress levels are reduced many fold as I know a 5 iron I could hit the required distance probably 7 out of 10 times.

If you do this on say 12 holes (allowing a course of 4 par 3’s, 2 par 5’s and 12 par 4’s).

You are getting a success ratio of 7 out of 10 of the tee on the par 4’s where before you only had a 3 out of 10 you now have a shot saving of at least 4. In practice though this should yield an 8 to 10 shot savings as you are not chipping out of trees, dropping out of water or going out of bounds etc.

Please try this and give it a few games then report back I would love to know if it helped your game as much as it has mine.

Remember the score card does not have a club selected requirement just a score………

 

[Robobum]

17 yds between clubs is huge!! I'd go get my gapping looked at.

 

[duncan mackie]

Glad these numbers work well for you Tim.

For most mortals they will have better % from 100 than 150 and, critically, are probably using a driver, or at least a 3 wood, to hit it 200 in current conditions. These facts, combined with a lack of holes at 350 and under (we only have 2 under 400 and one of those has a 230 carry to the main fairway area...) mean that for most (where I play) it's their primary tee club to have any chance of reaching the green in 2 (not that that's necessarily important - but a different principle).

That you shouldn't automatically reach for a driver on a par 4 tee is a well established and written about principle - what happens next will be different for everyone!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Well done to you. I wish I had that reliability at 150yds, such a critical distance. I use the same theory for 100yds, a PW for me and something I am fairly consistent with. When others bomb up and get to 40-60yds etc I will set up quite deliberately to sit at the 100yd mark. Obviously you will get to use your method more often than mine as 150yd or around is a more standard distance for a second shot. Good feeling when a plan comes together though.

 

[Dasit]

A lot of studies show that what you lose from wayward drives you more than make up for it from being nearer the pin on the good ones.

If you are only hitting the fairway 3 out of 10 times maybe a driver lesson is needed, or a new more forgiving driver.



Quick question, if you hit a shot into a bunker at 100 yards from the pin which is ground under repair, and you can drop anywhere back from it in line with the pin, which is all fairway.

Do you walk 50 yards back and put the ball at 150 yards?

 

[KenL]

What do you do in the wind?

Is it your tee shots that let you down or your 9 iron or wedge play?

Looks like you are compromising in playing this way and in the long run should try and improve your overall game.

 

[ManinBlack]

Amazing game, isn't it? I take completely the opposite approach to you. I'll take driver on most holes because I know I'm not likely to be any wider than the semi rough. I'd rather be hitting wedge from 100 yards out of semi than a 5 iron (for me) from 150. I can't think. Of anyone I play with who is better from 150 yards than from 100. From 150 I'm just looking to hit the green. From 100 yards in I'm wanting to be somewhere close to the flag. Most of my practice is distance control with the wedge, on the basis that I'm more likely to miss long or short than left or right.

I would say that you're practising the wrong shot if the 150 yard 8 iron is your best. Learn to drive straight & drop a wedge on a sixpence, then you should give yourself more birdie opportunities.

Your signature doesn't mention your handicap (always useful for others to know) but I'm willing to bet it's not that low. If you want it to come down I think you need to rethink your practice routine.

 

[patricks148]

Happy with any shot under 150 tbh

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I think the expression you are looking for is 'course management'

It's no secret that it's an essential part of lowering your handicap.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Apart from 150 yards being a 6 iron most of the time for me I get the theory and I can see how it would potentially save shots. As I'm not that consistent and long it's more about 100 yards and in that I'm working on this winter

 

[jusme]

Always nice to doubt the claims. Whilst not unusual to hit a 5 iron 200 (not for me) it seems a little odd that a stock 8 goes 150 and 5 200. Like further explanation. I am not far of the 150 for an 8 but no where near 200 for a 5.

 

[Fish]

Always nice to doubt the claims. Whilst not unusual to hit a 5 iron 200 (not for me) it seems a little odd that a stock 8 goes 150 and 5 200. Like further explanation. I am not far of the 150 for an 8 but no where near 200 for a 5.

You can't take a lot from declared yardages from certain irons as so many are cranked and as such his 5i could be a 4i in old money. In saying that though, his 8 to 5 being 50yds variable is poor gapping for 4 clubs imo.

I'd be interested in knowing what handicap he is and if it indeed comes down next season using this methodology.

 

[KenL]

I don't know precisely but I think I am pretty much 10 yards between clubs. 8 iron for me is 140 - 145 yards.

 

[the_coach]

Here’s a thought.

My best most reliable shot in my bag is a 150 yard 8 iron. This is the shot I practice most and the shot I feel most comfortable with. So, I sat down one day and worked out what club I would need (par 4’s only but you could do it on a par five with your second shot) off the tee to leave me 150 yard out from the pin. I then wrote these down and went to the club and put it into action.

What a difference it made.

I no longer take the Big Dog out on a tight par 4 or sweeping dog leg. On one hole at my local club (350 yards) I normally took the Driver and hoped to thread it through the eye of a needle. 7 out of 10 attempts I would be in the trees as it was a very tight par 4.

I now take a 5 iron and hit that about 200 yards leaving me the requisite 150 yards out. The anxiety and pre-hole stress levels are reduced many fold as I know a 5 iron I could hit the required distance probably 7 out of 10 times.

If you do this on say 12 holes (allowing a course of 4 par 3’s, 2 par 5’s and 12 par 4’s).

You are getting a success ratio of 7 out of 10 of the tee on the par 4’s where before you only had a 3 out of 10 you now have a shot saving of at least 4. In practice though this should yield an 8 to 10 shot savings as you are not chipping out of trees, dropping out of water or going out of bounds etc.

Please try this and give it a few games then report back I would love to know if it helped your game as much as it has mine.

Remember the score card does not have a club selected requirement just a score………

good to see folks start to look at how best scores can be put together given the current skill sets they are working with
for sure course management real important to all folks games to get the best score outcomes
to that real important to know the average 'real' carry distances for all clubs

to improve the game overall it's huge important to spend a good percentage of any practice session from 130 yards in plus time on the putting green
but also it's paramount not to fall into the trap of mostly practicing what folks are already good at - for sure keep that ticking over
but practice weaknesses rather than just mainly sticking to strengths - however uncomfortable that may be at the outset

 

[bladeplayer]

good to see folks start to look at how best scores can be put together given the current skill sets they are working with
for sure course management real important to all folks games to get the best score outcomes
to that real important to know the average 'real' carry distances for all clubs

to improve the game overall it's huge important to spend a good percentage of any practice session from 130 yards in plus time on the putting green
but also it's paramount not to fall into the trap of mostly practicing what folks are already good at - for sure keep that ticking over
but practice weaknesses rather than just mainly sticking to strengths - however uncomfortable that may be at the outset

..
I was gona say something on the lines of this , i agree totaly to playing to your strengths as per the OP .

BUT It is setting you up for a one dimensional game which if you are only ever going to play one course , i supose it could be ok , but if you have ideas of becoming a better golfer or playing other courses you may find yourself struggling

Course management is a good thing & laying up short of or away from trouble is smart, to build your so much around the criteria in the OP is a bit flawed in my opinion

 

[ScienceBoy]

I came up with the rule that a par 4 has to be over 360 before I consider the driver. I can get on the green in 2 with two good irons or a hybrid/fairway wood and an iron.

Longer par 4s, over 400 are three shots to the green anyway so also only take a driver when I can turn that 3 into 2 with almost certainly.

Three goals method comes into play...

 

[Craigg]

I can squeeze 180 carry out of a 5 iron so I don't suppose 200 is out of the question with a good bounce and a bit of roll.

 

[SteveJay]

I came up with the rule that a par 4 has to be over 360 before I consider the driver. I can get on the green in 2 with two good irons or a hybrid/fairway wood and an iron.

Not quite sure why you would have this as a hard and fast rule. If there are minimal hazards surely a driver would be preferable as it would leave a much shorter second shot...you might rip one and get close to the green giving a better birdie opportunity than, say, a mid iron from 150 (unless you are the OP hitting it close from 150 all the time )

 

[Scozzy]

Play what's in front of you is how I must play...why? Links golf is my game 99% of the time,one day a PW is 150 the next you can barely get a 3 wood to carry that! Distance is what it is,a repeatable swing is the thing.....

 

[MadAdey]

A lot of studies show that what you lose from wayward drives you more than make up for it from being nearer the pin on the good ones.

If you are only hitting the fairway 3 out of 10 times maybe a driver lesson is needed, or a new more forgiving driver.



Quick question, if you hit a shot into a bunker at 100 yards from the pin which is ground under repair, and you can drop anywhere back from it in line with the pin, which is all fairway.

Do you walk 50 yards back and put the ball at 150 yards?

What study was this then? How to be an 18 handicapper for life?