7-8-9 pitching - why didn't I practice this before?

[Ian_S]

So the other day, the course was busy so I thought I'd practice my chipping. It's a part of the game I've struggled with (I took 7 the other week after being just off the green in 2 because I couldn't get my chip on) so it needed work. So off I go, hitting the odd chip then I remembered a drill involving angles on a clock face.

A good hour later and I could mix up which part of the chipping area I could hit easily. I need never struggle again when faced with a 40 yard shot. I just pull my 58 out and hit a 9 o'clock. I would definitely recommend this to anyone new to golf who struggles with the short game. It is time well spent.

 

[Val]

A good practice is try to hit a target 50 yards away consistently with 7, 9 and a lofted wedge 56/58 or 60. Master this and you'll have tonnes of options too.

 

[morgs]

Am struggling at the moment with chipping. With only having half a swing i find it hard to judge how much i need to get to the green and therefore tend to leave it short. It's come to the point now that if i have 210 yards to the green i will lay up 100 yards out to give myself a full wedge in.

 

[lyden]

Problem with the clock face is under pressure the speed changes thus creating different distances. I prefer to pick a landing area and let myself work out how to get it there.

If it works for you though great, I don't like to get to mechanical and feel the shot.

 

[sydney greenstreet]

A good practice is try to hit a target 50 yards away consistently with 7, 9 and a lofted wedge 56/58 or 60. Master this and you'll have tonnes of options too.

Agree with this, I would not chip with just 1 club.

 

[Sweep]

Dave Pelz advicates a very similar system in his Short Game Bible. It has helped my 100 yards and in game enormously. I would recommend it to anyone. Work out the distances each club goes when swung at each point on the clock face and write it down. Well worth the effort and Pelz also tells you how to take ensure the swing is the same speed, even under pressure.

 

[Jevo]

My teaching pro advised me to try this approach at the end of last year. I now know that if I need a 75 yard or less shot I can hit it fairly accurately. I started off just hitting my SW but now I am comfortable with that I have started to introduce other clubs as well and have found the variety very useful...

 

[Tiger]

Problem with the clock face is under pressure the speed changes thus creating different distances. I prefer to pick a landing area and let myself work out how to get it there.

If it works for you though great, I don't like to get to mechanical and feel the shot.

For clockface on your practice swings close your eyes and feel the right tempo and swing length. Great tip I got from my coach

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think if you are restricting the short game to a few clubs or a few stock swings you are actually making it harder. The more varied and versatile you can make the short game the more options you have

 

[Ian_S]

I think if you are restricting the short game to a few clubs or a few stock swings you are actually making it harder. The more varied and versatile you can make the short game the more options you have

Oh I agree, but previously my options were, well, non existent. I'd pull out a club and hope. I may only have one or two shots for a given distance now, but it's still more than I had. In time I will hopefully add another club or two for each distance.

 

[Foxholer]

I think if you are restricting the short game to a few clubs or a few stock swings you are actually making it harder. The more varied and versatile you can make the short game the more options you have

'A few stock swings' also equals repeatability/consistency!

Peltz's system, while not for all, does tend to produce repeatable results. He also has 'variations' that can alter the distances while still retaining the consistency - gripping down and opening stance.

There is also the 9-3 and 8-4 approach that can be either an alternative or layered on top.

Personally, I find I have much more confidence with a Pelz distance, ignoring where the ball will land, than picking a landing spot and hoping that the action I put on the ball is correct. It's probably just a reflection of which technique/style I've practiced most. Though Pelz distances end for me at about 40 yards and the feel ones are from there in - so I expect to be quite a bit closer with the feel style and am disappointingly too far away too often.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The problem I had with the Pelz system is the clock face method took away any natural feel and I could never master the tiny 7.30 swing. I also struggled if it was a shot that wasn't a 7.30, 9.00 or 10.30 swing and somewhere inbetween. I've gone back to a more natural method and have a lot more feel but as with everything its horses for courses and so if Pelz works stick with it

 

[Simbo]

The problem I had with the Pelz system is the clock face method took away any natural feel and I could never master the tiny 7.30 swing. I also struggled if it was a shot that wasn't a 7.30, 9.00 or 10.30 swing and somewhere inbetween. I've gone back to a more natural method and have a lot more feel but as with everything its horses for courses and so if Pelz works stick with it

Don't use it then!! There's nothing to say you can't use the 9pm/10.30 swings and ditch the 7 one.

I started with this system that pelt advocates but I adapted it to suit me, 7.30 became when the club shaft was level with the ground, 9pm was the same and 10.30 was pretty much a full swing, I found all these very easy to pick up in your peripheral vision. But I also tend to just look at it and play whatever is needed at the 7.30 one, but for the other 2 it's a great distance control drill.