A full shot Vs a 50-60 yard pitch

[turkish]

Would you rather hit to a distance where you can hit a full shot or hit as far as you can if that gives you a pitch where there is more judgement on distance control- be it a half shot, 3/4 etc?

I think the answer will be dependant on skill level.... Had a lesson previously and said basically strokes are gained the closer you are to the hole which makes sense but right now my distance control isn't great on judgement shots tho I do have a dilemma as I'm not sure where I actually do gain more shots but just feel more comfortable on the full shots.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Interesting question. I'd argue that many average handicappers struggle with the half swings and rarely play with enough commitment and so hit fats and thins and then get more stressed on the next. Nor do they (as a generalisation) spend enough time working on distance control and playing these

I am working hard when possible on my pitching at the moment from 70 yards and in and learning what I can do in terms of ball position, opening the club up swinging at different speeds etc and enjoying it. Shame I'm not seeing results on the course but having only played a handful of times so far hoping that will come at some point

 

[pokerjoke]

Its very difficult to plot your way around a course and give yourself distances for full shots in but for me it will come down to risk or reward and what danger I am bringing into play up near the green.

Obviously most bunkers are around the green and at the front so if you are going for the green you obviously are bringing the bunkers into play as apposed to laying up short.

If you can really dial your wedge distance in getting close to the green can be very beneficial and that for me would be my preferred option.

 

[kid2]

Strokes are gained the closer you are to the hole. .
But...
The 50 to 60 yrd shot is one of the hardest even for pros. It's very hard to judge distance and strength at that length.

Take the highest lifted club you have and swing it the smoothest you can with control.
Hit 10 balls and see how far they go. Do this three or four times an racist your results. Take the average.

No that's a full controlled swing with that club.
Now with the same tempo to the exact same exercise but this time bring the club back that they at the half way back position "where your hands are roughly waist high". Record your results.

There's the distances that you should try may up to fit your shortest club. Ingrain those. And practice them constantly.

Do this with every club down to 9 iron. If you carry 4 wedges this will give you 9 different distances inside a full swing with your 9 iron.

That's when you'll start scoring... 👍

 

[garyinderry]

Remember, unless there is stuff in the way, you can always play a bump and run from 70 yards.

 

[Curls]

Do this three or four times an racist your results.

Bit extreme, are you under pressure, maybe you need some more time off?

 

[kid2]

There also one particular hole in our course. Our 14th off the white tees is a relatively short par 4 at 325mtrs (about 360 yrds). The fairway at 150mtrs is about 60dr above the tee box height. It's flat from here for about 60mtrs or so and then runs downhill into a catchment area that's about 50mtrs short I the green. A good drive will put me here BUT... It's a shallow elevated green about 15ft above your approach with about 5yrds of rough behind it before the cabbage. A bunker protects the front. So the approach from here has to be high and soft to hold.

My half lob wedge swing will travel about 54mtrs so that's out. A bump and run is out because of the bunker. And if I did happen to go long then I'm faced with a lot shot from rough into a green that is falling away from me..

So wind permitting i.e. Not into my face. I'll hit my 20degree rescue. That gets me about 185mtrs and a bit of roll after it which usually let's be hit a 9 iron or PW for an approach from the flat level part of the fairway. I'm practically guaranteed a par with an outside birdie. I've seen lots but drives there and and up with bogies and doubles simply because they can't play that short approach shot.
It's all about course management.

Some edits coz Kid has phat phinger issues

 

[kid2]

Bit extreme, are you under pressure, maybe you need some more time off?

Hahaha... On the mobile phone Curls. Never even saw that. 😂😂😂 it's meant to read Record.

 

[Region3]

Unless playing the previous shot brings unnecessary dangers into play, I'll take "as close as I can" every single time.

 

[NWJocko]

Unless playing the previous shot brings unnecessary dangers into play, I'll take "as close as I can" every single time.

This. Every time.

To be honest I'd say 99% of amateurs are kidding themselves on if they think they're better from 100-120 yards than 10-50 odd.

As close as I can get then I'm thinking up and down for birdie, 100-120 I'm thinking hit the green and outside birdie chance.

There will be exceptions where particular holes make it more difficult but as a general rule the closer the better.

 

[brendy]

For years I was having to give myself a full shot in, since lessons on not hitting shermans, Id take the half shot every time now.

 

[Keeno]

This. Every time.

To be honest I'd say 99% of amateurs are kidding themselves on if they think they're better from 100-120 yards than 10-50 odd.
As close as I can get then I'm thinking up and down for birdie, 100-120 I'm thinking hit the green and outside birdie chance.

There will be exceptions where particular holes make it more difficult but as a general rule the closer the better.

Agree fully with both of these comments. Especially this bit

To be honest I'd say 99% of amateurs are kidding themselves on if they think they're better from 100-120 yards than 10-50 odd

 

[turkish]

This. Every time.

To be honest I'd say 99% of amateurs are kidding themselves on if they think they're better from 100-120 yards than 10-50 odd.

As close as I can get then I'm thinking up and down for birdie, 100-120 I'm thinking hit the green and outside birdie chance.

There will be exceptions where particular holes make it more difficult but as a general rule the closer the better.

Well this is my exact dilemma- I feel a lot more comfortable hitting a full shot from say 100-110 yards but a) am I going to miss the green more times from this yardage than from 40-60 yards then b) If I do hit the green which is gonna be closer to the hole?

But then again another consideration is how good are you with the club for the initial shot to get you to the short pitch? Are my probabilities better for hitting hybrid + 5 iron vs Driver + 9 Iron (on a good drive)/Driver + god knows what (on a bad one)!!!

An example is our 10th is a very short Par 4(270 yards- plays about 280) and my tee shot i've hit everything from driver to 5 iron and still unsure what's my right play. Last night I made par with 3 iron, 48 degree wedge, 20 feet 2 putt. Trees either side but for driver to be bad needs to be really bad and reasonably wide but still trouble nonetheless. 3 wood gets me to about 40-50 yard range I was talking about but steep bunkers at the front of the green

 

[NWJocko]

Well this is my exact dilemma- I feel a lot more comfortable hitting a full shot from say 100-110 yards but a) am I going to miss the green more times from this yardage than from 40-60 yards then b) If I do hit the green which is gonna be closer to the hole?

But then again another consideration is how good are you with the club for the initial shot to get you to the short pitch? Are my probabilities better for hitting hybrid + 5 iron vs Driver + 9 Iron (on a good drive)/Driver + god knows what (on a bad one)!!!

An example is our 10th is a very short Par 4(270 yards- plays about 280) and my tee shot i've hit everything from driver to 5 iron and still unsure what's my right play. Last night I made par with 3 iron, 48 degree wedge, 20 feet 2 putt. Trees either side but for driver to be bad needs to be really bad and reasonably wide but still trouble nonetheless. 3 wood gets me to about 40-50 yard range I was talking about but steep bunkers at the front of the green

If you can't hit a club consistently enough to get close that's another matter and issue entirely. I'd still try though!

With your example, as I say there will always be holes that lend themselves to be played from further away, hence me saying a general rule.

My reasoning is that you take a handicap golfer and have them play out a hole 10/20/30 times, firstly from 100-120 yards and then from 10-50 yards I'd expect the overwhelming majority to average a lower "score" from the closer distance.

 

[fundy]

If you can't hit a club consistently enough to get close that's another matter and issue entirely. I'd still try though!

With your example, as I say there will always be holes that lend themselves to be played from further away, hence me saying a general rule.

My reasoning is that you take a handicap golfer and have them play out a hole 10/20/30 times, firstly from 100-120 yards and then from 10-50 yards I'd expect the overwhelming majority to average a lower "score" from the closer distance.

theres very little difference between 100 and 120 yards for most. The difference between 10 and 50 yards is utterly massive to a lot of golfers.

If youre offering me 10 v 100 ill have the 10 every time (and get it up and down most times). If its 50 v 100 then personally ill take the 100 please, especially if theres trouble short or long (my strike and distance control way better from 100 than 50, mainly as i get too handsy to compensate for no rotation on the shorter shots)

 

[virtuocity]

Well this is my exact dilemma- I feel a lot more comfortable hitting a full shot from say 100-110 yards but a) am I going to miss the green more times from this yardage than from 40-60 yards then b) If I do hit the green which is gonna be closer to the hole?

The bit in bold is much more important than 'b' IMO.

 

[kid2]

I think the main priority off your handicap not wanting to come across as patronising is to get on the green.

You'll get various responses from various handicaps. Some players with rock solid short games won't really fear that shot. Others with good greenside skills wont mind missing from a full club in. But generally most lower lads will be fairly accurate with an 8 or 9 iron or wedge in there hand.

It's horses for courses really. But the one thing that you can see from the replies is that there's no right or wrong way. Just what works for you. Regardless it shows you how much weight the short game holds in scoring and getting your handicap down.

To be honest it all heavily depends on the risk reward of the shot in hand. Those are things you'll learn as you come down in handicap and as your skills improve you'll know what your comfortable with and what your not.. It's all about experimenting.

 

[Wilson]

Unless playing the previous shot brings unnecessary dangers into play, I'll take "as close as I can" every single time.

Agreed, I have managed to find somewhere I can practice these shots, and once you have some confidence on the distances they become very useful.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Would you rather hit to a distance where you can hit a full shot or hit as far as you can if that gives you a pitch where there is more judgement on distance control- be it a half shot, 3/4 etc?

I think the answer will be dependant on skill level.... Had a lesson previously and said basically strokes are gained the closer you are to the hole which makes sense but right now my distance control isn't great on judgement shots tho I do have a dilemma as I'm not sure where I actually do gain more shots but just feel more comfortable on the full shots.

As you may have noticed I rarely (as in never) do full shots to the green from this sort of distance. Might still not do so even if I could...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Remember, unless there is stuff in the way, you can always play a bump and run from 70 yards.

That's my sort of shot