Do you know your carry for each club?

I just, like a few other I imagine, walk up to my ball and decide there and then what I am going to hit. If I am near the 150yd marker then it makes life easier but usually I guess right. Its then just down to me to hit the bloody thing.
 
Can't see how I can ever know the carry. It is hugely dependant on the weather, which is never the same two days running.

It is fine for LD, as he only ever plays in the sunshine (apart from the open, when he didn't make the cut).
 
Whilst I agree you do have to have a good idea of what club to hit from a particular distance I think there's a big difference between the importance of knowing precise carry distances between very good players and mid/high h/cappers.

Good players make consistent strikes, the ball stops when it hits the green even with a long iron and these guys are trying to hit the ball close. So if it's 167 yards to the flag they know what club will carry the ball 167 yards. That's the club they'll take. Even then they still occasionally dump it in the front bunker or fly the green.

Me, I'm not shooting at flags from more than 100 yards. My ball striking isn't consistent enough to guarantee that even with the right club I'll carry it the right distance and I can't stop the ball with anything longer than a 9 or wedge. Most of the time I'm happy just to get on the green and most of our greens are 2 clubs from front to back any way. That gives plenty of lee way. So I'm usually choosing between a couple of clubs and will decide which one on the basis of wind, elevation, where the trouble is and which club I'm most comfortable with, etc.
 
If you play to a reasonable standard you must have some idea how far you carry certain clubs.

Most of the courses I play have raised greens or are protected at the front by bunkers, so you have to know or you would always be short or in a bunker!!
 
I think I pretty much know all my carry distances but I know them with a good shot....
 
There are one or two golfers out there who think they hit the ball further than they actually do and either dont hit enough club or dont hit the ball well enough to reach their intended target.
If you were to count how many times you are short of the flag in 18 holes, I think it may outnumber the times you are passed the pin.
And where are most of the bunkers on your course?

Short
 
If you don’t have a least a rough idea, how far you hit say pitching wedge and maybe a 6 iron in good conditions, then I fail to see how you can have any judgement to make allowances in various other conditions.

In my case a well struck pitching wedge is about 100 give or take a few yards, and around 150ish for a 6 iron. Then up or down 10/12 yds for other clubs.

Of course I duff shots or don’t always connect well, but you have to make a judgement on club choice, and the judgement you make has to be based on the thought it will be a good shot. That’s the game of golf, it can’t be played any other way
 
bobmac said:
There are one or two golfers out there who think they hit the ball further than they actually do and either dont hit enough club or dont hit the ball well enough to reach their intended target.
If you were to count how many times you are short of the flag in 18 holes, I think it may outnumber the times you are passed the pin.
And where are most of the bunkers on your course?

Short
Click to expand...

Very true Bob, A lot of our greens are protected by bunkers at the front.
I have just done a head count and 7 of our green slope from back to front and if you are long will leave a very tricky put. Often find myself with the choice to club up and take bunkers out of play but leave a potential 3 put or play short of the flag for a better put.
Saying that, just had a look at my stats and my GIR is Poo this year.
 
Strangely I had a lesson last week and we intended to survey exact carry distances, it was however too windy for any meaningful result, another lesson this afternoon and the plan is to get the survey wheel out of the car boot to get exact distances, not winter yet but should suffice for the off season providing i dont duff too many
 
bobmac said:
There are one or two golfers out there who think they hit the ball further than they actually do and either dont hit enough club or dont hit the ball well enough to reach their intended target.
If you were to count how many times you are short of the flag in 18 holes, I think it may outnumber the times you are passed the pin.
And where are most of the bunkers on your course?

Short
Click to expand...

Bob has expressed exactly the conclusion I came to after reading the article. I have always relied on total distance I hit a club - now I am not trying to fool anyone as a 20 H/C I know I don't do this distance every time but enough to be reasonably confident with each club.

Then there are factors such as wind direction & strength - dry or wet - raised green - trouble round the area of landing etc. I can screw it up easily if I try and think about these too much.

But..... having worked it all out each shot the main way I miss is short. Bunkers, rough etc. For water I wont try and work it out - just take several clubs more than needed.


Just a moment of clarity for me having read GM that carry is more important. I cannot accurately predit roll or how it will bounce so why do I try!!

Just went through my last round and I reckon it could be 5-6 shots difference over the space of the full 18 holes and I had played to handicap in difficult coditions so imagine how much of a berk I now feel - lol.

Down to the practice ground for me ...again :)
 
The only clubs I truely know the carry of. Are my 5 and 7 woods. Thats only because we have a par 3 on our local muni. That is over a deep valley and water on 3 sides. So its hit the green or loose the ball. its 189yrd from the yellows, 196yrds from the whites. Now wheres the mask and flippers again.

P. S. Found out which clubs to use, by the tried and trusted. Trial and error method.
 
Alot of the greens at my place are raised and often an uphill shot. Knowing my distances is helpful but alot of the shots go on feel alone. On one hole I need a 3 iron to hit a shot from about 170-180yrds, on the par 5 next to it after the drive I can hit as little as a 9iron due to it being down hill.
I do tend to hit my irons a little longer than most which doesnt help when my playing partners are playing 3 clubs different.
 
I could easily have worked out my carry distance the other day when I was on the practice area. I hit 70 balls and came back with 26. It was that soft and wet every ball was plugged, I had mud and water coming over the ankles of my shoes and thought, foxtrot to this.

The practice area should be re-named the swamp at present.
 
For my carry's off the tee we have a few par 3's at our course that i use to gauge certain clubs...Our 8th is 130mtrs off the whites from an elevated tee about 30ft or so above the green....Into a very slight breeze i always hit a 7 iron off the tee and im always pin hi.....

But thats off a tee....off the fairway it changes slightly depending on the weather also....

I think for me my tee distances are probably 5 or 6 mtrs longer than my shots off the fairway so i just have a quick ckeck of how far away from the green i am and club up or down from my 7 iron distance....

Doesnt always work but its simple enough to adjust to for weather patterns...... :)
 
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