I don't expect anyone to answer this...

I fully accept (and always have), that learning how to play these shots comes down to experience and can only be learned on the course. However, I don't believe that you need to be playing a 4-hour round of 18 holes to do this.
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Umm? Isn't that what the practice area is for?

b.t.w. Tim, I don't expect you expected to get over 50 posts!!

It's a good thread.

PS - for all you science gurus and pelz-worshippers - does Ronnie O'Sullivan use a multi-club and multi-swing method to make a 147 in under 8 minutes?

Does Rafa Nadal practice 66.6/100 top-spin down the line shots to land the ball on the baseline?

Sure, use a scientific approach to get into set distances with a lower margin for error than "guessing" - but the rest?...I'm not convinced.
 
A couple of years ago I hit the course late one evening with a bag of balls, 9i, PW, GW, SW, a piece of paper, a pen and my SkyCaddie, and went to a hole that no-one would be playing on.

I hit 3 types of shot lots of times with each of my 4 clubs and measured the average distance with each one.

The 4 shots were:
3/4 swing
3/4 swing with open stance
1/2 swing with open stance

That gives me 12 combinations of shot/club that should get me reasonably close anywhere between 50 and 120yds.

For less than 50yds I try to do it by feel. It really helps to practice swing while looking at your target. Over time you get a feel for imagining the ball flight and you say to yourself that swing would hit it too far, or too short, and after a few swings it feels right.

Disclaimer : I'm not saying I'm any good at it, but I think the theory is sound.
 
I hit 3 types of shot lots of times with each of my 4 clubs and measured the average distance with each one.

The 4 shots were:
3/4 swing
3/4 swing with open stance
1/2 swing with open stance

That gives me 12 combinations of shot/club that should get me reasonably close anywhere between 50 and 120yds.
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Region3, how do you how fast to swing the club to replicate those shots?
 
Region...you and me are thinking along the same lines!

I've done the same thing over the years. I have 9 shots. I could go for 12 with another wedge added.

It really helps to practice swing while looking at your target.
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Yes....that's why yesterday's game was so grim....I could never see the target. :eek:
 
Well, here's my advice and it seems to be working for me.

Take a pitching wedge, get a basket full of balls hit a full wedge shot.
Then with the next five balls try to hit each one shorter than the last.
Now get your sand wedge, full shot, next five try to to do each one shorter than the last.
Repeat for lob wedge.

You now have three clubs.
With five yardage variations and flight variations for each.

Repeat once a week.

Go to course...play golf....realize that lies, slopes, etc. have a huge effect.
Think to yourself, 'well a number 4 swing with my sandwedge will get me the right flight and length to get me near the hole'

Simples.
 
Sorry, you can't putt or chip by the book. It isn't a calculated thing, it's a feel thing. Yes, there are those with no talent who go by the book, but the truly good see the shot and pull it off. No thought, no calcs, just pure flair. If you need pelts, etc, you will never be as good as you could be if you went with the flair.

Practice, from as many lies, to as many pin positions as you can, with as many different clubs as you can, and you will develop a feel for it. Simples. Should only take about 20 years.
 
Mickelson has Pelz as a coach and he does ok with his short game. Natural flair is great but for most people it is limited. Once you have the stock shots you can start using whatever natural flair you have especially when close to the green. From further out I use as much flair with a wedge as with a 5 iron but the results are coming and certainly won't take 20 years.

Tim the problem with using a metronome with the short game is, as change the length of your stroke to vary distance you will have to swing faster or slower to keep up which will in turn change the distance and accuracy. Either that or you will spend more time changing the metronome than chipping.
 
Would it be accurate to say that power is controlled by tempo and length of backswing. Keep the tempo the same, then vary the backswing = more or less clubhead speed. So then the problem becomes one of, how to keep a constant tempo (metronome style)?
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It comes from not being too analytical and letting your brain co- ordinate the swing speed and distance to achieve a golf shot that you've visualised. If you throw a ball 20 yards to someone you dont think about every aspect you just do it naturally - short game shots feel the same


Chris
 
I really can't believe that so many people fell for this one.

I haven't bothered to read through the replies as the Op wasn't expecting any so, having also fallen into the trap, apologies to anyone else who may have posted similar sentiments.

How do you groove a "feel" for distance control?
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Answer... Easy. Get out on a f****** golf course and practice playing off grass, hitting from and onto fairways and greens, and learn how the ball reacts under golf not range conditions.

Yee gods, he's more of a wind up merchant than ..... :D
 
Practice, Practice, Practise.

It is all scientific in the end but subconcious. You look at the shot; the lie, the slopes involved if any, the pace and firmness of previous greens, ideal putt, how similar shots worked out in the past, how you need to hit it, ideal ball flight, probable spin imparted on the ball and how that will react in the air and on the green, weather conditions + more. A whole host of things worked out by your brain that give you a shot you feel is right.

Why can't we conciously consider all these things at the same time. Well we could but then you have to make a positive and smooth golf swing. There is multi tasking and then there is over thinking it hard to do when 3 hours of number crunching, measuring and research still come up with 'insufficient data'.

Get yourself a good swing and then practise, practise and practise.
 
Would it be accurate to say that power is controlled by tempo and length of backswing. Keep the tempo the same, then vary the backswing = more or less clubhead speed. So then the problem becomes one of, how to keep a constant tempo (metronome style)?
Click to expand...



It comes from not being too analytical and letting your brain co- ordinate the swing speed and distance to achieve a golf shot that you've visualised. If you throw a ball 20 yards to someone you dont think about every aspect you just do it naturally - short game shots feel the same


Chris
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This^^^^

You are right Tim it does sound wooly, but that is what all top players do. Its not about HAVING a "gift", its about DEVELOPING a gift. The reason why Phil Mickelson is so good with his lob wedge is probably because from a very young age, he has hit more Lob wedge shots than almost anyone else on this planet.

Do you think when Tiger Woods is standing over a 20 yard chip shot, he is thinking about how hard to swing and how fast to swing it? No. He is thinking about where he should land his ball to get it into the hole. He picks out a target "takes a picture" in his head, and hits the ball to his target. His subconcious does the rest of his work for him.

It really is as simple and as complicated as that.
 
If you're throwing a ball to someone do you think about how you move your arm?...or how fast you move your arm?

Edit: just noticed Chris more or less said the same thing...
 
Look at the shot. Work out where you want the ball to land. Land it there. If it doesn't work. Think why, and if you have the time, try it again. Stop complicating it. You can also try other shots, once you've nailed the easier ones.
 
If you're throwing a ball to someone do you think about how you move your arm?...or how fast you move your arm?

Edit: just noticed Chris more or less said the same thing...
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and I said exactly the same thing on page 2.... :o :D
 
If you're throwing a ball to someone do you think about how you move your arm?...or how fast you move your arm?

Edit: just noticed Chris more or less said the same thing...
Click to expand...

and I said exactly the same thing on page 2.... :o :D
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Well, I think you're all wrong.....

It's more like, umm, when you're throwing a ...









I'll get me coat

 
Pretty sure I heard Phil talking about his DVD after he made it stating that he learned a lot about his own short game and how he goes about it. He makes a science of it but even he didn't know much about it!
 
Tim, I think what you want to know is how to control the power used for the short game consistently.
Think of the downswing nudging the ball forward.
Not ripping it, hitting it or worse, slowing down.
Just a slight forward nudge and vary the club or swing length or both to vary the distance it sends the ball.
With practice, you will soon discover if you like one swing and vary the club or prefer one club and vary the lenght of swing.
I know great golfers who only chip with their PW and others use all their short irons. Neither are right or wrong, it's what works for you.
Learn to finesse the ball to the hole and you will get that handicap down quicker than Smiffy changes his clubs.
 
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