Short Game Distance Control

[Aztecs27]

I watched several clips from Phil Micklesons "Hinge and Hold" video on Utube at the weekend - well worth a few minutes!! My local pro says that all top pro's use this method they just dont give it a name. You never know, it might just transform your game.



Chris

I don't know if I'm executing it as it's supposed to be executed, but I now use this method to chip and in the last two rounds my chipping from around the green has greatly improved. And when I say "improved" I mean I can now actually chip balls near(ish) to the hole instead of thinning them across the green or duffing them short.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Once your happy with the swing hit 10 or so shots and measure the distance to the middle of the spread. This will be your yardage for that club/swing. Once you've got a yardage for acres clubs/swings you'll have enough to get you close on the course. Never try to hit a ball a specific distance.

I dont think 10 shots is enough to find an average from that dispersion and then to rely on that info for that club. It wouldnt inspire confidence for me...I disagree that taking the average is best way to calculate distances as its not specific enough.

How did you get to 11 if you never try to hit specific distances with clubs?

Blimey I didn't think you wanted my exact practice schedule 10 shots is a starting point and every time I practice my short game I hit all my shots with all my wedges 10 times and take an average and make sure it's still the same. On the course I write down the result of all my pitches and check them over time to keep a constantly accurate yardage. This time of year is critical as the ball is starting to travel further so the yardages will change. This isn't something I just made uo, it's something I've been working on for a couple of years.

As for being exact, lets be realistic about this. I'm not good enough to hit exactly 73 yards with my 3/4 SW every time. Sometimes it will go 75, sometimes 71 but on average it's about 73. I'm not talking 10-15yds difference here, I'm talking a few yards either way. If your telling me you need to be able to hit every club exact distances every time then I think you're being unrealistic. My average yardages give me enough to know that inside 100 yards I will leave myself with a makable putt more often than not. If I had the time, maybe I'd be more accurate but the fact is I don't so what I do is good enough for me and anyone who's seen me play recently will tell you that my succes rate at getting up and down from 120yds and in is pretty good, to the point that I expect to do it.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

my 3/4 SW will go about 73yds, that's my distance for that swing and club. I don't have to think about it, that's just how far it goes. My 3/4 GW goes about 86 yds and again I don't have to think about it.

Do you always hold your wedges in the same place on the grip?

I do at the moment Bob yes. I understand I could shift up and down the grip to change the yardage but I haven't been praticing that. I'm only just getting to the point where what I have been working on is producing results so maybe I'll work on that next.

 

[Region3]

my 3/4 SW will go about 73yds, that's my distance for that swing and club. I don't have to think about it, that's just how far it goes. My 3/4 GW goes about 86 yds and again I don't have to think about it.

Do you always hold your wedges in the same place on the grip?

I do at the moment Bob yes. I understand I could shift up and down the grip to change the yardage but I haven't been praticing that. I'm only just getting to the point where what I have been working on is producing results so maybe I'll work on that next.

As well as changing grip position, you can use an open stance to take a bit more off.
For example, I know one of my wedges with a 3/4 swing goes 85yds(ish) but with an open stance it'll go 80.

I really should use grip position more, as I find it harder to line up with an open stance, but it's what I've done in the past so I'm just used to it.