Short game - what to do?

[turkish]

I started gap testing last week but ran out of allocated time so after full shots only got to waist height hinged shots on PW, W1, 52 and 56 wedges.

I definitely think it should help me- not only because it will give me accurate readings but think it will help my mind in committing to the shot.

Planned distances are the 4 wedges; Hinged at waist, hinged at knee, minimal hinge at 8 o'clock, minimal hinge at 7 o'clock gives me 16 different distances- I know some carry distances will be the same but roll out and trajectories should be different.

 

[chrisd]

Ttttttr

I started gap testing last week but ran out of allocated time so after full shots only got to waist height hinged shots on PW, W1, 52 and 56 wedges.

I definitely think it should help me- not only because it will give me accurate readings but think it will help my mind in committing to the shot.

Planned distances are the 4 wedges; Hinged at waist, hinged at knee, minimal hinge at 8 o'clock, minimal hinge at 7 o'clock gives me 16 different distances- I know some carry distances will be the same but roll out and trajectories should be different.

I have 2 hours available and should get everything done

 

[garyinderry]

Planned distances are the 4 wedges; Hinged at waist, hinged at knee, minimal hinge at 8 o'clock, minimal hinge at 7 o'clock gives me 16 different distances-

Struggling picture these tbh. Looks mighty complicated.

 

[turkish]

Am I maybe over complicating? It seems fine in my head- only got down to 56 degree hinged at waist (9 o'clock) and was 63 yards carry so hoping these others would give me lower yardages?

Hinged at knee is basically in between 7-8 o'clock in clock drill.

 

[NWJocko]

Sounds complicated to me but I'm a simple soul!

I had a specific lesson on pitching as it was an embarrassment!

Once I knew the correct technique I use one swing length but just change the club for the required distance. Means I can play shots under about 130 yards with different clubs and in different ways.

Seems to make sense to my simple brain as I'm just making the same swing with all the clubs......

 

[turkish]

Ttttttr

I have 2 hours available and should get everything done

Definitely- my full set of clubs; full shots, then 9 o'clock half swing in 4 wedges; so really like 17 different swings/clubs took 90 minutes.

If working on short game alone you'll probably get a lot more swings in for each club

 

[Region3]

It doesn't really matter how you describe it to us, the only thing that matters is that you know what it means and can reproduce it when you need to.

Personally speaking, my shortest carry from the way I described my different shots will be around 45-50yds. Anything shorter than that and I'll play it by eye, ie trying to 'feel' the shot.

I tried having 7 and 8 o'clock swings but something inside me screams that it isn't a long enough backswing and I hit it too hard.

 

[garyinderry]

Am I maybe over complicating? It seems fine in my head- only got down to 56 degree hinged at waist (9 o'clock) and was 63 yards carry so hoping these others would give me lower yardages?

Hinged at knee is basically in between 7-8 o'clock in clock drill.

Those 4 points are too close. Example, hinged at the knee you say is between 7 and 8. pretty much impossible to decipher.

Would it not be easier to think in terms of how far back you swing and forget about minimal hinges and fully hinged.

Quarter back swing, half back swing and full back swing. with 4 wedges this will cover a large distance and you can just take a little or add a little extra if the conditions require it.

 

[Region3]

Would it not be easier to think in terms of how far back you swing and forget about minimal hinges and fully hinged.

I know this wasn't directed at me, but playing a pitch feeling like you've no wrist hinge (there will be some) is really easy to replicate and takes a decent chunk of yardage off.

For example, half a proper swing with my SW carries about 80yds. The same length swing feeling that I don't break my wrists carries about 60yds and is very repeatable.


[video=youtube;-xnN2WObEFE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xnN2WObEFE[/video]


P.S. I didn't pick that vid for the annoying repeats!

 

[londonlewis]

I use the clock face method and have done for the last couple of years. I find it is the best way for me to produce consistent results.

Before hand I tried to use feel but invariably found that my results were patchy and it was far too much like guess work.

I honed this skill by getting down to the range to use my 4 wedges to targets between 40-100 yards. I work on ensuring I can get to each target using any of my wedges (except using my 60 degree wedge for a 100 yard shot). It means I know how to control flight and distance.

 

[turkish]

So you were all correct- hinged at the knee was too awkward so worked on stiffer wrists at 9, 8 and 7 o'clock- like Day above and got some good distances and also noted roll outs though know I need to take into consideration ground conditions etc but definitely think knowing these distances will give me confidence going forward.

Got carry distances in my non full shot wedges going from 25 yards to 84 Yards.

I actually think I would like to try this with all my clubs now for bump and runs, awkward shots under trees, windy conditions etc as sometimes I struggle with say hitting it 110 yards knowing I can't put any height on it

 

[chrisd]

So, today was the day!

I know the pro well and he knows my game, I told him that I wanted to work on a more scientific approach and decided to play a full, three quarter,and half shot with my 4 wedges p/w, 51, 54 and 58 degrees

I started to hit with my pitching wedge and moved through the clubs but he quickly picked up what I thought maybe the case. I was going from, say,a 3/4 to 1/2 swing by slowing down the speed and not necessarily by shortening the swing. Some swings were the distance I wanted and some weren't, but, I was pretty consistent with the yardages that each club went shot for shot. He wasn't giving a lesson but just doing the recording but said I was clearly, like himself, a "feel player" and whilst it's useful to have distances for each club and length of swing it's going to be difficult, after so many years, to change to a totally mechanical method.

So, the end result, I've got the information and I shall measure the shot distance and try to hit the type of shot that the testing shows ie 1/2 pitch wedge = 82 yards carry and see how it goes!

 

[the_coach]

first off, good luck going forwards with the short stuff & finding some reliability

but gotta say that either using the clock method, or simply hands to hip, chest, shoulder height is not mechanical.

just helps to provide a workable repeatable framework for the feel of a co-ordinated swing motion between body, arms hands & club.
so there are some repeatable stock distances that are pretty reliable, as to why the mostly the whole Tour works one or the other (clock face/or length height takeback in relation to body) to a great extent.
within that framework you still going to have in-betweeners also, every kinda pitch, chip requires feel to marry the golfers motion to the cg of the club face to get a sound contact.
surprised that a Pro would think otherwise, gotta to have 'feel' to hit any shot well.

 

[chrisd]

first off, good luck going forwards with the short stuff & finding some reliability

but gotta say that either using the clock method, or simply hands to hip, chest, shoulder height is not mechanical.

just helps to provide a workable repeatable framework for the feel of a co-ordinated swing motion between body, arms hands & club.
so there are some repeatable stock distances that are pretty reliable, as to why the mostly the whole Tour works one or the other (clock face/or length height takeback in relation to body) to a great extent.
within that framework you still going to have in-betweeners also, every kinda pitch, chip requires feel to marry the golfers motion to the cg of the club face to get a sound contact.
surprised that a Pro would think otherwise, gotta to have 'feel' to hit any shot well.

I think you're spot on.

The conclusion was to play for certain positions at the take away but I will probably hit with differing speeds as I've always done. We both felt that the excersise was extremely positive and my results for each club and length were reasonably consistent. I'm probably going to play in the swindle tomorrow and will definitely work on the measurements done today