Stopping the ball quickly on an approach shot

[barrybridges]

Now that I've been playing a while I've reached a level where I'm now making few - or no - silly mistakes anymore. I've gone from the duff/shank/slice/thin stage as a beginner, to where I'm hitting the ball reasonably well.

At the same time, my distance has improved - I can now comfortably reach most greens-in-regulation distance-wise, even if my accuracy isn't that good.

With that though comes a bit of a new issue, which is that I really struggle to stop the ball on the green from an approach shot. Normally the ball has some forward roll, or the flight isn't high, so it rolls beyond the green.

8 iron and above is fine - the flight is high enough that it 'plops' right down. But anything more than a 7 iron and I just can't seem to stop the ball quick enough. I'm constantly going through the green.

Is there anything I can do? Is this something that different clubs help with (am playing with Yonex VMXs at the moment, so very much aimed at high handicappers).

 

[garyinderry]

use a soft ball such as srixon soft or pro v1. if the greens havnt seen much water it can be hard to get the ball to sit dwn. its like when u play links golf. u must land the ball short and let it chase up onto the green. if u land it at the pin u go out the back!

 

[DaveM]

Use a softer ball. Or don't hit it so far and let it run up.

 

[One Planer]

Something I'm semi new to also Barry.


What ball do you currently play?

On recommendation of Oddsocks (Thanks again OS :thup I've switched to a 3 piece, Wilson Staff DX3 from the Srixon AD333. Definatley worth considering if you don't want to fork out for a premium ball.

As the greens are getting firmer I'm also playing the ball a little more forward to get a little extra height to try and get it to land a little softer.

 

[Aztecs27]

Having a steeper angle of attack to generate more spin might also help. I have a naturally high ball flight, so I don't tend to worry about it too much. Just means I have to hit 7 iron when everyone else is hitting 9!

 

[garyinderry]

this is correct. always remember this when clipping the ball in small pitch shots. if you want a little more height then come in steeper into the ball.