Underclubbing - Arrogance or ignorance?

[LegendOle]

Decided to head up for a knock about around half 7ish tonight. Course was a bit busier than i thought but managed to get a good few holes in by skipping backwards/forwards at times. Ended up being the last person in and so i thought id play 3 balls trying out some different shots etc. I noticed something that seems to continually happen to me - I underclub! Was hitting some lovely iron shots yet most of them kept coming up short. Anyone else suffer from this? Im unsure if its simply arrogance in that i think i hit longer than i actually do or if its more that im terrible at judging distances???

 

[Jaymosafehands]

I used to suffer with this, and it was ignorance! only problem is I started getting pin high but right or left!

 

[Imurg]

It's a bit of both.
We all - mostly - over-estimate how far we hit the ball and many of us don't know accurately enough our yardages. Plus we're generally rubbish at judging wind, slope and anything else that can get in the way of a good shot.
We've then got to hit the shot properly....

 

[Oddsocks]

I'm the other way, prone to over clubbing

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I'm struggling with my yardages but that's down to my new clubs going further than my old ones so hopefully next few weeks i'll get to grips with them.

Also the windy conditions we've had over the last few weeks haven't helped to be fair.

 

[Mongoose]

First, you gotta know how far you carry each club, realistically and objectively. Second, you have to have a good understanding of the prevailing effects on the shot, wind, lie etc. Then you have to ascertain what is the sensible shot based on the hole position relative to the trouble. Then you execute the shot. As most golfers seem to only look at yardage, then base it on the career shot they hit a decade ago, they come up short. Constantly being short is the sign of a golfer who can improve a lot. But there are times when being short is the best play.

 

[kid2]

But of a moot point this as it can have a really diverse set of answers..
For instance i have a fair idea of what club i hit a certain distance but then you have to bring in factors such as weather and the lie..
Plus we as amateurs can never repeat the same swing twice in a row.
So when we do catch one really sweet were wondering why the hell we've airmailed the green and when we dont really catch it right we are questioning the club choice.
You could have the right club in hand but then if you catch it thin or fat all that goes out the window.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think most players underclub on a regular basis which is why the majority of trouble is always short of the green. I have to be honest (can of worm alert) and say I've been much better since using my Sky Caddy. Of course you do have to put some work into getting a REALISTIC set of yardages for each club (who cares if you only hit a 7 iron 135 yards as long as you hit the target) to make it worthwhile but I am rarely short now except perhaps playing into the wind and the flight being affected or through poor execution. Even if I miss a green its usually pin high (the dodgy short game then kicks in) and I tend to miss long if anything. Of course there are times when I will perhaps aim on the side of caution. Despite saying most trouble is at the front we do have a couple of greens where long is dead and so those times I'll aim centre or front third.

 

[RGDave]

I'm the other way, prone to over clubbing

Me too. Especially on the short irons.

I had 112 to our last (middle) t'other day. 125 to the back. Too much for a PW given the pin was back right. Went with a 9i. Never even hit the green. Flew the whole damn thing.

160 downhill. 6, (no) 7 or 8? went with 7. Over the green, through some trees, on a hole I wasn't supposed to be on for about another 40 minutes.

 

[fundy]

Very different argument at our course currently, all the trouble is long, the course is running so quick, short is the safe option and the best miss so to speak, its currently very difficult to be aggressive and attack flags, front edge is a very decent safe option

 

[jasondransfieldgolf]

The biggest thing I see from amateurs is they think they hit further than they do. If you can get the ball around pin high most times you will score much better. Irons are for accuracy not distance. Take extra club if you need it. Many pros work for pin high.

 

[kinhell]

I used to take a 6 iron from 150 yards and on Sunday I was 145 yards away and everything was going long so I took a 9 iron to bounce up to the front and caught it so sweet it rattled in the trees behind the green ! Luckily I managed to find it and scramble a point. I have Cleveland CG7 irons which really bite and now I seem to be catching the ball sweet it's such a great feeling. I need to use my FreeCaddie app and work out my exact yardages now.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

A bit of both probably. Ignorance because most people have no idea how far they really carry the ball. Arogance because, as is proved on this forum, many people believe they hit it further than they do.

When I was in Florida earlier in the year I was faced with many holes that had lakes directly in front of the green and some pins tight over the water. A lot of time I took more club and hit it pretty close, sometimes surprisingly close. Maybe no further past the pin than I would have been short but safe and no worse off.

Ever since then, whenever I'm evaluating a shot I always ask myself what I would do if there was a lake in the way.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I am an over clubber at the moment, I hit the ball better since some recent improvements and I have added about 20 yards to the carry but not gained any overall distance.

This has reflected in longer shots in this windy dry weather, on a course based on chalk makes it even worse. I have lost count of the 300+ yards I have done in the last week alone!

When the wind changed on one hole I had to hit driver driver to par it, days before it was a driver and a PW to make the same score!

Gotta love this game!

 

[Oddsocks]

I'm the other way, prone to over clubbing

Me too. Especially on the short irons.

I had 112 to our last (middle) t'other day. 125 to the back. Too much for a PW given the pin was back right. Went with a 9i. Never even hit the green. Flew the whole damn thing.

160 downhill. 6, (no) 7 or 8? went with 7. Over the green, through some trees, on a hole I wasn't supposed to be on for about another 40 minutes.

Had it sunday 2 holes on the bounce,
15th, nice drive and im 120 to the front pin is front but so is a nice deep canyon that can wreck cards, easy 9i flies the green at about 140

Assuming it was wind behind i hit the next hole 16th, nice 3wood and im 125 to the front, pin is right back so around 145, easy 9 iron, pitched at the back and straight through.

two common things with these shots, the comment of " oh B****X " straight after the shot! you got to love this game.

 

[viscount17]

predominantly it's judging distances, then it's hitting the distances I think I can. throw in wind, bright sun, hills and valleys and it's surprising I get there as often as I do (and tbh it's not that often!)