Wedge distances

[rosecott]

If you have nothing constructive to say then don't bother posting on my thread.

How you are still a moderator is beyond me.

You seem to be getting very possessive about "your" thread. This is an open forum and you are starting to come over as the only person whose views count for anything. I suspect you also have no idea what is involved in being a moderator although you also have an opinion on that. My twopennyworth is that a thread about how far other people hit their wedges is pretty pointless.

 

[Pippo_T]

Dave Pelz Short Game Bible is an interesting read on the subject of wedge play IMO.

Agree, I've read excerpts and the 7, 9 and 10:30 o'clock wedge idea is a very good idea. I've tried to extend this to incorporate 8 and 9 iron as well and find that it's much easier to play the game from 100 yards in. I try and avoid a full swing with a wedge as much as possible, as I find it the most inconsistent part of my game in terms of distance control. A 54 deg can go anywhere from 60-100 yards.

 

[Pippo_T]

You seem to be getting very possessive about "your" thread. This is an open forum and you are starting to come over as the only person whose views count for anything. I suspect you also have no idea what is involved in being a moderator although you also have an opinion on that. My twopennyworth is that a thread about how far other people hit their wedges is pretty pointless.

I agree that other people's wedge distances are fairly pointless apart from maybe one thing:

When I was trying to improve this year I found it useful to have some sort of benchmark. If you know that a confident player in the 0-14 handicap range hits a 54-56 deg around 75-95 yards on average, it gives you a little but of perspective on the performance of the player you are trying to become versus where you are currently. We can be philosophical and say that we should ignore all around us and play the game as individuals, but human nature always leads us to compare and contrast ourselves against others.

 

[deanobillquay]

I agree that other people's wedge distances are fairly pointless apart from maybe one thing:

When I was trying to improve this year I found it useful to have some sort of benchmark. If you know that a confident player in the 0-14 handicap range hits a 54-56 deg around 75-95 yards on average, it gives you a little but of perspective on the performance of the player you are trying to become versus where you are currently. We can be philosophical and say that we should ignore all around us and play the game as individuals, but human nature always leads us to compare and contrast ourselves against others.

This is exactly why I asked the question.

I'm a 27 handicapper, and curious to know how far the lower handicappers hit their wedges.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Surely the players handicap has little bearing on the distance they hit the ball, no matter which club you are talking about.

I hit my 52* about 120yds with a full shot, but don't normally use that club from 120yds. I prefer to use a pitching technique with my PW from 120yds instead. I would use my 52* from 100 yds, 56* from 85yds and 60* from 60yds inwards.
But that isn't necesarily always true, because I may change clubs depending on ground conditions, pin position, hazards etc.

BTW I take size 9, 9.5, 10 or 10.5 depending on manufacturer.

I hope this helps.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

... If you know that a confident player in the 0-14 handicap range ...

I may get scolded for this but, IMO that isn't one handicap range. That is about 3 or 4 different ranges of handicapper/ability.

For example I (off 5) am nowhere near as good as most 0-3 handicappers.
Same goes for most 10 handicappers and me.

 

[JezzE]

Very easy one for me this... I hit all my wedges absolutely nowhere!

 

[Region3]

would you really hit a 60 wedge in from 85 yards ? you would have to make the ball goes miles in the air to travel that distance. doesnt really seem like the shot if you ask me!

Not for a run of the mill shot no, but there's always an exception to the rule.

Earlier this year, all square on the 18th in the club singles ko and I put my ball very close to a small-ish tree in the rough. I didn't think I could get over it but had to try due to the situation, so took my 60deg and swung hard (it was just a bit further than I was comfortable hitting). It got up over the tree and finished about 10' away and I won the match.

Middle of the fairway to an easy flag then it's a shorter swing with a longer wedge, but knowing how far you hit your LW with a full swing can be useful sometimes. Even if the example above is the only time I use it this year, it's worth it imo.

 

[Mattyboy]

The idea is not only to know how far a smooth swing carries the ball per club but also to have regular gaps in yardage. Lofts can move over time (especially forged clubs if you practice on mats) and some people will realise that there is a problem with a club as it might go 10 yards further or shorter than expected, when compared to other wedges in their set.

As has been said, you need to find a quiet area where you can use 1 dozen balls that you would use on the course - Range balls wont help at all. I concentrate on a target in the distance and a smooth swing. Then walk up and choose an average ball and laser back to my bab for each wedge. Noting the yardages down. You can vary swing length and gripping down as well.

As Pelz does - 3 swing lengths, 4 wedges, grip normal or down = 3 X 4 X 2 = 24 yardages - some will be the same as others.

All in all, a perfectly reasonable question by the OP IMO.

Good luck.

 

[Region3]

While I'm here....

Full swing
47 - 126
51 - 112
56 - 95
60 - 80

3/4 swing
47 - 113
51 - 100
56 - 85
60 - 70

1/2 swing
47 - ?
51 - 85
56 - 75
60 - 60

And whilst I agree that anybody's distances are of no use to anyone else, I'd argue that they are of interest to other people.
A lot of threads could be accused of being the same ie. what use is it to know what settings other people have their driver on, or what shaft is in it, or how long it takes them to play 18 holes, or which pocket they keep their tees in, how long it takes them to drive to their club, etc, etc.

The only difference is that this one concerns distances, and that's when the haters come out.

 

[deanobillquay]

The idea is not only to know how far a smooth swing carries the ball per club but also to have regular gaps in yardage. Lofts can move over time (especially forged clubs if you practice on mats) and some people will realise that there is a problem with a club as it might go 10 yards further or shorter than expected, when compared to other wedges in their set.

As has been said, you need to find a quiet area where you can use 1 dozen balls that you would use on the course - Range balls wont help at all. I concentrate on a target in the distance and a smooth swing. Then walk up and choose an average ball and laser back to my bab for each wedge. Noting the yardages down. You can vary swing length and gripping down as well.

As Pelz does - 3 swing lengths, 4 wedges, grip normal or down = 3 X 4 X 2 = 24 yardages - some will be the same as others.

All in all, a perfectly reasonable question by the OP IMO.

Good luck.

While I'm here....

Full swing
47 - 126
51 - 112
56 - 95
60 - 80

3/4 swing
47 - 113
51 - 100
56 - 85
60 - 70

1/2 swing
47 - ?
51 - 85
56 - 75
60 - 60

And whilst I agree that anybody's distances are of no use to anyone else, I'd argue that they are of interest to other people.
A lot of threads could be accused of being the same ie. what use is it to know what settings other people have their driver on, or what shaft is in it, or how long it takes them to play 18 holes, or which pocket they keep their tees in, how long it takes them to drive to their club, etc, etc.

The only difference is that this one concerns distances, and that's when the haters come out.

This is what I personally love about this forum.

As a process guy, I'm curious as to how others approach their short game and posts like this allow me to look at it from a different angle.

Much appreciated fellas :thup:

 

[drutz]

Only have 2 wedges PW and SW, but with my still slightly erratic swing;

PW 90-100
SW 70-85

 

[ScienceBoy]

whats ballooning?

So no one answered this?

I seem to launch my wedges very high, I guess its a swing fault somewhere, I hit all my irons pretty high actually. I therefore lose a little distance compared to others. My 52 goes the same as most peoples 54 according to this thread.

A result of this high flight is also a loss of control, approaching the apex of the flight the ball, rather than stalling in a controlled manner becomes susceptible to wind. This I can only attribute to having insufficient spin and/or the axis not being vertical. A well struck shot will rise, stall and then drop due to the effects of velocity and spin acting against the resistance of the air.

I usually compensate for this high and weak flight by hitting 3/4 and half shots with other clubs.

I have only one slight conclusion to why this may happen, my swing does not take enough divot and may also be slightly out to in. In other words I am closer to hitting up on the ball than I should be but not actually doing so. I am working on this with my pro and I hope to have a more penetrating flight that rises, stalls and feels more under control.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

This is what I personally love about this forum.

As a process guy, I'm curious as to how others approach their short game and posts like this allow me to look at it from a different angle.

Much appreciated fellas :thup:

If the aim of this thread is to get different perspectives on short game shots can I suggest you look at the threads started by Bob and Justone about this type of thing.
They asked what shot you would play to certain flag positions from, if memory serves, 50yds in the middle of the fairway. They will probably demonstrate that most of us play the same shot in a myriad of different styles.
I'm sure you or someone else will be able to find them via the search facility.

 

[Pippo_T]

I may get scolded for this but, IMO that isn't one handicap range. That is about 3 or 4 different ranges of handicapper/ability.

For example I (off 5) am nowhere near as good as most 0-3 handicappers.
Same goes for most 10 handicappers and me.

I agree it isn't one handicap range, a low single figure player is very different to a 13/14. I guess I took that range of handicaps because my goal is to off 14 by the end of next year!!

 

[One Planer]

If the aim of this thread is to get different perspectives on short game shots can I suggest you look at the threads started by Bob and Justone about this type of thing.
They asked what shot you would play to certain flag positions from, if memory serves, 50yds in the middle of the fairway. They will probably demonstrate that most of us play the same shot in a myriad of different styles.
I'm sure you or someone else will be able to find them via the search facility.

^ This is really good advice!

Pretty much everyone commented on those threads too!!

 

[Pippo_T]

I usually compensate for this high and weak flight by hitting 3/4 and half shots with other clubs.

I have only one slight conclusion to why this may happen, my swing does not take enough divot and may also be slightly out to in. In other words I am closer to hitting up on the ball than I should be but not actually doing so. I am working on this with my pro and I hope to have a more penetrating flight that rises, stalls and feels more under control.

I think you're conclusion is spot on, because your description of wedge and iron striking is almost identical to mine and what my pro says I need to do is achieve a shallower angle of attack from the inside to get better contact. In drills I've done with him when I get it right and come from the inside I hit my clubs the same distance as normal with barely half the effort used. Just need to maintain that type of contact when I make a full swing, which is hard!!

On bad days my wedges go nowhere, and I've semi-mastered hitting 100yd 7 irons, 80yd 8 irons etc get around the problem for the time being!

 

[ScienceBoy]

I think you're conclusion is spot on, because your description of wedge and iron striking is almost identical to mine.

I still hit a nice high draw mostly, its all looking great but I think some of that is coming from the slightly out to in swing, it is worse with my wedges but gets better when using a PW or 9 iron and above.

Tis such a hard game this, even when you can whack it around 18 holes without losing a ball you still need to improve lots to shoot anywhere near par!

 

[sJoe]

Pw - 46 degree = 100 yards
52 degree = 80 yards
58 degree = 60 yards

Ah! that's good to see, and it seems to be the norm. for most players, it's also what I hit..so I aint that bad mmmm

 

[Snelly]

club, etc, etc.

The only difference is that this one concerns distances, and that's when the haters come out.

Haters? Eh? That is therapy speak and a bit strong for a description too!