what do you do ??

[Dreamer2]

my golf is improving all the time ,,ive stopped thinking about the basics & hitting most shots smooth & consistent,,,

my question is when approaching a shot looking at the distance to flag what do you do ??

lets say distance 110yrds


check distance, pick the club you know will reach the Target with a full swing & hit with confidence or pick a 9/8/7 iron hit with a 3/4 swing


forget about the weather ,lie, etc ,,,,,,,I'm just wondering how many pick the club that makes the yardages with a full swing
:fore:

 

[bluewolf]

110 is a nice easy PW. So thats what I take. If its 125, I take a 9 iron. etc etc... I never hit a "full" shot. Every club is hit at approximately 80%.... The only change to this rule is shots between 50 and 100 yards. I prefer to use differing powered PW's. I don't like using full (80%) swings on my higher lofted wedges unless I have to..

 

[SocketRocket]

I look at the target, I visulise the shot that will get me there, then I pull out the club to do it.

 

[DaveM]

If my best shot is with a 9 iron, I will take an 8 iron and hit easy. How many times do you come up short( i bet most), how many time do you hit long ( i bet never). Always take one more club than you think.

 

[Wolfman]

I now only take 3/4 swings for all

For approach its pick the club i think is correct and use my normal swing, only time i change this is when i am closer in but too long for chipping say 50 yds in where i drop to my 48 deg wedge and always use this for the short distnace pitch based on feel and slower swing but still 3/4

 

[SocketRocket]

I dislike making percentage shots, I like to fully committ to the shot in hand. If I start thinking of 80% or 50% shots then it can lead to steering the club and mishitting. Of course there are shots where you need to take less than a full swing to keep the ball low or bump and run it, I try to control these shots more by the amount of wrist hinge and swing speed rather than the length of swing.

 

[Mattyboy]

I have read Pelz's short game bible and I would recommend it.
1) Know exactly (to the nearest yard) how far you hit each club (he advocates a swing that takes the big muscles out of the shot).
2) Make adjustments to swing length and/or grip down. Do not alter swing tempo.

For me 115 would be a smooth wedge so I would need to make a 5 yard adjustment. I prefer to grpi down than alter swing length. Every inch down reduces the shot by 10 yeards in my case. So a 1\2 inch grip down will do it. BTW - thats how far the ball will fly so I might need to make a larger adjustment.

 

[Whee]

I take the club that can reach the back of the green if struck well.

If, invariably, I don't flush it, then it's not going to be far off my target.

Always a club more, to answer your question.

 

[Val]

Full shot every time

 

[Dreamer2]

I have read Pelz's short game bible and I would recommend it.
1) Know exactly (to the nearest yard) how far you hit each club (he advocates a swing that takes the big muscles out of the shot).
2) Make adjustments to swing length and/or grip down. Do not alter swing tempo.

For me 115 would be a smooth wedge so I would need to make a 5 yard adjustment. I prefer to grpi down than alter swing length. Every inch down reduces the shot by 10 yeards in my case. So a 1\2 inch grip down will do it. BTW - thats how far the ball will fly so I might need to make a larger adjustment.

well,well,well,, thank you mattyboy,,your my hero today ,,,Ive just started being comfident with my swing to do the same swing with most clubs ,,my SW is about 65 ----PW 100yrds with a smooth swing ,,i have a 60 wedge but like to use that from about 25yrds into target ,,,but from 65yrds to 100yrds i was a bit stuck opening the club face on the PW only works now & then


Ive only ever held down the grip if ball is above feet,,,not realizing i can do this to lose yardage with PW


this answer should help my game cant wait for the concrete greens (frost) to soften up for me to practice


in fact sod that I'm of to the range ,,,,thanks to all who replied

im still interested in other golfers ways of iron shots

 

[richart]

I try for a full swing with as many shots as possible. Much rather have 110 yards to the flag than 70 yards. Full swing I have a good idea how far it will go, three quarter/half swing absolutely no idea.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Full shots on everything up to PW distance and then try to reign the power in and look for accuaracy with a smoother 3/4 swing. I'll never hit my PW, 52 or 58 flat out

 

[Karl102]

full swing all day! Think it helps my timing...

 

[Hobbit]

If its 110yds I pick a club that will hit 110yds the vast majority of the time. If its between clubs I pick the longer of the 2 and go down the grip an inch, in effect taking 5yds off it. Choose the club and, having made a decision, commit to it 100%.

 

[Region3]

Ignoring everything else I'd rather have a full swing.

But I'd rather hit a 3/4 swing with a longer club if the flag's at the back of a back to front sloping green, or it's into a strong wind.

 

[BTatHome]

As region3 says it depends on lots of variables for me, flag position and weather conditions being some. Also depends on the lie, straight from a rock hard fairway, I'll probably hit it lower and maybe get a low bounce and run, from a fluffy first cut I might hit a full PW as I can be more sure of a good contact.

 

[papyt]

firstly you must know to within a couple of feet how far you hit each club with a full easy swing that is your starting point then you asses the conditions is it windy, what is the wind direction,is it cold or a nice hot day are the greens holding or like a cart path,do you need to be short of the pin to put up hill,when you have done all this THEN you can decide the best club to use,or do i play a different game than some on here.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

110 is PW for me.

I'd be 100% confident that I'd be pin high with this club. I say pin high because I'd probably tug the shot left....

 

[ash01]

110 would be a wedge most likely.

If it was target golf and I just wanted to flick it high and dry onto the pin then I would select the club that I know will get me there, stand about 5 yards behind the ball, visualise the shot, take a practice swing, walk to the ball and place my club behind the ball with my feet together then finish my address position while looking at the flag.

Then swing the club, hit the ball and wander up and tap it in for a birdie.

Ash!!

 

[Mattyboy]

well,well,well,, thank you mattyboy,,your my hero today ,,,Ive just started being comfident with my swing to do the same swing with most clubs ,,my SW is about 65 ----PW 100yrds with a smooth swing ,,i have a 60 wedge but like to use that from about 25yrds into target ,,,but from 65yrds to 100yrds i was a bit stuck opening the club face on the PW only works now & then


Ive only ever held down the grip if ball is above feet,,,not realizing i can do this to lose yardage with PW


this answer should help my game cant wait for the concrete greens (frost) to soften up for me to practice


in fact sod that I'm of to the range ,,,,thanks to all who replied

im still interested in other golfers ways of iron shots

Just glad you fund it hlpful - but I would recommend his short game bible for a read.

If you have 4 wedges, 3 swing lengths and grip up/down you have 4x3x2 = 24 yardages between say 30 and 120 yards. Some will be very similar so you can play the shot you are most comfortable with.
I wrote some down on the side of my range finder.