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How far is too far for a bump and run


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did some short game practice last evening and in an effor to gain some consistency where I can guarantee myself at least a par when I'm 60 yrds or nearer to the pin from my tee shot I tried a few bump and run shots ( Obviously not the shot of choice if there is a bunker or rough between ball and green )
From 20 balls scattered between 50 & 60 yrds out using an 8 iron 1/4 swing with no wrist break like a regular chip shot I found myself on the green with all of them and had decent birdie putts for about half them and got all balls down in 2 or less putts.
I followed this with 20 similarily placed balls and using my gap/lob wedge I could not come near the same consistency and missed the green with a couple and had very few birdie chances. Repeated this a few times and same results.
Question is as you very rarely see a pro bumping the ball from 50 yrds so is this a shot that is not a good idea to be using in the long term ?
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A pro is good with the wedges and can stick the ball quite close, that's why you rarely see it. If it works for you, why not, but you have to consider the different lies and slopes you will encounter. If you are 50 yards away, no matter what hole it is, by going through the air you know exactly how the ball will behave. The slopes may be going left or right on two holes. This makes the shot unpredictable. Bunkers and obstacles is also a thing to consider. If you have an obstacle in the way on 50% of these shots, why not play all of them the same instead of having two different shots to get on the green?

I like to carry the ball to the green, or at the most just bounce it once on the fairway or fringe. I want to take those elements out of play. You will have to be confident with the wedges for this to work, but with a good wedge setup (bounce, grind, grades) and a good shot it is definately doable for anyone. Just takes practice.

Hitting wedges is not that hard, I very rarely top the ball anymore with a long wedge shot, hitting it fat is more of an option for me, which isn't catastrophic. Close to the green you often see the pros bumping it once or twice on the fairway or fringe, but on greater distances you are probably better served with a high ball.

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I would say it largely depends on the course conditions and your comfort level with the bump and run. It is great to have that option in your short game, IMHO. While you may not see a lot of pros on the PGA Tour hit a bump and run from 60 yards, watch some of the European Tour and you will.

I played last weekend at several course in Oklahoma where the bermuda grass was, for the most part, dormate. The only way to get the ball close to the pin from 60 yards or less was a bump and run. This weekend I will be playing at home in Kansas, weather permitting, as we have had several inches of rain with more expected. Grass is long, greens are soft, I will be flying everything at the pin.

Craig 

Yeah, wanna make 14 dollars the hard way?

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what Im afraid of happening is that using a shot like this might impede me developing my short game properly. For instance, I used to use a Texas wedge around the green for all my chipping but Was advised against this. I changed to Chipping with GW - 8I for greater variation around the green Im glad I did as my chipping has improved no end.
Certainly the bump and run has always been my shot from a hard pan lie or with very littke grass under the ball but I never consider it as a first choice type shot till yesterday :)
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The problem with the bump and run is that you can catch a bad bump and it will run in some looney direction. That said, it's also more effective for me. I use it in play and also practice my wedges. When my wedge play gets me closer with the same or better consistency, I'll switch over. That may never happen, though!

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In golf, it's not how, it's how many.

If one type of shot gets you closer to the hole than another, then that's the one you use. Confidence is so key in this game, especially with the "feel" type shots.

That said, I agree that more can go wrong with the run portion of the bump and run, but if the conditions warrant it, use it with confidence. (Then, drain the putt! )
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Well if your from Ireland..im not sure you if can bump and run enough...hahaha. I can hit a good bump and run shot, but i must say, I rarley use it outside of 20 yards from my target. Any more than that ill probably play a pitch or a firm chip with tons of spin.
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While you can certainly bump and run a long ways (I had a buddy that played off of a 4 hcp and played a chipper out to 100 yds), the inconsistency that comes from the uneveness of even a well groomed fairway just doesn't give me the comfort level to play it unless there's a real compelling reason.

I'd say that a little practice with shorter wedge shots would probably yield better results over the long run.

Just my .02.

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where I can guarantee myself at least a par when I'm 60 yrds or nearer to the pin

If you figure out a way to achieve this please let me know

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50 yards is typically where i cut off bump and run shots. i've played them from upwards of 100 yards out before, but only once can i recall the ball ending up exactly where i wanted it. most of the time they veer off a fair bit way or the other from that distance for me.
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50 is usually my cut off but If it's extremely windy to a point where flying a ball is out of the question then it can be longer.

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did some short game practice last evening and in an effor to gain some consistency where I can guarantee myself at least a par when I'm 60 yrds or nearer to the pin from my tee shot I tried a few bump and run shots ( Obviously not the shot of choice if there is a bunker or rough between ball and green )

Your results at 50 to 60 yds speak for themselves (good job by the way). As far as what the pros do - they hit that shot thousands of times plus the fact that the greens they're hitting to are generally FAST and the bump and run wouldn't work as well. You're a lower HCP so this might not pertain to you but Byron Nelson said something to the effect "amateurs should get the ball on the ground as soon as possible, fewer things can go wrong..."

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If you figure out a way to achieve this please let me know

x2 I will buy your book and subscribe to the news letter of a guaranteed par from 60yds out.

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I agree with the 50 yds and in for bump and run. Unless I have to hit under trees and the shot requires a bump and run (usually with some praying in there too) I try not to hit it over 50.

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Question is as you very rarely see a pro bumping the ball from 50 yrds so is this a shot that is not a good idea to be using in the long term ?

Have you ever watched the British Open?

In the race of life, always back self-interest. At least you know it's trying.

 

 

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what I see the pros doing is closer to a low flying pitch (Loaded with back spin that pulls up quickly ) shot than a bump n run. The shot I'm talking about here scoots along the ground for 90% of the distance. Basically a way to ensure that the ball is nearer the hole after I hit it than it was before I hit it. It is the bladed shot from 50 yrds out that flies 60 yrds the other side of the pin that has ruined many a round for me and hence I'm trying to find a way round it. 60% of the time I can catch these exactly as I want with a LW and get em to pull up pretty close to the pin, 30% the result is just about acceptable, but that 10% of the time where I hit the bladed shot I described is why I'm stuck at a 9 handicapper. As a wise golfer once said "no one ever wins a golf match over 17 holes but CAN lose it over just 1 hole"
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What club are you using from that distance? Loft and bounce.

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

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60 yrds is a 3/4 swing with my 60Deg LW, 9 Deg of bounce. I would never go with this club if I don't have a decent bit of grass under the ball so I don't think it's too much bounce to have on a LW. The 60% of time I get the correct contact I don't even look to see the ball land, as I know it's gonna smack that green and pull back a yrd or two. Maybe I should look at the good shots cause the bladed ones are not very pretty on the eye but I have to keep an eye on my ball to have any chance of finding it and this after being 50 yrds out slap bang in the middle of the fairway. :(
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Note: This thread is 5446 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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