What to consider when choosing a club to pull?

Whenever I watch a pro tournament, they will use (for example) and 7 iron on a 175 yard shot, and then use it again on a 200 yard par 3, reaching their targets both times. My question is what do you consider when pulling a club?

I usually just go with what club I can use a full swing with, but obviously the good golfers choose high irons for mid range shots...

You might not be viewing things accurately.

It's more simple.

They hit a club that matches the yardage they have,

If they use a 7 iron on a 200 yard par 3, (and that's if), they do it because the terrain, slope and wind mean that it's the same as their 175 yard shot.

Obviously, in high wind they might need to hit a 6 iron where it might normally be an 8 iron to keep the ball low and to compensate for the effect of the wind.

BUT......generally, you hit your 175 yard club 175 yards, unless you want to land it short to run up or are laying up etc.

I've always thought of the tour as almost a different game. Way above my head.

Like you, I look at the maximum distance and use the club that will keep me within that range unless I have to consider a water hazard close in front of my target. For most of holes/courses I play, there is more room in front than behind my targets - whether it's greens or dog legs.

Elevation changes really do make a difference in gauging distance and I feel that's pretty easy. Also, certain lies make a huge difference - it's an area I haven't even started to figure out yet. All I know is anything that isn't on a fairly level lie is a crap shoot as far as distance.

My game and the pros' games are so far a part, other than maybe some of the equipment, and the turf we play on.  They are, at the very least, 1/2-3/4 strokes better per hole than I am. They are much more consistent than I am.

I do look at the same things they do. Elevation changes, yardage, lie of the ball, possible hazards, current course condition, and weather. I just see those things differently than they do because of the disparity in our games.

If they see a 7i shot, they use their 7i. Me, if my eyes say a 7i, my brain says use a 6i. That's how I pick my club. One club longer than what I see. I use this method because I rarely ever know what the exact yardage is for my next shot. I don't pull out my GPS. or lazer on every shot, and I don't go looking for course markers.

Is it uphill, down hill or level?

Is wind helping or hurting the shot?

Where do I want to land it on the green?

Are there hazards I need to avoid?

Lets say its a 130 yard par3...level...no wind... pin cut in front middle portion of green....no bunkers or water

That's a standard 9 iron for me

Lets say its the same type hole only 5 yards up hill  I can't get to the pin with the 9 so I'll choke down slightly and

make the same swing with an 8...I may end up a little past the pin

Same hole uphill... 5 yards.... 10 mph wind in my face... bunker guarding the front of the green

now to me its playing 145 to the hole....I'm choking down on a 7 and making the same swing...I don't care if I'm

long..it's better than dumping it in that front bunker

you get the idea

That is probably not a bad approach since, in my experience, golfers are far more likely to be short than long.  The only exception would be if there was serious trouble behind the green.  But in most cases it seems like the trouble is in front more than behind.

Same here my experience most amateurs miss short.

Or they mishit worse than usual. :-P

What does temperature do to distance/ball flight? I know the ball goes farther in the warm temperatures, but thats about it...

Driver is affected the most. Maybe 3/4 yard per degree F. Irons have less variation for me.

There use to be some heated discussions about the temperature, and the compression of the golf ball itself. The colder the ball actually was, the less resilient it was to the club's impact. Some folks would keep their golf balls in a heated compartment during colder ambient temperatures, while switching balls ever 20-30 minutes. Others would use a lower compression ball to counteract the colder ambient temp. I imagine some folks did both.

For me, some days might be a two club day when it was really, frigging cold. Didn't care why. Just did it. Keeping myself warm was the priority on those cold days.

No, they mishit it the way they usually do.  That is why their most common miss is short.  Because they really have no truthful understanding of what is "usual".  We all do it.  Just for fun, track how often your approach to the green is short of the pin and how often it is long.  I'd bet for most of us it is over 75% short.

They just better not try that in a real competition since it is illegal.

Right, completely agree with you and Mike. I was just joking a bit, but. . .

After I started loading my wrists on the takeaway, I over hit just as many of the approaches as short. Now, I'm pretty much missing all over the place (short, long, wide either way).

I'm getting near greens pretty much the way I was 3 months ago at my peak performance, only better since I am loading the wrists the same way every time. Prior to that, my misses were mostly 75% short as you mentioned. . .

I don't usually go for the pin unless it happens to be in the fat part of the green, but I'm certain most of my misses last season were left and right of the target. Those falling short of my target were second, but it wasn't due to pulling the wrong club (except maybe for higher elevated greens). Hitting over or through a green was rare but I'd like to think that was due to playing the right club.

If I'm trying to decide which club to pull, ego doesn't come into play but I'm also not going to take into account that I might chunk it or top it. I take into account what the long or short distances of a fairly well-struck ball will be (difference usually being around 10 - 15 yards). I'll pick a spot - whether it's a spot on the green or a spot in the fairway of a dog leg - and pull the best club for that distance. Like some have said above, that distance doesn't always call for the same club because of elevation, wind, how I feel I'm hitting that day...

At the courses I play, probably 25% - 30% of the holes have enough room behind them where going too long wouldn't hurt. For the majority of them, landing the ball short of the green is a preferred miss. And when it comes to dog legs, the last thing I want is to hit through them. So I'll pick a club that will provide the greatest distance without going too far.

Isn't that generally how most amateurs play?