Tour pros and specific iron yardages on approaches??

[kleraudio]

Just wondering how the hell these guys put their approaches so close to the pin?

Can they really hit it 118 yards on cue?? I mean the difference between 118 and 120 yards is 6 feet (a missed birdie putt)... If they hit it 123, they are screwed, you know what I mean?

I mean can they really confidently carry any distance that is necessary? Like its 150 to the pin, I want to carry it 143 and let it hop and stop...??

I know it doesnt happen every time, but watching on TV, they are putting their shots feet from the cup more often than not.

Just wondering about this...

Thanks!

Jim

[Ben]

I think so, particularly within shorter range. They can even account for break and how that will affect spin and/or roll. When you see a touring pro hole a shot from inside 120 yards, more often than not, that's what they are trying to do. Not just get it close, but hole it and use the course conditions to help.

[iacas]

Can they really hit it 118 yards on cue?? I mean the difference between 118 and 120 yards is 6 feet (a missed birdie putt)... If they hit it 123, they are screwed, you know what I mean?

I can quite often, so they can too.

Yes, to answer your question.

[goblue107501]

It is all about the feel and repetition. With as many more balls and shots that they hit, way more than even the average golfer that plays 6 days a week, it just becomes a feel thing. I have certain distances that I know I can get with in 2-3 yards of the distance (accuracy is another matter) just off of feel. I have friend who can hit certain distances with different clubs on cue. It is all about feel. The more you play the more you get a feel for it.

[granitegolf]

I can as well. I use the clock(1/2, 3/4 and full swing) method with my 50 56 and 60. This gives me 9 distances that I can replicate with ease on the course.
I carry a little chart with my yardages and just refer to that. Now I'm starting to experiment with the same swings but with 1 inch of choke which will give me another 9 distances.

[pcmancini]

I can as well. I use the clock(1/2, 3/4 and full swing) method with my 50 56 and 60. This gives me 9 distances that I can replicate with ease on the course.

This is very cool and I guess, being a high handicapper, I never really thought of it so systematically. So for each wedge you will have 6 yardages and then if you experiment with a different position in your stance you may double that.

Take that methodology up through the irons and, given your handicap is near scratch, you have your own yardage book for each of your clubs. Like I said, very cool. Paul

[Leftygolfer]

They are that good. I don't know if you read the short game bible by pelz but he descibes working with the pros. They can carry it exact yardages on comand inside of 125. When a pro has a wedge they are disappointed with not making a birdie.

[pittpanther]

Just wondering how the hell these guys put their approaches so close to the pin?

It's their job - it's the only thing they do all day, every day.

Can they really hit it 118 yards on cue?? I mean the difference between 118 and 120 yards is 6 feet (a missed birdie putt)... If they hit it 123, they are screwed, you know what I mean?

They can't hit EXACTLY the yardage (otherwise we would see a lot more holes in one and eagles than we do), but they can certainly drop most of their balls within a short radius of the target. Take a look at the most-recent Golf magazine - Furyk breaks down what a pro has to calculate, in 30-40 seconds (wind, elevation, green speed, lie, etc).

I know it doesnt happen every time, but watching on TV, they are putting their shots feet from the cup more often than not.

TV gives a false impression of golfers' ability. By jumping around from player to player, and focusing on all the good shots, TV gives the impression that every shot is a great shot.

[clubchamp]

Best advice if you want to be able to have decent control over distances. Start spending some time using the clock system and choking down. See what distances you start coming up with for different clubs I think you will be surprised how easy it comes. Keep in mind I'm not saying you will hitting like the pro's but certain distances will start to become easier shots.

[ks8829]

I have just begun to dial in my short game around the green, so my next challenge is to hit the 40 - 100 yards shots close.

[safetrip]

I suggest you go to a tournament and see them practicing on the range. I was there at Deutchbank on Sunday this year. There was a small trash can size target 60-70 yard away from them. Usually their routine was to start by pitching to the target as a warm up.

Even as a warm up, all of them were hitting it within 6 ft radius 90% of the time. It was amazing. But the most amazing thing though was Padraig driving with one arm 250 yard.

[plugged]

When I can start hitting specific distances within 5 yds, I'll know I have arrived at the next level and I expect my HC at that time to be in the single digits.

Right now, I feel confident that I can stick a PW within 10-15 yds. This number goes up or down slightly with increasing/decreasing distance from the pin and different irons.

[zrlaegel]

I suggest you go to a tournament and see them practicing on the range. I was there at Deutchbank on Sunday this year. There was a small trash can size target 60-70 yard away from them. Usually their routine was to start by pitching to the target as a warm up.

i saw paddy doing that there as well. the thing that screwed with me was when he switched arms.

[iammpspeer]

I can as well. I use the clock(1/2, 3/4 and full swing) method with my 50 56 and 60. This gives me 9 distances that I can replicate with ease on the course.

Half swing being waist high?

[Clambake]

I recall a tournament I was watching years ago. There was a short taped interview with Greg Norman, and he was slamming amateurs, indicating that they have no real clue how far they'll hit a particular club, while the pros knew exactly what their yardages are. He braggingly stated that he knew within a 1/2 yard how far he would hit a mid iron - he was so cocky about how accurate his yardages were. The interview ended and they cut back to live coverage of Norman as hit a 7 iron about 10 yards over the green into deep trouble. I don't remember who the announcers were, but you could almost hear them rolling on the floor of the booth laughing their butts off.

[luckyluke699]

I can quite often, so they can too.

iacas or anyone else, quick question (seriously)... I don't yet have a handicap as I'm still picking things up (hence the 28.0 maximum handicap in my signature) and have not yet joined a club, but I would logically imagine that if a player could hit it within a couple of yards of the pin "quite often" surely he'd be a + handicap, like +2 to +5? (Assuming he could drive straight, as he'd obviously have good iron play to be able to hit such accurate yardages)?

All I mean is, if I could hit it to within a 6 yard put (should be a 'gimee') half of the time (from within 120 yards) I'd be creating a tremendous number of birdies wouldn't I? :S

[Zeph]

I'm pretty accurate with 8 iron to the wedges, they are fairly easy to hit. What impresses me is when they hit the approach shots with 4 irons to a few yards. Like the par 3s which can be over 220 yards.

[Blades4me]

Just wondering how the hell these guys put their approaches so close to the pin?

First, these guys are disgustingly good. The difference between them and any am scratch golfer is emense. Also their bread and butter shots are between ~110 and 130 yds so they practice those shots a lot. So "yes" to answer the question.