100 yards in - which club to use?

[very handicap]

I always admire the pros on tour using a 56 deg to hit a high shot from 100 yds and land it softly next to the flag (sometime with backspin).

However, i find it difficult to hit a full shot on a 56 degs and most of the time running the risk of duffing the shot. Instead, i had to use a PW or 9 iron hitting a 3/4 slow "feel" shot.

Is this due to my skill limitation or do most people do the same as well? Or i should go and spend more time practicing full 56 deg shot from 100 yds regardless of how many time i duff the shot?

[James_Black]

It depends on the conditions.

I've hit anything from a SW-7i from 100 yards.

If you find a shot difficult and duff it often, why would you try force it?
Hit the PW or 9i, if you strike it well it's still going to stop up fast.

[glbrum]

I love my 56 for that shot, but it really depends on what you're most comfortable with...some days I hit my 56 great to 100yds [a full, hard swing should get me 105-108 with a 56] BUT, other days it's my 50 with a 3/4 swing. Bottom line, it's all about confidence. Whether it's your 56, 52, pw, 9, 8, 7, etc. it doesn't matter. Whatever get's you close, get's you close. If you want to hit your 56 close @ 100yds then practice that shot otherwise use the club that you can find a consistent swing with and use that. Again, I think golf is all about confidence so play the shots you're most confident in [whether it's from the fairway or into the green] and you'll make better scores. Good luck!!

[chef35ca]

I use everything from a 55* sw to a PW. Usually the stock shot for 100 is a GW at 50* for me.

Don't force a shorter club for more distance. That's not their intention & you run the risk of all kinds of mishits.

Either practice taking something off a longer club or look into another wedge to cover the gap. I'm guessing you have about 10* between your pw & sw.

[colin007]

knock-down pitching wedge until i get up by the green.

[Shooter McGreenkeeper]

i use 52 deg.
nothing worse than landing a 57 deg next to the pin and the ball backspins off the front of the green coming to rest on the fringe..

[The Dark Lefty]

If you master the bump and run with your pitching wedge/9 iron you can be deadly. I use a sand wedge to fly it to the green if there is trouble in front like bunkers or water.

[wrx_junki]

  The Dark Lefty said:

If you master the bump and run with your pitching wedge/9 iron you can be deadly. I use a sand wedge to fly it to the green if there is trouble in front like bunkers or water.

Bump and run from 100 yards out? With or without trouble in the front a bump and run isn't the right play from 100 yards out.

[SouthernILGolfer]

pretty much pw from 100 yards and in on all shots unless i have to hit a lower shot because of tree trouble then usually try to hit a punch shot with 6 iron as its the longest regular iron i have, hybrids arent very good for those kind of shots as they get the ball up too quickly. Ill just vary how hard I swing if its a shorter shot, I have a 56 deg wedge but i use it primarily just for shots out of the bunker as I just cant hit it a consistent distance on normal shots. I might hit it 125 yards one time and the next time hit it 50 yards just cant rely on it.

[Peleus]

Sounds odd coming from a 18-20 handi, but I actually rock a 54, 58, and a 60. Since I grew up on a few acres, these were clubs that I could always take out back and use practice full swings with without any danger of knocking golf balls off the property. As a result, I can't hit my fairway wood straight to save my life, my driver is a bit errant, and most of my irons are, at the best, a bit skittish.

Get me inside 110 though, and I've usually got only 2 or 3 strokes to go.

[opie]

  colin007 said:

knock-down pitching wedge until i get up by the green.

Yup. I rarely hit a SW other than a chip of 20 yds in. I love hitting the knock down PW. Comes in low, controllabe and stops

[Fourputt]

  very handicap said:

I always admire the pros on tour using a 56 deg to hit a high shot from 100 yds and land it softly next to the flag (sometime with backspin).

First of all, I wouldn't worry about what a pro does. He has crazy skills that most amateurs can only dream of. I very rarely use my 56° for full shots. I've just never been sufficiently consistent with it for that, and I don't worry about it. I much prefer using my 51° wedge from 100 in for most shots. I spend most of my practice time with that and I feel most comfortable with it. I have lots of friends who use the SW quite well for these shots, and that's fine. I still don't let it influence me in my game.

This is the key.... how much time do you spend practicing these shots? Touch shots require practice, and too many players only practice full shots on the range. Work on the feel shots and you may find that those 100 yard SW shots aren't even necessary (I couldn't hit a SW 100 yards anyway.... my 51° wedge goes 100 yards on a full out swing).

[WUTiger]

Most 56º wedges are designed as sand wedges - bunker clubs - and usually have a lot of bounce. If your course has lush, fluffy grass in the fairway, a high bounce wedge will work. If you have shorter grass and harder soil, a high-bounce club can be troublesome: If you don't hit it really clean, the clubhead may bounce off the ground and cause you to miss the shot.

As for 100-yard shots, go with what works. Nothing wrong with a 3/4 swing. Several posters on here - including some low HDCPs - say they rarely hit a full wedge shot.

Who cares if you hit a 3/4 PW into green on a one-hopper, rather than rocketing a 56º that backs up 10 feet? Both get you in there for a one-putt. The scorecard doesn't care how you got your 4, nor will your scramble partners.

[saevel25]

From 100 and in, depends on the shot.

None elevated green with nothing to carry, like a bunker, i will take my PW and hit a knock down shot that takes a nice hope and rolls out slowly. Its a nice controll shot, i can do that for 100 and in.

Elevated greens, i will go to a sandwedge (56) degree, but i always try to take the ball as low as the shot dictates, its more control for me that way.

I never really use a lob wedge.

[BostonSully]

  chef35ca said:

I use everything from a 55* sw to a PW. Usually the stock shot for 100 is a GW at 50* for me.

50* Gap wedge my new favorite. I never even use a 56* anymore unless I am actually in Sand I feel like anythign 100 and under I can do better with a GW. But I do sail some shots over the green.

[dbuck]

I mostly use a PW down to 75-80 yds using combinations of choking down and shorter swings. I don't like to hit a full shot with my other wedge although a full nuke with it is about 100-105, I don't know where it is going. I like to use it from about 75 in.

The point being, use what you are confident with and can control.

[Fatphil]

Hitting a 56 or 60deg to me is one of the harder shots. It requires holding the lag and setting the angle absolutely perfectly or the results can be horrific. Most anyone can sweep at a 460cc driver and hit it decently simply because it doesn't take a very advanced understanding of the golf swing. On the plus side if we all take some extra time and learn how to properly hit the 70-100 yard pitch you will get a better understanding of the golf swing.

[Chicago Lefty]

It depends on a lot of factors but for the most part I play a SW from 80-105 and a 60* for most shots under 85 yards.