I always struggle with those in between distances .....

[Gerald]

Let's say I hit 140 yds with a 8i and 155 yds with a 7i (yepp I know I am a shorty) and I have 148 to the hole ....

I can take out an 8i and really go for it (bad idea mostly) or I can take out a 7i and hit it at ease (mostly what I do), but not seldom the 7i at ease flies the full 155 yds or it was with so much ease that it doest even make the 135 yds.

The lowcapper I played with the other day, said why don't you choke down an inch on your 7i at hit your normal shot ?

So I have been practicing this lately and it really works for me, how about you ?

[golf4fun12]

I'm with you gerald. my toughest shot was the 100 just cause my pw is 115 and my 54* is 85. 90% of the time I would hit a soft pw unless I had some wind behind me, then I would hit my 54*. solved this problem with getting a gw which took away all worries.

If I had to make a decision between chocking down or hitting a strong shot, I would go with the choke down shot. the reason is that most people, including myself, will try to swing to hard and just duff or top the ball. just go with the easier shot and make the green.

[TourSpoon]

Gerald, gripping down is a great way to accomplish knocking a few yards off a club. Practice this and it will serve you well. Another thing is to grip down and then think of shortening your swing just slightly (like 95%) and swing through like you normally do. If you can pull that off then try for 90% and gripped down. You will soon see how you can manipulate distances and hit some really cool lower flighted shots. One of my favorite shots is a gripped down pw that I swing my hands to almost chest high and then hit through normally. It takes about 15 yards off the club and is really helpful in the wind or when I need that distance.

[Kieran123]

Gripping down is the easiest way to control distance on a full swing, rather than slowing the swing.

Gerald you can also place the ball further up in your stance, which will add height and drop distance.

[rpolancot]

I know that it is commonly used to choke on the club and it works!! But i think that it is a mental thing. You choke on it and mentally you swing slower, maybe because the different feel on the grip. Mathematically and generally speaking (it is a bit more complex than this) a one inch choke on a club will cause a (on a 37" 7 iron and a guy with a 24" arm) a 1.64% decrease in the radius of the swing thus equal decrease in club head speed. This, on a 155 yds shot, will decrease it to 152.46. If it works for you then do it, if anytime time it doesn't now you know why.  Having a 3/4 swing shots mastered is a plus for the game, its like 14 more clubs in the bag and help with this in between shots. Another way is to open or close the face a bit, lets say 5* to vary the loft of the club hence the distance. Compensate a bit in your stance for a draw or fade, that is if you don't have this new super forgiving clubs on the market that will fight the draw/fade. As mentioned on other posts, moving the ball in your stance, will also vary your distance/release of the ball. Hope this helped.

[max power]

The choking down thing works for me, I think it also makes me take another 5-10% off my swing.  Just wanted to add Gerald that there is nothing short about your distances.  Hanging out on golf forums can make you think everyone hits their 7 iron 170 or more, but it just isn't the case.  The stats and my personal experience with tons of amateur golfers indicate that the average male golfer swings about as fast as the average LPGA player-if he's lucky and we're being generous.  Average LPGA tour player hits a 7 iron 141 carry, 147 total.  You hit your clubs plenty far and have a sub-6 handicap, so you're sitting pretty.

Originally Posted by Gerald

Let's say I hit 140 yds with a 8i and 155 yds with a 7i (yepp I know I am a shorty) and I have 148 to the hole ....

I can take out an 8i and really go for it (bad idea mostly) or I can take out a 7i and hit it at ease (mostly what I do), but not seldom the 7i at ease flies the full 155 yds or it was with so much ease that it doest even make the 135 yds.

The lowcapper I played with the other day, said why don't you choke down an inch on your 7i at hit your normal shot ?

So I have been practicing this lately and it really works for me, how about you ?

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Let's say I hit 140 yds with a 8i and 155 yds with a 7i (yepp I know I am a shorty) and I have 148 to the hole ....

I can take out an 8i and really go for it (bad idea mostly) or I can take out a 7i and hit it at ease (mostly what I do), but not seldom the 7i at ease flies the full 155 yds or it was with so much ease that it doest even make the 135 yds.

The lowcapper I played with the other day, said why don't you choke down an inch on your 7i at hit your normal shot ?

So I have been practicing this lately and it really works for me, how about you ?

I believe that a person hiting GI irons (anything with high tech pieces welded together and vibration dampening) will always struggle with partial shots. I see you're onto AP2s now (v. Cobra S2s) so that's a step in the right direction.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I believe that a person hiting GI irons (anything with high tech pieces welded together and vibration dampening) will always struggle with partial shots. I see you're onto AP2s now (v. Cobra S2s) so that's a step in the right direction.

The Cobra S2 is actually a very nice iron, GI ....... hmm yes, but you really got to hit these well to play around hc. 5 with them (today I played 37 (+1) on the first nine and started with a double bogey) ....... it was however the dispersion (also in length) that 'forced' me into a new set.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Gerald

The Cobra S2 is actually a very nice iron, GI ....... hmm yes, but you really got to hit these well to play around hc. 5 with them (today I played 37 (+1) on the first nine and started with a double bogey) ....... it was however the dispersion (also in length) that 'forced' me into a new set.

A decent player could take any set of musclebacks, look up the stock lofts and lies on the internet, then dial in the distance as well with one set as the next. With more tech driven designs you have to spend more quality time with them, You'll get there, just might take an extra month or so.

[Harmonious]

Agree with the choke down approach to drop 5 yards or so.  Another important thing to consider is where the flag is.  For example, if I had 148 to a front flag, I would go with the 7, as I would perhaps be long but still on the green and putting.  Conversely, if it's 148 to a back flag, I would be inclined to go with the 8, for the same reason.  It's always better to hit the green than not.  Don't forget to factor in the wind, as well.

BTW, your iron yardages and mine are very similar.  We'll have to get our handicaps up to 15-20 before we can hit our 8 irons 165 yards and our 7 irons 180.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

Agree with the choke down approach to drop 5 yards or so.  Another important thing to consider is where the flag is.  For example, if I had 148 to a front flag, I would go with the 7, as I would perhaps be long but still on the green and putting.  Conversely, if it's 148 to a back flag, I would be inclined to go with the 8, for the same reason.  It's always better to hit the green than not.  Don't forget to factor in the wind, as well.

BTW, your iron yardages and mine are very similar.  We'll have to get our handicaps up to 15-20 before we can hit our 8 irons 165 yards and our 7 irons 180.

Or get stronger

[Gerald]

Quote:

Agree with the choke down approach to drop 5 yards or so.  Another important thing to consider is where the flag is.  For example, if I had 148 to a front flag, I would go with the 7, as I would perhaps be long but still on the green and putting.  Conversely, if it's 148 to a back flag, I would be inclined to go with the 8, for the same reason.  It's always better to hit the green than not.  Don't forget to factor in the wind, as well.

BTW, your iron yardages and mine are very similar.  We'll have to get our handicaps up to 15-20 before we can hit our 8 irons 165 yards and our 7 irons 180.

Yep ....... playing 2.0 instead of 5.8 is a lot clever approaches .......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kieran123

Or get stronger

Irons has nothing to do with strength, being 6'9" my clubs come from somewhere ....... besides that my distances are based on 3/4 swings with the mid to short irons ....... you will hardly ever see any low capper using a full swing iron 6 - XW.....

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Quote:

Yep ....... playing 2.0 instead of 5.8 is a lot clever approaches .......

Irons has nothing to do with strength, being 6'9" my clubs come from somewhere ....... besides that my distances are based on 3/4 swings with the mid to short irons ....... you will hardly ever see any low capper using a full swing iron 6 - XW.....

*facepalm*

hook, line and sinker

[WUTiger]

I do the choke-down to shave distance primarily on my wedges.

For full shots with numbered irons, I usually just hit one club or the other. I'm still getting my distance yardstick down (Note: you have a much lower HDCP than I do). Should probably use the choke-down more overall.

[golf4fun12]

for the first time ever, I choked down on a 3-wood and made some much better shots. made 2 par-5's in 2 shots today. went to the range afterwards to get a better feel for it. working so far I guess.