What is your "magic" distance or club for approach shots?

[Saig55]

80 to 105 with my Vokey 56, 3/4 to full swing

205 with my 5 wood, dead on.

[Mattplusness]

80-110 is my comfort zone.

Full LW, SW, or GW.

[LuciusWooding]

Angle > yardage. I'd rather have a clear shot than exactly 150 but with sand short, a sloping green and water long. And in general the closer the better. But I do hit a lot of irons on par 4s, since there aren't a lot over 370 near me and there are a lot right around 320. 200 in the fairway is pretty good for many amateurs, even with a driver, so I'm glad I'm hitting a short iron instead of a hybrid from there. More than 2/3 of the par 4s at my local courses, even from the back, require 5 iron, 7 iron or less. Unfortunately my 7 and 4 iron were recently deceased, so I guess I'll try to avoid 215 and 170.

I like 200 yard par 3's though, does that count?

[GaijinGolfer]

  JaxBomber17 said:

Originally Posted by JaxBomber17

For example, if I know I can't reach a par 5, or if it's a shorter par 4, I try to smooth an iron to around 145 so I can hit a full gap wedge in, rather than risk mis-hitting a long iron or wood trying to set up a pitch and ending up with an unfamiliar shot. What do you folks like to do?

A 145 yard pitching wedge?  Right.

[Mattplusness]

  GaijinGolfer said:

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

A 145 yard pitching wedge?  Right.

Gap wedge!

[showtime583]

  Mattplusness said:

Originally Posted by Mattplusness

Gap wedge!

GWs have more loft than PWs....so you hit a GW 145? How far do you hit your PW? 155-160?

[Mattplusness]

  showtime583 said:

Originally Posted by showtime583

GWs have more loft than PWs....so you hit a GW 145? How far do you hit your PW? 155-160?

Not me silly buns!

My GW goes 110 max and my PW 120-125

[showtime583]

  Mattplusness said:

Originally Posted by Mattplusness

Not me silly buns!

Whoops.....sorry about that! But still, the point stands.....those yardages seem a bit aggressive!!!

[Jimdangles]

  showtime583 said:

Originally Posted by showtime583

Whoops.....sorry about that! But still, the point stands.....those yardages seem a bit aggressive!!!

I know what your saying those yardages are intense. My wedges I do feel better and more consistent if I "attack them" im not talking about a gap wedge to 145 but like my lob wedge ( 100 yard club) to attack it to maybe 110 MAX

[Golfingdad]

  showtime583 said:

Originally Posted by showtime583

Whoops.....sorry about that! But still, the point stands.....those yardages seem a bit aggressive!!!

I used to hit my PW 145 (10-15 years ago).  I don't know what's happened since then ...  I guess I just used to really swing hard.  My PW (Same club, btw) now goes 130.

[dak4n6]

Um yea, a 145 GW is Tigeresque.

I agree with Erik, I like to get as close as possible without feeling I have to swing 110% or risk putting myself in danger. I have no problem with a 20 yd choked up SW or LW or bumpnrun 8i..gotta be creative.

[JaxBomber17]

145 is my full gap wedge (52). PW is 1f55. That's why I ordered my Mizunos 2* weak, and I plan on getting my wedges adjusted when they come in. I wouldn't call it Tigeresque lol...I'd have to hit the green more than occasionally to call it that.

[sean_miller]

Any multiple of 20 seems to be okay. Not crazy about exactly 130 for some reason.

[dsc123]

  David in FL said:

Originally Posted by David in FL

As a general rule, I'm a believer that closer is always better.

If I had to pick a club and yardage though, I really like a nice little 85 yd sand wedge.

I'd say my magic number is 125, a full pitching wedge.  But I don't lay up much anymore either.

Last year I did.  I would hit 4 iron, 7 iron, Wedge on par 5's.  But that seems ridiculous to me now.  If I'm 250 out on a par five, i'm taking out my 3W, hoping to hit it 230 or so and be a short pitch.  From 20-30 yards, my avg pitch leaves me 15 feet.  My average PW leaves me at 25 feet.  Unless the 3W approach goes OB or into some serious trouble, there's no reason to layup.  If there is trouble, then i'll hit a hybrid instead and try to leave myself a 40 yard pitch, which is still easier than a full wedge.

The only thing I avoid right now is the 90-110 distance because I don't have a SW to cover it.  So if my 3W would put me in that range, I might hit a hybrid or long iron to keep it in the 120s.

[glock35ipsc]

I like being in the area of 90 to 110 yards, I just have a lot of confidence in droping one in from that range.  If not there, then as close as I can possibly get!

[Nutter]

75 to 120, if I have a sand or gap wedge in my hand I'm looking to make birdie.........or at least have a reasonable chance at one, who knows what mood the flat stick will be in any given day

[JaxBomber17]

  GaijinGolfer said:

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

A 145 yard pitching wedge?  Right.

When I  step on my gap wedge, it comes out low (for a wedge), goes around 145, and sits down fast. It's my absolute favorite shot to hit. Now, I have a ridiculously low ball flight (to the point that I ordered my new irons 2* weak), so that may give it some extra distance. But yes, it's my 145 club.

[poser]

I don't find myself laying up to some 80 yard shot or anything I get as close as possible as I can as long as there is no trouble