When to use different short game shots

[rustyredcab]

Keep some stats and see what your up and down percentages look like. From 30 yards in but off the green, every time you get up and down in three, mark it. Every time you take more than three, note that. If you don't get on the green, you start another up and down opportunity. For example, your are just off the green and chunk it, then hit on the green and two putt. That's on successful "up and down" and one fail. That's 1 of 2 or 50%.

Note: this is not what most consider an up and down (that's two not three) but this will be more appropriate for your handicap. If I'm wrong and your percentage is 80% or better then you can start going for the pin -- imho.

[BioGolfNebraska]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

Keep some stats and see what your up and down percentages look like. From 30 yards in but off the green, every time you get up and down in three, mark it. Every time you take more than three, note that. If you don't get on the green, you start another up and down opportunity. For example, your are just off the green and chunk it, then hit on the green and two putt. That's on successful "up and down" and one fail. That's 1 of 2 or 50%.

Note: this is not what most consider an up and down (that's two not three) but this will be more appropriate for your handicap. If I'm wrong and your percentage is 80% or better then you can start going for the pin -- imho.

I do keep pretty thorough statistics on my rounds, including my up and down ("real" up and down), but I have not kept track of my # of shots from 30 yards in.  I will perhaps start doing that.  I will say that my "real" up and downs are only 12/156 since I have started keeping track.  My average first put distance in the last 5 rounds is 12.2 feet, and my putting accuracy in the last 5 rounds 0-3 feet is 80%, 4-6 feet is 45%, 7-10 feet 18.6%, 11-15 feet 6.1%.  Until I get good stats on my "up and down in three", I will assume you are correct.  My next round I will aim for the center of the green (or at least a very easy to hit area within a particular radius of the flag) as long as I am within 30 yards.

I went out and practiced doing pitches with my 56 degree cleveland wedge tonight from various lengths.  I think I am going to leave all my other wedges (besides the PW) in the car for my next round, so I am not tempted.  I hit probably 100 shots from various lies and lengths (and in the sand), and they were feeling really good.  I was able to get good spin and take a nice divot after the ball on full shots ~30-50 yards, and almost every shot hit near the center of the green.  I like using this club for the short pitch shots from the rough as well, and everything was feeling very good.

Thanks for all the input, I will keep you updated on how the next round goes with this strategy!

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by x129

My post specifically mention flighting pitch shots so I have no clue where you go the idea we were talking about chip versus pitch shot. But the point is you don't need to gauge the landing distance and rollout. You need to hit the ball to the green, take your 2 putt and move on.  On some holes it will set up so you can pitch it to with in 10 ft  without adding risk and have a run at a 1 putt.   You are trying to break a 100 not 80.  In a months when the OP is no longer getting quads from his short game he can work on turning those bogeys into pars.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

I guess I just disagree with the "one pitch fits all" approach to the short game. If a player can make contact with the ball at all, it's easier to master 3-4 shots with a couple clubs than try to guage the landing distance and runout when using one shot for all situations. A low running chip when just off the green or when you have a lot of green to work with (using something like an 8 iron), a higher pitch with a lofted club meant to carry 1/2 way between the fringe and the hole, a splash out of a bunker, and that same motion from the rough with very little release. If a person can't add 4 shots to their repetoire after a month of practice then they should take up crochet or knitting.

PS - I'm not talking about a person learning to hit all sorts of trajectories and varying the spin with their wedges. I mean they should know whether they want to hit the ball high or low which on day 1 could steer them toward either a pitch or a chip.

I read that and I sort of agree with newbs not worrying about knockdowns and cut lobs and such, but once you say they don't need to concern themselves with how much the ball will roll after landing it sounds like a one size fits all type of shot. There might be some holes where that shot is the right choice, and others not so much, but either way I should have just stated my opinion and quoted the OP, not you.

[BioGolfNebraska]

So I have left all of my wedges in the car besides my cleveland 588 56* (and the PW, of course).  I played a round at this par 3, 9 hole course with my wife for some short game practice (on a side note, she hasn't ever taken interest in golf, and only goes ones in a while, but has lately gone every other week with me.  she made par today with an up and down and good putt, so I think she might have caught the golf bug a bit).

Anyways, I shot 8 over for 9, my best score there so far.  On the holes where I missed the green, I was able to get on the green and two put for bogie on all but 1 hole (which I hit a tree on my tee off that bounced my ball backwards into the trees).  I still am using a 7 iron for chip shots, because I am very comfortable with these.  However, I really like the idea of getting a good feel for the distance on different shots with the 56*, so I was putting it within a 10 yard radius of where I was aiming (on 30 yard and in shots).

On a side note, I decided that I absolutely despise the 7"iron" and 6"iron" from my A70S set.  They are somehow a mix between irons and hybrids, but they end up being a really chunky feeling iron that is awkward to swing.  I really like the 8-pw of the set, as well as the 4 and 5 true hybrids.  I replaced the 7 and 6 iron with my tommy armour 845 silverscots, and I played much better.  I can get a solid 120-130 out of the 7 and 130-140 out of the 6, and they don't have the big fade I was gettting with my A7OS clubs (I think the 6 and 7 of that set are longer than they should be because they are trying to be "kind of" hybrids... anyways, I don't think they fit me or I can't get used to them).

I am testing out your suggestions of simplification of the short game this sunday for 18 at a tricky course.  If I am under 110 I would say it worked (I shot 124 at this course last time I played it 3 months ago).

[x129]

The key to the simplification is practice. IE spending 5 hours mastering 1 shot rather than 1 hour on 5 shots. You get a little on the course by not having to worry about stuff but that is minor.

Quote:

I am testing out your suggestions of simplification of the short game this sunday for 18 at a tricky course.  If I am under 110 I would say it worked (I shot 124 at this course last time I played it 3 months ago).

[BioGolfNebraska]

Originally Posted by x129

The key to the simplification is practice. IE spending 5 hours mastering 1 shot rather than 1 hour on 5 shots. You get a little on the course by not having to worry about stuff but that is minor.

Quote:

I went a few times this week with just that 56* wedge to the pitching green by my house.  I hit a few hundred balls there.  I have a pretty good feel (for the time being) how much roll out I will get after each hit, and how much carry, and my ability to put it within a 10 yard radius is pretty good (again, right now).  I am actually feeling pretty good about sand shots for the first time ever.  I think I was swinging too hard on them, previously, in order to ensure I cleared the bunker, which resulted in fat/thin shots.  Now I'm doing a nice gently swing to plop it up on the green.

[BioGolfNebraska]

So I played this course in town trying to use my new simplified short game.  Only the second time I have played this course.  First time, a few months ago, I shot a 124, this time I shot 106 (par 72, 70.7/124).  My differential was 32.2, so under my handicap.  I even lost my 56* SW somewhere on the front 9, so I didn't have it for the back nine.  Nobody turned it in, I couldn't find it, hopefully when I call back tomorrow someone will have it.

Anyways, my ballstriking was great (for me), I hit 57% of fairways.  Unfortunately there is a lot of trouble on this course, so I had 4 penalty strokes.  My inside 30 yards wasn't great, but that was due to putting, not wedge/pitching.  I had 8 3-putts (40 puts total), but I did have 4 1-putts, including 3 up and down for pars (and 2 additional pars from GIRs).  I also parred the longest hole ever for me, a 200 yarder up hill.  My 3 wood went to about 190 and I chipped it up to within 8 feet and I made the par putt.

I also had a pitch shot over a sand trap to a tight pin that I decided to just aim behind the pin on (as suggested).  It was a tough 134 yard par 3 with an elevated green uphill.  The pitch put it to the middle of the green, and I made a 10 foot putt for par.

Although the 3 putts cost me, they weren't the reason for the over 100 score.  My worst are a 3 quads on a par 4, par 4, and par 5 because of lost balls and not easy second shots after the drop, causing more trouble.

Thanks for the help though, we will see how it plays out next weekend, and maybe under 100 will come.

[rustyredcab]

Great work Remember that up and down over the bunker next time you are thinking of trying to pull off an impossible "get it super close" shot. Safely on the green gives you a chance at making a putt. Greedy attempts can lead to big numbers.