Proximity to the Hole (Prior to the Shot)

[iacas]

There's an awesome book called " Lowest Score Wins " out there which says, correctly, that the strongest correlation to the distance your ball finishes from the hole is how far away it was before you hit it.

In other words, you're more likely to finish closer to the hole from 110 than you are from 130. From 30 rather than 70. From four feet (likely in the hole) than from five feet (less likely to hole the putt). Etc.

On last night's Big Break, players were told they had to hit their 8-irons from any distance outside of 90 yards. Some genius went to 160 yards because he was hitting it 170 on the range. Another went to 130. Etc.

While there's some truth to being able to hit a stock shot, the difference between 90 and 160 yards is nearly double: predictably, he hit his shot to 32'3" or something. I bet, if you could create 199 more alternative universes where he gets to hit one shot from 160 yards and one from 90, the 100 he hits from 90 yards would beat the paired shot he hits from 160 about 75% of the time.

When we played the single club challenge at Whispering Woods, Dave, Mike, and I were on a team. We are all pretty good. We had to hit 5-irons on two par threes from 100 yards and from about 120 yards.

We hit the green six times. Had we played those shots from 195 yards or so, we would not have done that. It's easier to hit the green - and get closer to the hole - from 120 or 100 yards than from 195.

Sorry. Mini rant. Not sure what you can take from it, but it struck me as incredibly dumb to see some of these people hitting shots from well over 90 yards.

P.S. The announcers made fun of Anthony choosing 100 yards. They called him "idiotic." He hit it the right distance but pushed it way, way right. The other players continued to make fun of him. One said "you have to be SO accurate with that shot…" Uh, no, you have to be more accurate from 160 than you do from 100. From 160 a 5% error is 24 feet. From 100, that's an 8% error, while a 5% error is 15 feet.

[chris3putt]

Quote:

Some genius went to 160 yards because he was hitting it 170 on the range. Another went to 130. Etc.

When faced with a new challenge, human beings invariably tend to go for what is familiar, wether it is best for the situation or not.

[iacas]

When faced with a new challenge, human beings invariably tend to go for what is familiar, wether it is best for the situation or not.

The 160-yard genius had a total of over 80' in two shots. 32'+ and 48'+. Anthony, despite hitting two pretty lame shots, still finished first after two shots. Others got over 100' in two shots.

And even if one of those geniuses had managed to hit a great shot and beat Anthony's total (57' or something), it would have been lucky.

We weren't "lucky" to hit six shots on the green from 100 and 120 yards with five-irons. We would have been very lucky to do so from 195 yards.

[chris3putt]

There's an awesome book called "Lowest Score Wins" out there which says, correctly, that the strongest correlation to the distance your ball finishes from the hole is how far away it was before you hit it.

And it's absolutely correct. But that doesn't mean it will be accepted as such straight away. LSW is actually quite revolutionary compared to most golf instruction, and revolutions always come up against "We have always done it this way, and no one has questioned it till now!."

BTW, I think the biggest thing with the 160yd guy is that most golfers are very uncomfortable hitting less-than-full shots with anything more than a PW.

[InTheRough]

The 160-yard genius had a total of over 80' in two shots. 32'+ and 48'+. Anthony, despite hitting two pretty lame shots, still finished first after two shots. Others got over 100' in two shots.

And even if one of those geniuses had managed to hit a great shot and beat Anthony's total (57' or something), it would have been lucky.

We weren't "lucky" to hit six shots on the green from 100 and 120 yards with five-irons. We would have been very lucky to do so from 195 yards.

quick question for you:  by this logic should you always default to hitting a driver on a par 4 or 5 and only go to something less if there is something in your landing area like water or a bunker?

[iacas]

BTW, I think the biggest thing with the 160yd guy is that most golfers are very uncomfortable hitting less-than-full shots with anything more than a PW.

In Virginia Beach, our student got to choose the clubs we'd hit to a green from about 70 yards away. For me, to get me back a little, he chose a 3-iron. I hit one shot to about 30 feet away. My second shot finished six feet away.

Many pros are simply not terribly bright about this kind of stuff.

quick question for you:  by this logic should you always default to hitting a driver on a par 4 or 5 and only go to something less if there is something in your landing area like water or a bunker?

Buy the book. You'll thank me in the end.

Short answer: yeah. Pretty much.

[billchao]

In Virginia Beach, our student got to choose the clubs we'd hit to a green from about 70 yards away. For me, to get me back a little, he chose a 3-iron. I hit one shot to about 30 feet away. My second shot finished six feet away.

I would have made you use a putter :-P Anyway, agree with the main topic here. Better closer to the hole than farther away. I also participated in the one club challenge at Whispering Woods. I definitely hit more greens with a partial 6 iron than I would have with a full 6.

[chris3putt]

Quote:

I would have made you use a putter, ...........

.........Left handed!

[saevel25]

I think everyone should at least try playing a golf course with one club. Even if that means playing the up tees so the par 4's are still reachable in two. It is a great way to learn some creativity.

At the one club scramble at Whispering Woods. We were near the green in two on a par 5. We all decided to play a short bump and run, not very successfully. Afterwards we were trying to hit flop shots with a 6 iron .

You'd be surprised what you can do with a golf club. With a bit of wrist flip, and good timing you can really get the ball up and land it soft with a club that only has 30-32 degrees of loft.

[boogielicious]

I would have chosen 90 yards and hit a 1/2 8 iron.  I have actually been using the 3/4 and 1//2 shots a lot this year with great success.  The 1/2 and 3/4 shots are much more accurate for me and I can generate a lot of spin to have them stick to the green.  I also have been trying to get as close to the hole on par 5s.  This has also saved me strokes.

Of course, I read the book, which helped!

[MS256]

I too would take the shortest shot no matter what club I was using.

I suppose I'm a little different than most in that I don't consider less than full shots as a certain fraction of the full shot (like 3/4 or 1/2). I just see the target, feel and see the tool in my hands, and swing hard enough to reach the target. I don't even know or care how long my backswing is relative to normal (or anything like that).

To me it's absolutely no different than if you handed me a ball and told me to throw the ball into buckets at different distances away. I wouldn't have a clue what my mechanics were but would just throw the balls in the buckets.

It's also exactly the same to me as hitting infield practice. I'm not going to change bats or think about fractions when I hit one pop up to the shortstop and the next ball over the centerfielder's head.

BTW I've played many rounds with just 2 or 3 clubs when I wasn't in the mood to carry a bag but just wanted to walk around and get in some practice.

[mvmac]

When we played the single club challenge at Whispering Woods, Dave, Mike, and I were on a team. We are all pretty good. We had to hit 5-irons on two par threes from 100 yards and from about 120 yards.

Yes that was a pretty interesting experience. Without warming up before or ever hitting 5 irons from 100 yards (other than under a tree or something) we all got on the green and the shots were decent.

[teeitup22]

Yes that was a pretty interesting experience. Without warming up before or ever hitting 5 irons from 100 yards (other than under a tree or something) we all got on the green and the shots were decent.

How do you hit a 5 iron 100 yards in the air? Slow swing and a half swing?

[saevel25]

How do you hit a 5 iron 100 yards in the air? Slow swing and a half swing?

Shorten the swing mostly, but you can also slow down swing speed as well to help out.

[iacas]

How do you hit a 5 iron 100 yards in the air? Slow swing and a half swing?

How do you hit a pitching wedge 40 yards?

Not the point.

[mvmac]

[RandallT]

I saw that episode of BB but missed this thread. That was definitely frustrating to watch them all "dis" Anthony, although one guy copied him for his second shot. I was thinking the whole time: "C'mon Anthony, go to 90 yards- why play from 100, you idiot! :)"

[newtogolf]

I tried hitting my 8i from 100 yards out to the flag at the range this weekend just to see how difficult it was.  I was surprised that after a few practice shots I was hitting it pretty close to the flag.

My main miss was a bit short so I don't understand why Anthony missed both of his shots to the right.