How to "Flight" Your Wedges and Short Irons

[billchao]

The Golf Gods still say you have a balance due. :-)

What? I made them 11 offerings yesterday! Greedy bastards. :-D

[Phil McGleno]

I think it would be really instructive to see the difference in the shots on a launch monitor so we can see how the change in mechanics affects the impact parameters and the ball flight.

How about you worry about breaking 90 once in a blue moon before asking for EVEN MORE from Mike n Erik? Go be a player because no good or decent player seems to be taking a flighted wedge as a pitch shot. Or just Go make your own launch monitor numbers. You also do not seem to understand that these things are on a spectrum and some shots have a bit of this and a bit of that in there.

[mvmac]

The reference to terminology is relevant as Joe Mayo calls the shot a 'pitch' because of the length of the shot, but the mechanics he describes appear to me right in line with the 'flighted wedge' shot that you & Mike descibe.

I haven't seen the video but I would be surprised if Joe calls a 70-140 yard shot a pitch.

The reference to terminology is relevant as Joe Mayo calls the shot a 'pitch' because of the length of the shot, but the mechanics he describes appear to me right in line with the 'flighted wedge' shot that you & Mike descibe, as demonstrated in Zac Johnson's finish, and seen in the low-flight, high spin shot with a high lofted club video that Mike posted. I understand that a 'pitch' for you involves different mechanics, but some use the term 'pitch' just to describe a shorter length shot - regardless of mechanics.

Zach Johnson's flighted finish looks much difference than his pitch finish.

Flighted (full swing mechanics).

Pitch.

I understand that a 'pitch' for you involves different mechanics, but some use the term 'pitch' just to describe a shorter length shot - regardless of mechanics.

I don't think anyone would call that shot I posted a pitch shot. Certainly not the guy that posted that video (Jeff Smith).

[iacas]

Originally Posted by natureboy

I understand that a 'pitch' for you involves different mechanics, but some use the term 'pitch' just to describe a shorter length shot - regardless of mechanics.

Once again… we don't.

[natureboy]

...understand that these things are on a spectrum and some shots have a bit of this and a bit of that in there.

Awesome, that's exactly my point. The similarities in the mechanics rather than the arbitrary distance cutoff is why I posted the videos. Per your definition a 50 yard shot is automatically a pitch while a 70 yard shot isn't. Okay, but that doesn't change the similarity in the hand paths between the shots in the videos. I am trying to understand details and other descriptions to help me hit the shot successfully because I agree with the mods that it's a useful shot to have, so I personally found the added technique descriptions in the vids helpful and informative. Sorry you don't. I am interested in those similarities and it's possible other terrible golfers like me might. That is the population you aim to engage as customers, isn't it?

 

 

I haven't seen the video but I would be surprised if Joe calls a 70-140 yard shot a pitch.

 

Zach Johnson's flighted finish looks much difference than his pitch finish. 

 

I don't think anyone would call that shot I posted a pitch shot. Certainly not the guy that posted that video (Jeff Smith).

As an indication of what I see as similarities, here are swing finishes in the videos I posted vs. some of the other accepted models. I see a very similar intention for the hand path through impact to finish, but the stills from the vids labeled as 50-yard pitch shots have more of a connected & bent upper left arm. I would attribute that to the shorter distance and therefore shorter b/s and lower arm swing speed vs. the higher speed longer wedge shots which involve more arm throw / release. The left arm extension at finish from Mike and Charlie Hoffman in the OP seems in-between Zach and Mayo / Rice. So while there is some difference I see them on the spectrum that Phil references, and not a completely different shot mechanically. If you don't fine, but that is why I thought they are relevant to the thread and potentially helpful to others who benefit from multiple descriptions.

[iacas]

Per your definition a 50 yard shot is automatically a pitch while a 70 yard shot isn't.

Completely incorrect.

@natureboy , we've now clearly defined what we're talking about several times. I'm tired of doing this, every time, with you.

[mvmac]

But for your explanations I fully understand you have a hard cutoff for flighted wedges at 70 yards and it's a pitch inside that distance

I feel like this has been explained pretty clearly. Flighted or pitch has more to do with the technique/mechanics than a yardage. Yes, you generally don't use pitch mechanics for shots over 60-70 yards. Can you? Sure you can pitch it from 80 yards but that's not the point of the thread and not a technique you're generally going to use from that yardage.

Point of the thread is to explain what a flighted shot is and how to do it. @iacas summarized it well.

A flighted wedge:

• Goes a bit lower.
• Spins a bit less.
• Is often hit by gripping down slightly.
• Has a shorter backswing and follow-through.
• Can be played from 70-150 yards or so (I can flight a 7I)*.
• Uses "Full Swing Motion" mechanics.
• Yardages vary by person.

[Jakester23]

This morning I hit one of these shots to perfection. The pin was in the front with no trouble between me and the flag.  I used to take a full swing with my gw and hit it high trying to stop it.  Today I hit a flighted pw that hit about 3 ft in front of the green and bounce on stopping 2 feet in front of the flag.  This shot has helped me so much on those in between shots.

[mvmac]

This morning I hit one of these shots to perfection. The pin was in the front with no trouble between me and the flag.  I used to take a full swing with my gw and hit it high trying to stop it.  Today I hit a flighted pw that hit about 3 ft in front of the green and bounce on stopping 2 feet in front of the flag.  This shot has helped me so much on those in between shots.

Sweet!

[iacas]

I tried to flight two nine-irons today from about 120 yards or so.

I put them both to about eight feet.

Thinned them both about a groove, too. :) No divot. They spin more… :D

[saevel25]

Thinned them both about a groove, too. :) No divot. They spin more… :D

Tour Thin to Win :D

[boogielicious]

I tried to flight two nine-irons today from about 120 yards or so.

I put them both to about eight feet.

Thinned them both about a groove, too. :) No divot. They spin more… :D

How do you know it was by only one groove, show-off!

I birdied a difficult dog leg par 5 last week with a 100 yard 3/4 PW to two feet!  I parred the ninth at my league o Thursday with an up and down with the same shot to 8 feet. I really like the 3/4 flighted shots. I am working on the 1/2 shots but I don't have the distance down yet.

[Hardspoon]

Apologies if someone else has asked this question previously, but the thread got a bit sidetracked and I didn't see it.

My question: do you think this technique is more useful from "good" lies (fairway/light rough) than bad ones (heavy rough, etc)?  I've found this to be very instinctive from the fairway or good lies, but when I'm in relatively heavy rough I've found my distance control is actually better with a full swing and shorter club.  Is that just poor technique?  The "feel" I get is that the full swing helps me get through the rough more easily.

[Jakester23]

Apologies if someone else has asked this question previously, but the thread got a bit sidetracked and I didn't see it. My question: do you think this technique is more useful from "good" lies (fairway/light rough) than bad ones (heavy rough, etc)?  I've found this to be very instinctive from the fairway or good lies, but when I'm in relatively heavy rough I've found my distance control is actually better with a full swing and shorter club.  Is that just poor technique?  The "feel" I get is that the full swing helps me get through the rough more easily.

For me personally it works from the rough. That being said I don't play many courses if any at all that have very thick rough. What's nice about hitting it out of the rough (at least the rough around here) is the ball doesn't seem to jump as much as a full swing.

[mvmac]

The "feel" I get is that the full swing helps me get through the rough more easily.

I still flight it from the rough but probably make more of a "full" swing from heavy rough. The longer (full) swing gives you a chance to create more speed and a shot from thick rough typically comes out a little lower and with less spin.

[Crazycanuck44]

Im still getting a higher ball flight when I do it not sure if maybe im flipping

[mvmac]

Im still getting a higher ball flight when I do it not sure if maybe im flipping

Probably. Make sure the backswing is shorter and work on the followthrough. Fire the arms down at the ball and feel like they stay extended into the followthrough. Good example to use to exaggerate the feel.

[Crazycanuck44]

Thanks Mike