Wedges and Experience

[Rough Stuff]

A comment by Jeff C in the "woods or 3 iron" thread prompted me to post this. He mentioned carrying 4 wedges. I also carry 4 wedges (including the sand), and its a choice that changed my game. I make my up and downs far more frequently, mostly with Dave Peltzs techniques. I also still use 7,8,9 for bump and runs...if you don't, try it, you'll be amazed with practice how close you can get it...

My point is, from all the experienced golfers on this forum, I thought it would be a WASTE not to share ideas/concepts on improving the game. Have there been things YOU'VE done (club selection, practice, techniques, ball choices, mental preparation, game management techniques, club selection versus ball lies, etc.) that greatly changed your game. Also, how much practice is involved in shaping up your game. Please share if you can.

[spidey]

Please share if you can.

Number one tip to guys trying to break 100, 90 and 80. Spend more than half of your time working on chipping.

Nearly all guys I know can hit a 5, 6 or 7 iron 150-170 yards. You can probably reach all greens in regulation with one of these clubs. Most high handicappers can reach near greens in regulation. The problem is that they're not usually on the green. IF they could just learn to get up and down regularly, they could drop tons of strokes from their handicaps.

Going to the driving range to get rid of a minor swing flaw (especially without the help of a professional) is not going to do you anywhere as much good as learning how to chip and putt the greens you play most often.

Do like Dave Pelz says. Take stats. Measure your up and downs. Then practice just chipping for a week. Two is better. Every time you practice, practice chipping instead. Then take your stats on up and downs again. I don't think you'll need to, you'll see you've already improved your scores tremendously. At the very least, you've improved your confidence in the area of the game that's toughest to everybody.

Give it a go. Anybody who's watched a low-handicapper can back me up. They make more pars and birdies with their short games than their long games.

[Ty Webb]

My weakness is definately putting. I 3 and 4 putt most holes. I started off the season an improved putter (after much practice over the winter and no thinking). Now it is getting worse (with much thinking).

Not sure how to practice properly.

I took a chipping lesson in the spring which helped me alot. Gregg Foley at Kevin Haime.

Cheers

Ty

[stanley]

Those are good points, spidey.

I often am faced with a chip on my third shot on par 4's. Because I can't get there in two most of the time. As a result I have been managing to save strokes because of a good first chips.

Ty..there are lots of ways/drills to practice putting. But make sure you take the time to practice it.

[spidey]

Those are good points, spidey.

Thanks stanley.

Of course your mileage may vary, but these are the tips I used to improve....

Breaking:

110 - learning solid contact - hitting the ball on the clubface consistently.

100 - swing plane - hitting the ball on plane with a square clubface.

90 - chipping, putting and short irons.

80 - getting fitted clubs and working on putter, wedge and driver.

(please note that getting fitted clubs will help you no matter what handicap you are)

Also, each of these levels pretty much requires you to put in more time on the course. To break 100, you have to play or practice every week. To break 80, you have to play or practice at least 3 times a week. And in all cases, you'll get more out of your practice if you get professional advice.

[Big_duck]

Advice to self when faced with a go/no go situation:

"Don't try to do it unless you can do it without trying"

Most ignored advise to self:

see above :blush

[jeffc]

while I agree with a lot of what Pelz says, including carrying 4 wedges, I disagree with which 4 to carry. Dave recommends a 64 deg. wedge. Most mid handicappers have enough trouble hitting a 60 deg wedge, let alone a 64 deg wedge.

My wedges are as follows:

PW - 46deg - 130 yds
Gap - 51deg - 110 yds
SW - 56 deg - 90 yds
LW - 61 deg - 65 yds

You see they are evenly spaced in terms of degrees and yardage and it allows me to hit a whole variety of shots in the "scoring zone". The LW is invaluable in areas where you short side it or have to bring it down soft.

[faldo]

Thanks stanley.

Of course your mileage may vary, but these are the tips I used to improve....

Breaking:

110 - learning solid contact - hitting the ball on the clubface consistently.

100 - swing plane - hitting the ball on plane with a square clubface.

90 - chipping, putting and short irons.

80 - getting fitted clubs and working on putter, wedge and driver.

(please note that getting fitted clubs will help you no matter what handicap you are)

Also, each of these levels pretty much requires you to put in more time on the course. To break 100, you have to play or practice every week. To break 80, you have to play or practice at least 3 times a week. And in all cases, you'll get more out of your practice if you get professional advice.

Spidey, how do you compare getting fitted clubs to gettting a full slate of lessons?? I'm worried that after getting the "perfect" clubs for me & then getting instruction that the series of lessons would have changed my swing so drastically that the clubs would be useless??

Thanks,

[NoBack]

My weakness is definately putting. I 3 and 4 putt most holes. I started off the season an improved putter (after much practice over the winter and no thinking). Now it is getting worse (with much thinking).

Not sure how to practice properly.

Ty........ when u get to the course early.... tyr practicing the short putts ....... between three and four feet ......... make a bunch of those first then go for longer putts ............. 6-8 feet and then longer.......... get a feel for the short putts because those are the ones you NEED to score with.

I see lots of people get on the practice green and right away try for the 30 foot putts and I wonder what they do when faced only once or twice from that distance yet have 14-20 putts from 3-6 feet. :freak5

40 % of your score will be on the greens!!!!

As for wedges? I carry only 2 - a pitching and a sand - mainly because I cant hit a lob wedge. :cry

[alice]

A good tip for practising your putting at the course that will also help you get familair with the speed is pick a spot and putt to it (say 20 feet away). With your second ball try to putt it 1 foot past the previous ball. You really have to concentrate a bit and you will get a feel for the speed. Do this going up hill, down hill, on level ground and try a few with breaks.
I agree that when you first get on the putting green, start with some 1 and 2 footers and progress back a foot or so at a time. You start off making easy 1 and 2 footers which gives your metal game some confidence from the beginnning.

[spidey]

Spidey, how do you compare getting fitted clubs to gettting a full slate of lessons??

Well, lessons are a personal thing. Personally, I've never had a lesson, and I know many low handicappers who have never had a lesson.

As far as getting clubs, you'll notice that custom clubs is one of the last things I did. Probably for the reason you're thinking. I don't want to groove a bad swing with custom clubs that won't get me down to scratch.

Of course, if you've been a 25-handicapper for over 10 years, it's probably safe to say it's ok to get yourself fit for a set. However, if you know a pro that you trust, his advice would be more suited to your specific instance than my general advice.

[Andru]

It really helps to go to your practice centre with a plan.

- 10 minutes 1/2 to 3/4 swing iron shots working on any techniques
- 15 minutes full swing shots including driver.
- 15 minutes around the green ( chip, lob, bump and run )
- 15 minutes in the bunker. ( It's amazing how easy bunker shots are when you practice them )
NOTE: If your practice facility doesn't have a bunker you can practice in, it's time to find a new facility.
- 15 minites putting.

If you have time. Spend an extra 10 minutes working on a special shot like a "knock down" or "a get out of trouble" hook shot.

Don't deviate. If you're not hitting you full shots well. STOP. Don't pound balls endlessly for an hour. Sometimes you just don't have it. This is the great thing about golf, there are so many facets to this game. If you spend your time learning each one, you'll become a better golfer. And you'll shoot lower scores.

[Rough Stuff]

Great comments so far.

On the note of practice, do you start with your nine and work up?

How many times a week do people practice. Spidey mentioned 3 times a week for a low handicapper. Is this true for all?

How often do low handicappers employ a planned shot at the game? For instance, the dogleg is left and long, so you need to draw a driver or 3 wood. What's your success ratio? Do you practice your draw shots at the range?

So many ranges DONT have a putting surface. Whats the alternative? Do low handicappers feel the carpet at home has good results?

on game management, are there shots that low handicappers automatically refuse to try, knowing the results? Example: deep rough, a three iron probably won't get in and out soon enough...(don't know if this is a good example, but you know what I mean).

I can confirm, for all of us medium and high handicappers, that putting is the key. This summer, my driving and irons greatly improved with practice. My last 2 games, my driving and iron work was the best I've ever had, very high percentages. My pitching was also great in one of those games. But I couldn't sink a putt to save my life, often 3 putting. The result: a 91 on one game, a 98 on the other. On the 98, I counted 13 putts I threw away.

[Andru]

On the note of practice, do you start with your nine and work up?

I alternate
Day ONE LW PW 8 6 4 5w 1W
Day TWO SW 9 7 5 7w 3w 1W

How many times a week do people practice. Spidey mentioned 3 times a week for a low handicapper. Is this true for all?

At least 3 times. I'm a nut, But most if it is chipping, putting and bunker play, very little full swing ball striking.

I think every shot you play should be somwhat planned. Before every shot you should consider four things.

1) Lie
2) Landing Area ( most often over looked by high handicappers )
3) Length
4) Conditions

Say the flag is on the right side of a green and I'm 170 yards out. I'm a right handed player. Though I can play a draw. I play my best golf with a little 5 yard fade. I would aim left of center for these reasons.

A) If I hit it straight - you have a long putt
b) If I hit it with a little fade. - a shorter putt
C) If I slice it I may end up close to the pin
D) If I hook it. I made a bad shot but I have a chip with lot's of green to work with to get up and down.

3 options put a flat stick in my hand and one is an easy chip and putt

Scenerio TWO
Say I aim right at the flag.
A) Hit it straight, Golden
B) Fade it May hit the green probably not, a chip on the short side
C) Slice it I'm really in trouble flopping a shot out of the rough with no green to work with
D) Hook OK with this just a long putt.

2 options will put a putter in my hand. The other two options are not ideal and likely a bogey.

I'm choosing Scenerio One. I know it sounds long but you just automatically make these decisions as you stop playing SWING and start playing golf.

Just my two cents. ok it was a buck-fifty