I usually aspire to break 90, and I often shoot 88/89. But I sometimes score in the high 70’s low 80’s. My bain is the 39/49 or 49/39 game, usually a result of a 40% fairways hit in regulation (FIR) record.
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I have fixed the FIR with a KZG driver. I am now more like 85%. BUT through all of this, my short game was always fairly good and often very good. Up and down % around 80% from anywhere near the green.
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And this is how that happened. One year I went to the 19tee frequently at the beginning of the season. I go there because they have a pitching green that is free with a bucket of balls. I calculated that I spent 6 hrs hitting wedges, 45 minutes hitting balls and 1 hr hitting free wedge shots, time 6 times out. Probably over a period of 2 ½ weeks.
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With 6 hrs practice you can learn, and perfect, any kind of wedge shot. I learned how to play with a different stance, a different club, open or closed and everything in between. I probably tried every shot imaginable, just to see what would happen. I learned how to pop a ball straight up in the air with a wide open 60 degree. I used that in a match to go straight up and over an 8 foot tree and land (blind) beside a pin that was 2 paces off of where my ball sat. But the key was that I could make any shot I wanted, on the course, with confidence. I had done it all dozens of times before. And I also knew what didn’t work so well. NOTHING WAS NEW.
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So every year I try to spend about 6 hours practice hitting wedges at the beginning of the season. It works for me – big time. Now I aspire to break 80, and I did it twice last year. Oh yea, with two young daughters I get out a maximum of 10 times a season. Did I mention that I am 53 years old?
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Jim