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Dialing back, what is easier?

I really really really struggle with partial shots or taking somehting off of a club, I'm typically more inclined to try and squeeze more out of a full swing even on my wedges because of this. For me its totally a feel thing, I have a hard time feeling the partial swing and where/how far I should go with it. I know that comes back to working on it and dialing it in, but its traditionally just been an uncomfortable thought in my head to do that and take something off of more club.

Its on my work on list for 2014 though, I need to be more versatile.
 
I struggle with distances with my wedges, so I carry 3 to manage that weakness better. My gaps at the top end seem easier to manage, so I helped out the bottom.
 
I pull the wedges occasionally on half shots, any cures for that?
 
Wedge guy here. I will be sporting 5 wedges next season, six if you count the PW that comes with an iron set. I feel that with a driver, wood, or 4H off the tee, my yardage is cut down to the point where I can play low irons and wedges. If anything, I'll dial down in the middle of my bag, but I don't get into too many situations where it calls for a shaft choke or shorter swings.
Obviously, when I need a specialty wedge shot, chip, H&H, pitch etc... I will use a weaker swing depending on the situation.

Edited for time and content.
 
driver down to 5i, I have a hard time doing a fraction-swing..
 
Tadashi70 said:
In the course of play we all come across those in between yardages. You know the time when you can either stretch an iron or ease off a seven. Or choke down on your hybrid to hit a feathered cut vs stepping on a 4iron.
this isn't about swinging easy or choosing the right club. What I want to know is what do you find easier, dialing back the top end of the bag, middle or bottom. Some carry three wedges to cover distances at the bottom, others make sure the top of the bag covers all distance. What do you do? Where do you feel more comfortable dialing back?

i learn to play golf by hitting half shots through out the whole bag so I'm comfy from top to bottom, especially on the bottom end.
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Live never even considered hitting lower-lofted irons with half-shots! How often do you do this?

(I can't really answer the question because I don't have any distances dialed in with my irons yet).
 
Trout Bum said:
I'm similar to you Freddie, some of the best tips I've ever gotten were to hit 100 yd 9 irons and 150 yd 5 irons. It has transferred throughout my bag with the exception of the driver and I have learned to be a better ball striker because of it. I Remember standing next to Faxon at Avenel and someone in the pro am asked him about carrying 2 or 3 wedges and his response was you should start with one and learn to hit every shot with it like Hogan did, then put a second in the bag, get to know your clubs intimately. It still sticks with me like it was yesterday.
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I agree with Trout Bum, it is better for me to carry fewer clubs and have fewer decisions to make on the course. I think this holds true for most new to the game. While I really don't trying to controls shots I prefer laying up to a distance where I have a full shot.
 
Grins said:
Live never even considered hitting lower-lofted irons with half-shots! How often do you do this?

(I can't really answer the question because I don't have any distances dialed in with my irons yet).
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I can count on one hand the number if times I have exact yardage on the course. I'm either talking more club and dialing back or stretching it out. So for me 3/4 and half shots are the norm. It allows me 14-28 extra clubs in the bag because each club has standard, dialed back and stepped on distances
 
Trout Bum said:
I pull the wedges occasionally on half shots, any cures for that?
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Usually caused by a quiet lower body and too much arm swing. Be sure you continue to rotate the hip through the shot, this should keep the club in front of you.
 
I feel better with full shots and stepping on it honestly... 3/4 shots from the top of the bag is something I really struggle with....it's on the target list for getting better with my game.
 
I'm better at laying off any given club than stepping on one for the extra yardage.

When I step on it I get into really bad positions and usually hit it fat or banana it. Something that will be worked on this yr.

Loosing a couple yards is easier for me as it doesn't let me get into the mongo smash routine. Loosing a little is something I do regularly and do it by choking down or just taking the club back less.

With wedges I am almost always at a partial due to me rarely playing to a yardage, since I like to be as close the the green as possible to see where the pin is and what the green does by it.
 
Smallville said:
When I dial back, I am much better with the shorter clubs. I would rather hit harder than softer, and it seems like whenever I try to hit an easy 3, 4 or 5 or whatever, I usually come up short.
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I'm with Smalls on this. I've really been working on hitting "softer" shots with my wedges, but when it comes to hitting say a 7 iron, if I feel I don't need all of it, I will usually drop to an 8 and smack it. Seems when I back off the 7, I tend to hit it on a bad line, so even if the distance is correct, I'm in trouble.
 
Thanks for the advice Freddie, since I've got my new rangefinder I can work on that at the range to hit those distances.


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It's the threads like these that make me realize how inexperienced a golfer I am. I really don't possess the ability to create all kinds of different shots with one club and it's something that I need to really work on. Luckily I'm young still lol.
 
Tadashi70 said:
the key I found to leave the weight on the left side and be sure to fire those hips before you drop the club onto the ball. If you get the hands to shoulder height and fore the hips and swing the arms you'll hit crisp shots with the PW

I love half shots with my 7i


At the end of you next range session, set a side a few balls and work on half shots. The key is accelerate through theshot with your arms. But the hips still have to release.

4i punch shots are great shots in the wind from middle of fairways.

I do this as well. You have to keep those hips moving through the shot. Dialing back usually means more arms and we tend to forget to rotate the lower body. Pay attention to this next time you have a half or 3/4 shot.
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Great stuff freddie, thanks. No idea what you do for a living but if you don't teach you could/should.
cheers and happy hew year
marty
 
Tadashi70 said:
the key I found to leave the weight on the left side and be sure to fire those hips before you drop the club onto the ball. If you get the hands to shoulder height and fore the hips and swing the arms you'll hit crisp shots with the PW

I love half shots with my 7i



At the end of you next range session, set a side a few balls and work on half shots. The key is accelerate through theshot with your arms. But the hips still have to release
4i punch shots are great shots in the wind from middle of fairways.

I do this as well. You have to keep those hips moving through the shot. Dialing back usually means more arms and we tend to forget to rotate the lower body. Pay attention to this next time you have a half or 3/4 shot.
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Awesome tip; one of my issues with partial shots is being all arms and not using clearing my hips. Something I need to keep aware of and do some work with this year.

I've become a big fan of the half and 3/4 shots when I can run it up to the green and can be super effective when executed well.
 
I feel most comfortable gripping down and making a full swing to hit those in between yardages. While practicing I've figured that gripping down almost to the bottom of the grip will take about 10% off my full swing yardage.

For my short game, I carry 4 wedges, a 47, 52, 56 and 62* which range from 85-135 yards with full swings. For yardages in the 25-80 yard ranges, I've embraced the Peltz method of having 4 yardages with each wedge (full, 75%, 50% and shaft parallel to the ground). By mapping these yardages out through practice sessions, it allows me to hit almost every conceivable yardage that I'm faced with. It takes a lot of time and effort but has helped lower my scores more than anything else.


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I'm "ok" with 1/2 shots from wedges through 7i. Anything lower lofted than that, though, forget it. The KILL instinct kicks in. One of my 2014 goals is to try and make all my swings with irons 3/4 shots so I can find the sweet spot more often, I feel like if I can do that, I'll have much better control over my shots.
 
I'm a lot more comfortable at this point letting off the longer irons than I am with my wedges. But while doing so, it seems like I become all arms....

But to be able to dictate distances with 1/2,3/4 shots etc a lot more practice is needed.
To add these shots to my arsenal will be a practicing point.

I know, right now I probably gave little to offer the conversation, but I look forward to improving my full and partial shots, and should be able to offer more at a later time.
 
I prefer to dial back hitting partials shots and knock downs; when I try to jump on one that is generally when bad things happen.
 
A good topic. I think dialing back in the mid to shorter club range is easier as many seem to also indicate vs mid to long. And probably only because its usually where I find its more required simply by default as that is usually pertaining to approaches and the need for more finesse shots.

But I do have a favorite occasional dialed back shot which is a recovery shot with a longer iron. I may be in the wood line (trees ) a bit off the path and have to hit out and forward but also under branches. Of course it sucks that I ended up there but I have good confidence in taking a lower loft long iron such as a 4 or 5i perhaps and place the ball back in my stance and give an easy swing with good follow through and am now confident to get the ball out and up towards the hole without fear of over hitting it. I can also use this same logic on a very windy day. Basically use a longer iron to keep the ball low and not fly it past my target area which may be the green. Of course I am no master at it at all but love when I am successful at attempting it. The way I am talking one would think I am a real good player which is not the case but its just something I've learned to try to utilize more often and am improving at it.
 
I'm much better dialing down wedges because I practice it. I need to practice this more throughout my bag.
 
Definitely taking a little off a club for me. If I go after a shot I tend to hook it more often than not.
 
hopnstop said:
Great stuff freddie, thanks. No idea what you do for a living but if you don't teach you could/should.
cheers and happy hew year
marty
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Thank you I appreciate it. I no longer teach full time. I work for a smallish company, PRG. We specialize in lighting and audio visual.

bhilln said:
Awesome tip; one of my issues with partial shots is being all arms and not using clearing my hips. Something I need to keep aware of and do some work with this year.

I've become a big fan of the half and 3/4 shots when I can run it up to the green and can be super effective when executed well.
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Arms only shot are great for controlling spin. But unless you are inside 40yds you have to use the lower body or you could pull the ball

jordangehl said:
I feel most comfortable gripping down and making a full swing to hit those in between yardages. While practicing I've figured that gripping down almost to the bottom of the grip will take about 10% off my full swing yardage.

For my short game, I carry 4 wedges, a 47, 52, 56 and 62* which range from 85-135 yards with full swings. For yardages in the 25-80 yard ranges, I've embraced the Peltz method of having 4 yardages with each wedge (full, 75%, 50% and shaft parallel to the ground). By mapping these yardages out through practice sessions, it allows me to hit almost every conceivable yardage that I'm faced with. It takes a lot of time and effort but has helped lower my scores more than anything else.


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You only lose 10% of you distance by gripping down to the steel? For me it's about an inch from the butt of the grip.
 
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