Dave Pelz's 4:3 method - anyone still gaming it?

[lowfi]

Hi everyone,

Well after playing with a guy who absolutely annihilated his wedges, I decided to buy Pelz’s “Short Game Bible”. I’m only a few chapters in but I love the fact that he really boils golf down in a scientific manner. It is very interesting to read his take on where scoring actually takes place in golf and his ideas on how to lower your scores.

So here is my question. Is their any THP’ers that are currently gaming the 4:3 method? How do you like it and how long have you been using this method? Have you seen your scores improve?

The theory makes perfect sense to me but I would like to hear actual “real world” feedback from everyday golfers.

I feel that my golf game is pretty good and that I could break into a single digit handicap if I was able to dial in my “100 yards and in” game. I tend to either leave myself 20+ ft putts for birdie or will mess up a chip/pitch from around the green.

My only hesitation to this method is that I have to commit to this technique full on and if I’m not going to do that, well, I might as well not even start. That’s where you all come in! I’m hoping to hear some positive feedback about these theories, but if not, that is just as good. I also recently watched PM’s “secrets to the short game” so I have another view of the short game floating around in my mind at the moment. I’m deciding which route to go to.

Thanks everyone.

Low

 

[CharlieMoy]

Whats the 4:3 method??

 

[Cayuga1210]

I think it's a good ballpark system for me. As you mentioned there are limitations in the real world. The first is actually determining the yardage that you hit each wedge with each swing. The book advocates setting out laundry baskets at known distances and hitting to them with your swing. That's practically very difficult for me to do. One problem is finding a flat parcel of land that I can tear up with my wedges trying to work that out. Even if you do have the land available- do you feel each swing is grooved to the point that you would get accurate and consistent data from doing this? If you are doing this at the range with range balls, do you feel confident that you will hit a pro V1 the same distance as the range balls during play? Then there are the on course variables that affect distances like wind, lie, and elevation changes. So I know approximately how far each wedge will go with each swing but the system isn't perfect. Nothing beats practice on the course for gaining confidence in your wedges.

 

[Rusty]

I first read The Short Game Bible about 14 or 15 years ago, and I am still using most of the technique he teaches. I've made some modifications over the years to fit my own swing, but every time I hit a short game shot I mentally check off the tips from his book.

Regarding the distance wedge shots, I was fortunate in the late 90s to have an unused football field near my house. You could still see the yardage markers crossing the field every 5 yards. I hit thousands of balls out there and got very consistent with my distances. These days, I have a park I can go to, but I have to find a time when its relatively vacant, and I take a small mat with me so I don't hit off the grass. Not as accurate, but it gives me a good ballpark idea of my distances with each wedge.

BTW, I'm not sure Pelz would approve of my wedge setup. I use a 46* wedge as my pitching wedge, and then I have 50, 54, and 58. I'm sure Pelz would advocate throwing in a 62, but I'm pretty happy with what I've got going.

 

[lowfi]

Thanks for the feedback everyone,

Cayuga- I have a cottage on canandaigua

Any other pelz gamers?

 

[runpuddrun]

Whats the 4:3 method??

It's a 4 wedge system x 3 swings (7:30 swing, 9:00 swing, and 10:30 swing).

I did it last year and plan on doing something similar this year with the labels on my wedges and short irons.