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Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible

ShotScope
I hit a perfect 50 yard nine o'clock yesterday that sat down right next to the pin for a tap in birdie. My son really helped me with some short game tips. The one thing that really helped was his mention of oily hands or maybe he said wrists. Just going straight back and letting them hinge a little naturally. That thought keeps my hands loose and free of tension.
 
KellyBo said:
I hit a perfect 50 yard nine o'clock yesterday that sat down right next to the pin for a tap in birdie. My son really helped me with some short game tips. The one thing that really helped was his mention of oily hands or maybe he said wrists. Just going straight back and letting them hinge a little naturally. That thought keeps my hands loose and free of tension.
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To me, there is no more satisfying shot in golf than a perfectly hit short game shot. Bombed drives, spun back irons are fun, but nothing beats a tap in with a wedge in my book. Keep it up KB. I need to try that "oily" thought next time I am out.
 
yesterday after my round I went over the range to hit a few buckets. For 2 buckets, roughly 80 balls, I only worked on Pelz swings from the 8 iron to the 54. I've been using a 9 iron mixed with this method to give myself a nice 100 yard shot lately. Been working great on holes that are uphill when the pin is in the middle or the back and it needs to chase a little.
 
ddec said:
yesterday after my round I went over the range to hit a few buckets. For 2 buckets, roughly 80 balls, I only worked on Pelz swings from the 8 iron to the 54. I've been using a 9 iron mixed with this method to give myself a nice 100 yard shot lately. Been working great on holes that are uphill when the pin is in the middle or the back and it needs to chase a little.
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What kind of success are u seeing from other clubs? My issues are at 80 yds as its a partial swing and anything inside 70 due to the same
 
mikedean441 said:
What kind of success are u seeing from other clubs? My issues are at 80 yds as its a partial swing and anything inside 70 due to the same
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On the course I've only used the 9 and the PW for those types. I dropped a second ball on 18 today and did one with a 7 iron that went a little long. From about 60 and in I'm kind of set in my ways ATM with my 54. The PW with a 3/4 gets me about 85-90. Need to practice more though and I plan on doing that when I can.
 
I love Dave pelz. It's really made me confident and now I'm even thinking my way around shots now. More about elevation change on these shots. It's fun to really get these dialed down and a few yards makes a big difference on what shot I wanna hit.
 
I'm really glad I found this thread and read the book. My game from 150 in keeps improving each time I go out as I get the distances dialed in. I knew I'm improving when on Saturday, I was about 90 yards out and was set up for a 10:30 swing with my GW, then decided to switch it up with a 9:00 swing with my PW for more of a running shot, which turned out nice. Being familiar with the distances and swings has helped tremendously and now I'm enjoying being able to select different clubs and swings depending on the particular shot. For me, I have found that my left hand (I'm a rightie) should control the entire swing, with the right hand barely on the club just to help keep it on line. Now I'm wondering if I should put a 64 in the bag and get that dialed in for more options. Just not sure what club I'd take out.
 
Philly Golf Guy said:
I'm really glad I found this thread and read the book. My game from 150 in keeps improving each time I go out
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I second this. I am not as dialed in and precise with distances as I would like, still don't get nearly enough inside the golden whatever it is called. However, my misses are so much better that it has made a big difference in my game. A corollary to this is shots around the green. I'm not as good as I'd like to be but my new bad is so much better than before.
 
So wanted to ask this again since there's a few more folks in here than there used to be. What are you guys focusing on? The finesse swing mostly? Chipping? I started trying to learn the distance swings but honestly didn't dedicate enough time to practicing it. I've looked at his chipping techniques but i'm not a huge fan as I chip with a more square stance and the ball more in the middle. The section I got the most from was the pitching technique. Just curious!
 
tequila4kapp said:
I second this. I am not as dialed in and precise with distances as I would like, still don't get nearly enough inside the golden whatever it is called. However, my misses are so much better that it has made a big difference in my game. A corollary to this is shots around the green. I'm not as good as I'd like to be but my new bad is so much better than before.
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I think that's what helps scoring in all phases of the game "better misses". "Golf is a game of misses" not sure who said it first, but many have said it.
 
JonD said:
So wanted to ask this again since there's a few more folks in here than there used to be. What are you guys focusing on? The finesse swing mostly? Chipping? I started trying to learn the distance swings but honestly didn't dedicate enough time to practicing it. I've looked at his chipping techniques but i'm not a huge fan as I chip with a more square stance and the ball more in the middle. The section I got the most from was the pitching technique. Just curious!
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The thing I'm least concerned with is the mechanics of the finesse swing. The thing I'm probably most aware of is the mental game and how it relates to short game. There are some stats in the book that, when really allowed to fester and absorb, should change the way we think about making our way around the course. I have gradually moved away from stricter reliance on defined distances, though that's mostly a product of not having enough practice time. Chipping and pitching has moved up the ladder, again mostly because I can more easily work in that practice in.
 
JonD said:
So wanted to ask this again since there's a few more folks in here than there used to be. What are you guys focusing on? The finesse swing mostly? Chipping? I started trying to learn the distance swings but honestly didn't dedicate enough time to practicing it. I've looked at his chipping techniques but i'm not a huge fan as I chip with a more square stance and the ball more in the middle. The section I got the most from was the pitching technique. Just curious!
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everything i have a solid chipping game already i did read the points about where to hit the green and where not to how to make more consistent chips but mainly i use it for the pelz system itself the 4x3 system i also plan on adding another shot so it will be a 4x4 system so i have another shot from inside 40 yards i want to tinker with this very soon before myrtle so i can use another shot if i need to down there but the book has helped me a lot. love hitting shots inside 110 yards now.
 
How's everybody's Pelz swing doing?

I've been working quite a bit on mine. Almost every range session. Continue to have to remind myself to keep my posture/stay down through the shot. Amazing how much better contact is and how much higher of a ball flight I get that way.

Introduction of more hip turn through the shot has helped with my consistency quite a bit. I actually use the 7:30 swing quite a bit as a practice move for the full swing. Gets my hips going and the feeling of the club lagging a little bit.

Not all that impressed with myself using the longer clubs at the moment (8-PW). Trajectory is just a bit lower than I like to see, so I've been taking more 9:00 swings with lofted clubs instead. Maybe that will change when the wind picks up again in the fall.
 
I haven't been practicing it much lately. Kind of a combo of personal stuff, lack of time, etc. And I noticed it. Last time I played I needed an up and down from about 55 yards to save par after getting sideways with previous shots. I didn't have the right focus. Left it about 1 yard short of the green - maybe subliminally expecting it to bounce up - and it checked instead. Par save missed.
 
I try (try) to devote about 1/4 or more of my range balls to it Frank. Not always easy if there aren't flags to aim for though. Certain ranges are better than others.

I've got it in my head that I want a 61° wedge. I'm thinking I could get a high flying 30 and 60 yard shot out of it, as well as some other touch shot/bunker use. I know it's not always a popular loft on the internet, but I see no reason why I couldn't put it to use.
 
Hey Hawk. As you know, I've been just hitting pitch shots in my yard for a couple months and it has helped tremendously. I think it's even helped my iron shots as I'm becoming more accurate. The Pelz system has taught me to swing better because hitting the finesse shots has taught me to quit putting so much wrist action into my shots. I don't have those nasty pulls with my irons like before.

Yesterday I was riding over to help a lady look for her ball and saw this short game practice area at our course that I had no idea existed. It was tucked away behind the tree line of our #6 fairway and I've never noticed it before. I asked the lady and she told me that's where they take a lot of the junior golfers to practice. Well how about that! I now have a place I can really go practice my short game.

I would say I'm way better at anything between 30-60 yards but still need to work on my distances with different clubs and more yardages now that I have access to a better practice area. I've never taken the time to get myself down to 5 yard increments.
 
KellyBo said:
Hey Hawk. As you know, I've been just hitting pitch shots in my yard for a couple months and it has helped tremendously. I think it's even helped my iron shots as I'm becoming more accurate. The Pelz system has taught me to swing better because hitting the finesse shots has taught me to quit putting so much wrist action into my shots. I don't have those nasty pulls with my irons like before.

Yesterday I was riding over to help a lady look for her ball and saw this short game practice area at our course that I had no idea existed. It was tucked away behind the tree line of our #6 fairway and I've never noticed it before. I asked the lady and she told me that's where they take a lot of the junior golfers to practice. Well how about that! I now have a place I can really go practice my short game.

I would say I'm way better at anything between 30-60 yards but still need to work on my distances with different clubs and more yardages now that I have access to a better practice area. I've never taken the time to get myself down to 5 yard increments.
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Love the talk about relating it to the full swing, because that's exactly what I was getting at in my post. The hip turn and extension is much easier for me to get a feel for in the finesse swing and I've been using that as much as I can in my full swing practice.

Funny you mention a hidden short game area. One of the courses I practice at often (but play at rarely) has something that sounds just like you're describing. It's 100 yards or so of perfect fairway leading up to a small green with a bunker. Nobody knows how to get to it, so nobody really uses it. Have spent many hours there and need to get back. I've been working so hard on my full swing that the finesse swing has just become part of my routine (rather than the focus of an entire session).

Would love to get down into the 5 yard range as well. I currently just choke down or open the face a little for the in betweeners. It works fine, but isn't what I'd call precise. Just haven't practiced it enough I guess.
 
It seems like your work is really payign off for you Kelly. I can remember not all that long ago that you were struggling a little and you've been putting up some very good scores.
 
Hawk said:
It seems like your work is really payign off for you Kelly. I can remember not all that long ago that you were struggling a little and you've been putting up some very good scores.
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Yes, I was struggling a good bit and I'm seeing some PB scores now. My putting is much better too which is helping a ton.
 
Your new course (not so new now I guess) sounds like my club last year. Just learning the greens a little dropped a number of strokes off my score.
 
Hawk said:
I try (try) to devote about 1/4 or more of my range balls to it Frank. Not always easy if there aren't flags to aim for though. Certain ranges are better than others.

I've got it in my head that I want a 61° wedge. I'm thinking I could get a high flying 30 and 60 yard shot out of it, as well as some other touch shot/bunker use. I know it's not always a popular loft on the internet, but I see no reason why I couldn't put it to use.
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Thanks for the reminder. I don't know why I stopped doing that but somehow I did...I used to buy a large bucket and devote a % to Pelz but lately I've just been getting the smaller bucket and working full swing. Stupid human trick, I guess. At least this thread and your comment have lead to me realizing this practice leak, which is easy to fix.

I think 60* or 61* is a great idea. Do you perceive that 1* from standard will make that much difference or is it just a matter of keeping the same gaps between your wedges?
 
That's OCD at work. I figure 4° has served me well for almost three years now, so I don't want to mess with it.
 
Working a little more with the 90-100 yard range at the moment. I've had some shots in that spot that I'd like back over the last month and figure a lot of it is just lack of practice. It's a shot that I seem to pull left more than others.

Focus last night was on turn/turn and keeping the arms out of the swing as much as possible.
 
Hawk said:
Working a little more with the 90-100 yard range at the moment. I've had some shots in that spot that I'd like back over the last month and figure a lot of it is just lack of practice. It's a shot that I seem to pull left more than others.

Focus last night was on turn/turn and keeping the arms out of the swing as much as possible.
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Good stuff hawk. I need to dial in my distances with my MD2 better I did an quick dial in and wrote down distances at media day but I knew a few distances were dialed in and when I had those distances into greens I knocked them close. Last 2 holes on my Sundays singles match I had 2 pelz shots into greens and stuck one to 10' the other to 1' to finish birdie birdie. Nothing felt better to see all the hard work with this system return ten fold on the course all weekend but these 2 shots will always be engrained into my mind about how much this book and system has helped my game.
 
Buckjob said:
Good stuff hawk. I need to dial in my distances with my MD2 better I did an quick dial in and wrote down distances at media day but I knew a few distances were dialed in and when I had those distances into greens I knocked them close. Last 2 holes on my Sundays singles match I had 2 pelz shots into greens and stuck one to 10' the other to 1' to finish birdie birdie. Nothing felt better to see all the hard work with this system return ten fold on the course all weekend but these 2 shots will always be engrained into my mind about how much this book and system has helped my game.
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That is so cool to me. You went all in with this and got some real-world results when it really counted. Way to go dude.
 
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