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Tenputt

Tenputt

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Albatross 2024 Club
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You have hit a good drive. The distance to the pin on your approach is a good solid wedge (you pick which one). What is your thought process or your routine as you are approaching the ball to give yourself the best chance at a realistic birdie putt?
 
Tenputt said:
You have hit a good drive. The distance to the pin on your approach is a good solid wedge (you pick which one). What is your thought process or your routine as you are approaching the ball to give yourself the best chance at a realistic birdie putt?
Click to expand...
Lately, it has been focusing on hitting the middle of the green and make a good confident swing. I have been trying to go at way too many pins leaving me in bad spots.

So I guess my routine would be select wedge. Stand behind ball and pick out spot in the middle of the green. Walk in and setup properly. Think about a nice tempo swing and go!
 
If I have a wedge in my hand, I'm thinking about hitting it close. No need to play skeered if you're hitting the short clubs. Not saying I always knock it close, but I'm thinking about it.
 
Unless just a terrible pin position, then I am going for it with a wedge in hand.
 
My thought process is to not think about chunking a wedge. :D

Recently just focused on putting a good consistent swing on the ball. Eliminate / take out of play any hazards (bunkers / water).
 
I’ve changed my mindset this year, but the routine is still the same. I swagger up to the ball like an all-star after hitting a bomb, check my yardage, determine if I can go right at the pin or if I’m better off playing to the center of the green, and then line up and fire away!
 
I am thinking of execution to target at that point. Thinking of the green layout and whether the ball needs to land on a certain area and rollout to the pin. I hit to that target area if possible to get as close to the pin as possible.
 
I am wondering how many think about some of the minute details that can actually impact the outcome of a shot. When watching The Match, it was so interesting to listen to Phil Mickelson point out everything he considered before making his chip shot, including even the difference colorations of the grass. I realized that I do not think through everything as I should. For example, under the hypothetical I just gave, how many of us would:

1. Look at the slope of the green and especially what the green shape is around the pin to try to give ourselves an uphill putt.

2. Try to determine how much the wind will impact our shot.

3. Consider how wet or dry the green appears to be.

4. Think through whether to come in high or low at the pin.

5. Determine what miss we must avoid.

6. Consider whether the ball is sitting in a way that it will spin less or more.

7. Think about our swing that day. Maybe we have been coming up a little short and need to take more club or maybe we are just nuking it that day.

And then, what is our pre-shot routine and do we follow it religiously every time we step up to swing? How do we align ourselves? How many practice swings and why that number?

I am sure there are many other things to consider. @OldandStiff, you seem to be very cerebral in your thought process, and I mean that as a compliment. I would believe you are eyeing several things as you approach your ball and are determining how to make your next shot count. What are they?
 
Just keeping my fingers crossed that I don't ruin that awesome drive with a bad wedge shot or a 3 putt. Which typically leaves my wedge shot short.
 
1. analyze the lie - lush grass, thin lie,
2. analyze the green, pin, slope
3. where is trouble
4. nice fluid swing
5. take a practice
6. step in and swing
 
You usually always want a full swing into the green. No reason to get cute. Aim for the middle of the green and make a normal swing, as if on the range. Take what you get.
 
golfunfiltered said:
You usually always want a full swing into the green. No reason to get cute. Aim for the middle of the green and make a normal swing, as if on the range. Take what you get.
Click to expand...

Not a full swing with a wedge! are you a crazy person?!? pros don't even do that! /s
 
Lately, my thoughts have been "don't shank this". . Got some better thoughts going today so none of the s word, still fatted a couple though
 
Get my distance, Look at green for ideal placement, Proper setup feet shoulders grip, slow take away and swing through.
 
Teeshot-
1) What is the layout of the hole? Where is the widest part of the fairway? Where is the biggest miss? (OB)
2) What club should I hit and which curvature gives me the best chance at birdie while lowering the percentage of a penalty stroke or blocked out shot?
3) I start with my most reliable shot off the tee, a fade Driver... and work down my most truthworthy shots. I have to be proven wrong on each one to keep going to another club or curvature.

Approach shot-
1) What is the yardage, and what shot is that? For example, 105-110 yards is a full GW. Bingo.
2) Is there something distinct front-to-back about this hole that necessitates a different club? For example, both my 3/4 PW and my full GW go around 105-110. However, if the pin is upfront and it's downwind, I'm not going to hit the 3/4 PW because it won't have enough ability to stop close to the hole.
3) Is there something distinct left-to-right about this hole? If there's a bunker right, I'll just aim 2 or 3 yards left of the pin. At this length I'm going to be very aggressive and still aim close to the hole, but I'm just ensuring a bit more that I won't go into the bunker. (not my strong area)
 
Generally it's, "Please don't **** this up!". 🙏
 
Tenputt said:
I am wondering how many think about some of the minute details that can actually impact the outcome of a shot. When watching The Match, it was so interesting to listen to Phil Mickelson point out everything he considered before making his chip shot, including even the difference colorations of the grass. I realized that I do not think through everything as I should. For example, under the hypothetical I just gave, how many of us would:

1. Look at the slope of the green and especially what the green shape is around the pin to try to give ourselves an uphill putt.

2. Try to determine how much the wind will impact our shot.

3. Consider how wet or dry the green appears to be.

4. Think through whether to come in high or low at the pin.

5. Determine what miss we must avoid.

6. Consider whether the ball is sitting in a way that it will spin less or more.

7. Think about our swing that day. Maybe we have been coming up a little short and need to take more club or maybe we are just nuking it that day.

And then, what is our pre-shot routine and do we follow it religiously every time we step up to swing? How do we align ourselves? How many practice swings and why that number?

I am sure there are many other things to consider. @OldandStiff, you seem to be very cerebral in your thought process, and I mean that as a compliment. I would believe you are eyeing several things as you approach your ball and are determining how to make your next shot count. What are they?
Click to expand...
Those are some interesting thoughts. I think at my stage of playing I am not that well grooved. I have been working hard at it, but still got a ways to go. I do use number 5 and 7 sometimes as that is critical to my game that day.

For instance if I am really "nuking" my irons well, I hit my wedges well and that means I have to watch closely at my distance as I have been known to hit a ball over the green with a wedge. I just did it Saturday and it cost me a stroke on two holes. :banghead:
 
Id look at where the trouble is and hit it to where its safe. If that leaves me with a longer putt, so be it. I like Golf Sidekick's mantra of hitting it to Texas (big, safe and conservative).
 
1) Get my distance.
2) Evaluate my lie.
3) Evaluate hazards around the green, slope of green in relation to pin position (if possible), and pin location.
4) Determine "best miss" - to avoid hazards and/or being short-sided if I do miss the green.
5) Go through pre-shot routine (alignment, one practice swing) and pull the trigger.

6) Curse creatively, repeat steps 1-5 above for the chip I have left to get on the green because I missed it. :ROFLMAO:
 
I am looking at the pin, layout of the green, and bunkers/hazards. I would think about what are my typical misses. Lately my full swing wedges miss is a little short and right. And if possible, I want a flat or uphill putt. Then I pick my distance and target. I will identify an intermediate target a few feet in front of my ball. As I setup I am reminding myself to trust my club selection and line and swing through the ball, no steering. Keep that left shoulder from popping up. Swing.
 
Tenputt said:
I am wondering how many think about some of the minute details that can actually impact the outcome of a shot. When watching The Match, it was so interesting to listen to Phil Mickelson point out everything he considered before making his chip shot, including even the difference colorations of the grass. I realized that I do not think through everything as I should. For example, under the hypothetical I just gave, how many of us would:

1. Look at the slope of the green and especially what the green shape is around the pin to try to give ourselves an uphill putt.

2. Try to determine how much the wind will impact our shot.

3. Consider how wet or dry the green appears to be.

4. Think through whether to come in high or low at the pin.

5. Determine what miss we must avoid.

6. Consider whether the ball is sitting in a way that it will spin less or more.

7. Think about our swing that day. Maybe we have been coming up a little short and need to take more club or maybe we are just nuking it that day.

And then, what is our pre-shot routine and do we follow it religiously every time we step up to swing? How do we align ourselves? How many practice swings and why that number?

I am sure there are many other things to consider. @OldandStiff, you seem to be very cerebral in your thought process, and I mean that as a compliment. I would believe you are eyeing several things as you approach your ball and are determining how to make your next shot count. What are they?
Click to expand...
I do all but #3 pretty much every time.

I almost never actually attack the exact pin. I consider every possible thing that will get me the putt I want.

And it helps. I have a discussion periodically with a friend about our putting abilities, and it always comes down to one thing. I'm not a better putter than you, but I have a LOT better putts than you do.
 
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Lol I try not to think. If I do it's normally followed by a recovery shot from a scalded/shanked or flubbed wedge.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
I will use my 13 hole as my description. Bunker left, bunker right and bunker in front of the green. Depending on the pin placement. I will get behind the ball, decide where I want to hit the ball and then pick a spot about 3-4 feet in front of the ball. I get into my setup, place the club behind the ball with my aim point lined up and just relax slightly and then take it back and though with good tempo since this is not going to be hit that hard. Make sure my belt buckle points at the pin when my swing is done.
 
I guess it depends how the round is going and how I'm hitting my pw. Pw is the only wedge I have confidence in anymore. If im feeling good, then I'm going right at it....if not middle if green.
 
Where can I aim to make sure my ball ends up on the green. Often that is not aiming at the pin. If the greens are small I always aim at the middle with back of the green yardage club. If they are bigger there are more options obviously.
 
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