darthweasel
Well-known member
For my own nefarious purposes was doing some reading on approach shots, studying up how to improve my game and I came across a frequent phenomenon where again and again, respected authority figures knowledgeable about golf insist amateurs are missing the boat by not knowing their carry distance.
I started thinking about it. I just got new clubs and reset my GPS recording, so I have between 2 (3h) and 22 (Driver) shots recorded. Most are in the low to mid teens. Certainly not enough shots to define where I will end up, but I can note trends.
D 253
3h 231
4h 220
5i 195
6i 186
7i 168
8i 153
9i 144
wedges, counter-intuitively, I only record my 3/4 swing as I avoid full wedge shots whenever possible as I prefer more control over them.
Anyhow, lets say I come up to a green with sand short left, water 20 yards right of the green and am 148 from center of green. As a mid to high capper, I have no business going at the flag so do not believe the flag position is relevant.
When I go to select a club, I am going to look at A) is there more trouble short or long, and B) is one of the clubs more reliable. For example, in this case, there is not a huge variance in dispersion between my 8i and 9i so I am not going to sweat that much. To me, the sand is really the main thing I am worried about so I am taking my 8i and going as I know, on average, my ball will end up 153 yards from where I am standing, sometimes short and sometimes long.*
Herein lies the strategic question; Why would I want to know the carry distance rather than the net? I guess to know if I clear the sand, but my shots tend to have very little roll anyway. It is not at all unusual to have the ball within a foot or two of where the mark is even with my 6i. I have made the "at least I got backspin" comment upon reaching my 6i ball so often it gets a groan even from me, it is just automatic.
But even more to the point, knowing carry is A) all but impossible to determine in general as we as amateurs do not have access to someone to mark where it started rolling and B) isn't the average distance you end up more important? If I am 150 out, what is more important: knowing which club flies 130, which one flies 140, which one flies 150 and which one flies 160...or which one ends up 130 yards out, which one ends up 140 yards out, etc?
TL/DR question: I feel like I am missing something. Why would it be better to know carry than net?
*recorded shots with the 8i are 168, 165, 168, 121, 144, 152, 165, 152. By contrast, with the 9i recorded shots are 157, 159, 131, 153, 142, 122, 144, 132, 148, 146, 144
I started thinking about it. I just got new clubs and reset my GPS recording, so I have between 2 (3h) and 22 (Driver) shots recorded. Most are in the low to mid teens. Certainly not enough shots to define where I will end up, but I can note trends.
D 253
3h 231
4h 220
5i 195
6i 186
7i 168
8i 153
9i 144
wedges, counter-intuitively, I only record my 3/4 swing as I avoid full wedge shots whenever possible as I prefer more control over them.
Anyhow, lets say I come up to a green with sand short left, water 20 yards right of the green and am 148 from center of green. As a mid to high capper, I have no business going at the flag so do not believe the flag position is relevant.
When I go to select a club, I am going to look at A) is there more trouble short or long, and B) is one of the clubs more reliable. For example, in this case, there is not a huge variance in dispersion between my 8i and 9i so I am not going to sweat that much. To me, the sand is really the main thing I am worried about so I am taking my 8i and going as I know, on average, my ball will end up 153 yards from where I am standing, sometimes short and sometimes long.*
Herein lies the strategic question; Why would I want to know the carry distance rather than the net? I guess to know if I clear the sand, but my shots tend to have very little roll anyway. It is not at all unusual to have the ball within a foot or two of where the mark is even with my 6i. I have made the "at least I got backspin" comment upon reaching my 6i ball so often it gets a groan even from me, it is just automatic.
But even more to the point, knowing carry is A) all but impossible to determine in general as we as amateurs do not have access to someone to mark where it started rolling and B) isn't the average distance you end up more important? If I am 150 out, what is more important: knowing which club flies 130, which one flies 140, which one flies 150 and which one flies 160...or which one ends up 130 yards out, which one ends up 140 yards out, etc?
TL/DR question: I feel like I am missing something. Why would it be better to know carry than net?
*recorded shots with the 8i are 168, 165, 168, 121, 144, 152, 165, 152. By contrast, with the 9i recorded shots are 157, 159, 131, 153, 142, 122, 144, 132, 148, 146, 144