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Tips for shots between 20 and 130 yards

Danmancity

Danmancity

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Right now my game is going steadily in the right direction, however ill break it all down for you just so you know where I'm coming from

Driving: Rarely hit it strait but when I do, I'm knocking on the door of 300 yards
Hybrid: hit it really well 220 yards and usually straight
4 and 5 irons: I really cant use the RBZ chunky long irons at all so I avoid them at all costs until I can replace them
6-PW: On my day, I'm untouchable with irons in the group I play in, I have the iron play of a low handicapper
Aw and Lw: when I'm hitting full shots perfect 9 times out of 10, chipping, no hope
Putting: anything below 10ft I'm ok, above, I really struggle with distance control

So with all that averaged out I play off 19 (although still technically 28)

The main nightmare in my game is the shots between 20-130 yards

Now I know I hit my 52degree 120-130 and 58degree 80-90 but anything in between I have no confidence in so I usually pull my 52 no matter what and have a guess, I always come up short, no matter what, so I find myself taking on silly shots just to avoid chipping and it's costing me a lot of shots at the moment

What should I be hitting for the distances I'm talking about? I really need to build my confidence back up.

Thanks for you're help :)
 
I'm the same way. 110 and up I'm pretty good, but inside 100 to about 30 I never ever get the distance right. I would say about half the time my shot doesn't even reach the green. I'm hemorrhaging shots during my approach.
 
Have you spent much time on the range practicing those shots? Working on half wedge shot etc? More finesse and not full swings?
 
IMO its all about personal preference, and practice practice practice. Personally I use my 60* wedge for anything 75 yards and in. Thus, when I go practice I make sure that about half of my time (if not more) is spent with my 60* wedge in my hand. I try all sorts of shots. I use my 56 for 75-100 yards, and my 52 from 100-110 so I make sure to get some quality time with them as well. Another thing that helps is actually getting some practice hitting shots into a green, not just on the range. This helps me visualize the shot, and see how the ball actually reacts when it hits the green. If your course doesn't have a short game area, try finding a dead time of day, like the afternoon and talk to them about practicing on a hole. But make sure you repair any divots and ball marks. Hope this helps!
 
If you can bomb a driver 300 yards and are perfect 9 out of 10 times with your short irons and wedges, you should be more than able to practice 1/2 swings and 3/4 swings with your wedges.

Considering tour pros aren't that long off the tee or that consistent with their short irons, you should be giving us tips.
 
If this is an area you don't like and you are as good as you say with your other clubs, avoid this distance as much as possible. Have a go to distance and lay up to it if you can't get all the way to the green. Saying this I do realize that one will get in this distance occasionally anyway, and will have to fly the ball over some hazard (water, bunker, bushes, shrubs or trees) but a low running shot with a 8 or 9 iron can be an effective shot. Some prefer a lob shot. Whichever it is practice on this shot will help immensely there is no substitute for confidence in this game and that only comes from actually pulling the said shot off in a practice session. A simpler answer for me and many here is a 49* or 56* Cleveland niblick whichever one achieves this particular distance. If this is the route you take remember the 2010 version has the older grooves which help stop the ball a little better.
Hope these suggestions help.
 
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blugold said:
If you can bomb a driver 300 yards and are perfect 9 out of 10 times with your short irons and wedges, you should be more than able to practice 1/2 swings and 3/4 swings with your wedges.

Considering tour pros aren't that long off the tee or that consistent with their short irons, you should be giving us tips.
Click to expand...

I'm far from perfect, like I said I rarely hit the driver straight, and on my day I'm good with the short irons, I still have terrible days just like everyone does

Just looking for help with the closer shots

I do practice these shots at the range but they use old range balls and distances are miles off the NXT tour that I use so is little help to me, I'm just not sure if I should be going for a flighted shot and get the ball to pitch close, or a short iron and keep it much lower and run it up a bit more, and the separation between choosing one or the other
 
Look to see if you can chip onto the green from say 60 to 50 yards. Practice with a 5 or 4 iron for long chip running shots. Take a quarter, half and three quarter swing with your wedges. Write the yardage on a piece of tape and stick it to the wedge. Then if you are 40 yards out look at the sand wedge and it's a three quarter swing or a quarter swing with the wedge. Then go with what is the best shot for the conditions.
 
Didn't realize any golf balls were miles apart on distance? I will admit range balls are a little harder but I seriously doubt the difference is more than 3-5 yards on less than 80 yard shots, if that were the case a change in balls would make you that much better a short game player. I don't buy that. sorry. The quickest and easiest solution for now in my opinion is a cleveland niblick. I would say a 49* but with your distance maybe a 56*. A little practice with these and it should help, I will say I do know some people who can't chip or hit the niblick so be forewarned. The people who like them like the fact that they have a shorter shaft are heavier in weight and have a more upright shaft angle.
note: the older 2010 version of the niblick has the older grooves which help stop the ball quicker.
 
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I think part of your issue is that you have these HUGE gaps in your wedges. Your RBZ PW is 45°, your AW is 52° and your LW is 58°, those are huge gaps in an area where your gaps should be getting smaller.

By my count you are playing with 12 clubs. Since you are comfortable with your PW, I would add the RBZ AW at 50°. Then I would go about creating gaps with some new wedges, preferably matching for consistency. Whether you go with a 52,56,60 or a 54,58, its what works for you.

Then (& before making changes) I would practice, practice, practice. Buy a Shag Bag and before you go pound balls at the range, chip your bucket from varying distances and pick em back up. Do this twice before hitting your bucket. Work on high shots, low shots, running shots, flop shots. They say it takes 1,000 reps to instill muscle memory, so you have a few golf swings to get to. In a week you will have improved, in 6 months you will laugh at this thread.
 
To me, there's two major schools of thought:

1) Dave Pelz's 3x4 system. Basically, you get yourself 4 wedges and come up with 3 different swing lengths for each one. 7'oclock, 9 o'clock and 11 o'clock. You hit lots and lots of shots with these positions and then figure out exactly how far each one goes. You can then write the distances down on each club.

2) The "feel" system. Basically, you are a gravity expert. Your natural ability can tell you how far to hit it. This is basically the approach used by Shawn Clement. While this video focuses on chipping, it's true for pitching as well:



It should be noted however that the two are not necessarilly mutally exclusive. If you know a half-wedge goes 58-yards and you know you have 62 yards, go ahead and hit that half-wedge. On the other hand, if a distance doesn't match up well or you find you have trouble consistently repeating the distances, there's certainly nothing wrong with using the feel method.
 
Moved to Swing Tips.
 
If you are willing to put the work in, I don't think the Pelz system can be beat

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I felt I was runing into the same problem so I decided to try an fix it.
Decision #1, leave the 56/60 in the bag unless I have to carry something, in the sand or just have no good way to not run it up or come in low.

#2 Pitching wedge and A Wedges. I try to hit at least a half a bucket with these 2 each time to the range. Full shots, half shots, 3/4 shots etc. Once you start this it becomes much easier to remember how the small differences feel. I still have a ways to go but I feel pretty confident now grabbing one out of my bag and naturally knowing what swing I am taking.
My reasoning behind all of the above is simple. What is the worst thing that can happen with each club and what potential am I giving it to happen. Hitting full on, strong 60* shots from 30-70yds in has a decent potential, if hit wrong, to either land 5 feet in front of me or go 30yds past the green if topped.
If I hit a 1/2 PW form 70 yards out, I am pretty sure that I am going to get it relatively close or worst case, I might leave it a hair short. Just takes some practice. The probability of a bad shot that it going to cost me strokes goes way down.

Some will disagree I am sure but this is my take on it and so far it has worked well.
 
when I got the ATV after being chosen to test it, I immediately saw improvements in my game 100 in. I use it for all my chips, pitches, sand shots, flop shots and tight lies. I also started working on my technique and this wedge really helped me in the process because it seemed to help me out alot. I've spent days where I work hitting our of deep rough, then tight lies, then funky lies and trying to be as creative as possible when I practice to make sure I cover every situation I can think of-this has improved my short game. I also use the Hinge and hold technique.

Also when I can't chip it I chutt it, but there is a time and place for this and this thread is not it. . .
 
Chunkylover77 said:
If you are willing to put the work in, I don't think the Pelz system can be beat

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Click to expand...

I've heard so many good things about these books, I just bought the short game bible for $4 off of Amazon.
 
FrankA said:
I've heard so many good things about these books, I just bought the short game bible for $4 off of Amazon.
Click to expand...

Over the winter we should concentrate on this

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Chunkylover77 said:
Over the winter we should concentrate on this

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Click to expand...

I'm in man. I hate that the days are getting shorter, my practice time is taking a hit.
 
Practice, practice, practice. I'd say 70% of my range balls go to wedge shots. Not counting the time spent chipping around practice greens. Being good inside of 100 yards can shave some major strokes off your score. Over the years I've tried lots of different techniques(Pelz 3x4, Phil's hinge and hold, etc..) you just have to find something that works for you and invest quite a bit of time into it.
 
In addition to a new wedge I would course manage a little too.

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