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"In-Between" shots Question

Philo1

Philo1

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Greetings. I played this course yesterday (link to photo gallery). But this question is regarding my game in general. I've been struggling with shots about 90 - 135 yards out, but especially when they are protected and/or the green is small. In these cases I want to play a high shot that drops in and sticks to the green.

I know that the 90 - 105 yard problems are my fault; my swing is off - I've been pulling the shots, the irons are fine. I'm playing a 52* and 56* wedge here.

Here's the real problem. My pitching wedge is good for around 125 - that's where I'd like to play it anyway, but my 9 iron is really a 140-145 yard club. So, I have a gap here and that gap seems to be tested everytime I play.

In the course linked above; I was 132 yards out, tight green, uphill, protected with bunkers front side, OOB on the right - left side trees. I didn't know it at the time but a long miss straight would have been OK. There was ten extra yards of room with no trouble there.

So, the question is....rip the PW full throttle; or ease the 9. A friend suggested choking down on the 9 iron, but that doesn't seem to help me at all. I chose to ease the 9 - but missed short, front bunker (just barely though. six more inches would'a had it.)

Any suggestions on this or the "short game" in general? How should I be playing shots longer than 125 but less than 140?
 
Have you thought of moving your hands down an inch or so on the 9 iron to reduce your distance?
 
Practice distances with both your PW and 9i from bottom of grip on up with full and partial swings. Your other wedges too. Might surprise you how accurate you can be with less than full shots. Fills A LOT of gaps as well with also multiple iron options and flight.
 
JB said:
Have you thought of moving your hands down an inch or so on the 9 iron to reduce your distance?
Click to expand...

I've tried it...that's what I meant by choking down on the club. I haven't seemed to reduce the distance much. I don't think I've gone a full inch down....I'll try that tomorrow and see if I have any better results. I'm going to hit a bucket before playing, so I'll try it again. Thanks.
 
If I normally get 140-145 from my 9 iron but in a certain situation want 132 from that club then I simply take less than a full swing with it.
 
IMO there are two ways to go about it and both require loads of practice to get dialed in and comfortable. The first is to swing less than 100% and rely on your feel to make the adjustment. The second is to choke down and develop the needed skill to feel comfortable with the difference.
 
Just curious, Philo, but, have you checked your lofts on the 9 and PW? One of them could be a little off.
 
Seems to me a full 9 iron would have been just fine. 132, uphill. You would have been a bit long
 
I love my rangefinder, but I do admit to getting locked into pin instead of playing green. You may have had 132, but what was the number to cover the bunker? What was the number to carry the back edge of the green? Sometimes playing a comfortable shot while ensuring you hit the green leads to a better score than always trying to land the ball right on the pin


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v.man said:
Just curious, Philo, but, have you checked your lofts on the 9 and PW? One of them could be a little off.
Click to expand...

No, I hadn't even thought of that. I have to go to the shop tomorrow anyway, I'll have them check it out. Thanks.
 
c.a.eleric said:
I love my rangefinder, but I do admit to getting locked into pin instead of playing green. You may have had 132, but what was the number to cover the bunker? What was the number to carry the back edge of the green? Sometimes playing a comfortable shot while ensuring you hit the green leads to a better score than always trying to land the ball right on the pin


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Click to expand...

Good point.

I use the golflogix program on my iPhone. I think it said 132 to the center green, but I don't remember now. I just remember that was a tight hole and narrow green. There was trouble all around. The bunker was right up to the green in the front. Once I got up there, I could see there was some room behind the green. I probably would have been ok with going a bit long on a regular nine. Still woulda been tough cause I'd be putting downhill toward a bunker. It's just a ridiculously tough course but I've been struggling with these shots on other courses that are not exceptionally difficult.
 
lofts off or not, there is always a need to learn how to adjust for an in betweener. Whether its choking up or taking a less than full swing. As for a less than full swing there are imo two ways to do this. One is to swing with a sower speed and the other is to take a shorter swing. So imo its 3 options. A choked up club, or a slower swing, or a shorter swing. I suppose which ever one still allows one to still maintain a good tempo is the one which works best for that person.

I use to always be one who preferred the shorter swing. perhaps a 3/4 or a 1/2 or whatever as needed. But now I also sometimes use a choked cub method instead. Imo one just doesn't need to learn one of these swings for the occasional in betweener gap but also needs to do so in windy conditions and with just about any club. Which ever way you find easiest ts something worth practicing at the range.
 
Philo1 said:
I've tried it...that's what I meant by choking down on the club. I haven't seemed to reduce the distance much. I don't think I've gone a full inch down....I'll try that tomorrow and see if I have any better results. I'm going to hit a bucket before playing, so I'll try it again. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Reduce the length if your swing. Try 10-2 swing (takeaway to 10 o'clock and follow thru to 2)vice a full swing. Practice this and 9-3. Change ball position too
 
If you're 132 uphill and the 9 iron is your 140-145 club wouldn't that have been the play there?
 
When I was in between clubs I always used to take the shorter club and try to hit it farther, but I figured out that it was better for me to choke down (at least two inches) on the longer club and make my normal swing. I find that when I just go down an inch I end up hitting the ball the same or sometimes more than the normal distance - maybe because being just a little shorter allows for better contact.
 
Philo1 said:
I've been struggling with shots about 90 - 135 yards out, but especially when they are protected and/or the green is small. In these cases I want to play a high shot that drops in and sticks to the green.
Click to expand...

I've found that this helps with this specific shot

 
Weaken the 9i loft, actually get them all checked. Going 1 more deg weak will make them play a little easier, hit higher, add bounce.
Shot choice...depends on your flights...e.g I draw the ball so going with a extra club and swinging too easy can result in a pull, over draw etc. If you slice then a longer club would help turn it over. Just avoid the miss. Like any iron shot...there has to be some acceleration into impact, with a choke down, you still have to accelerate, just back swing bit less and still keep it tight n chrispy
 
Hit a regular shot with the 9i at 1/2 or 3/4 of a swing. Or hit a regular swing but move your hands down a little on the grip. Yes it's choking down but not all the way down. Practice the shot until you can control it. With an elevated green I would have just hit my regular 9i. You have to compensate for the elevation anyways.
 
Me I'm takeing a 10-2 or 9-3 swing to get the number I need add in choking down to take another couple off when needed.

Depending on your ball striking and ability to shape play a high cut with the longer iron or play a draw with the shorter iron to get a couple extra yds.


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golfinFF said:
Me I'm takeing a 10-2 or 9-3 swing to get the number I need add in choking down to take another couple off when needed.

Depending on your ball striking and ability to shape play a high cut with the longer iron or play a draw with the shorter iron to get a couple extra yds.


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Click to expand...

Out of these options, the high cut is the least reliable for me. I'd recommend a 9-3 or 10-2 swing like emart suggested.
 
If I try to take anything off a club other than a wedge I end up pulling it. I just don't practice partial shots with longer clubs enough. That being said depending on how much uphill it looks like your stock 9 would've been the ticket. If I'm between clubs I'll choke down 1" and take normal swing...takes roughly 5 yards off for me all dependent on quality of strike.
 
obedt said:
Out of these options, the high cut is the least reliable for me. I'd recommend a 9-3 or 10-2 swing like emart suggested.
Click to expand...

That's why I said depending on ball striking ability. We all know our strengths and weaknesses the controlled draw eluded me for a long time.

I have zero issues hitting a highball as it was a stock shot for me for a long time.


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Choking down on the club I think would allow you to take a couple yards off of the PW.
 
Move the ball back in your stance with the pw and reduce the height of ball. You'll get a little roll out.??
 
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