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Mindset on approach shot and chips/pitches

emart2173

emart2173

#journey2017
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As you come up on your ball whether walking or riding what is going through your mind as your are preparing for your shot?

for me it's my lie, stance, distance to front/middle/back and where pin is, wind/weather and where is trouble
 
Where the pin is, what kind of shot do I need all carry, high shot, bump and run, what is the safe shot what is aggressive.

Then mechanics of shot full swing 1/2 1/4 swing ball placement

Then I think of weather and other outside forces.

Practice swing

Execute

Club twirl


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Pin location, type of shot and where is my landing spot.
 
Pin position and lie. Lie mostly.
 
As I approach the ball, thinking lie, distance, pin placement.
At address: "Please, God. Don't let me shank, skull, or otherwise flub this."
After contact: "Whew" or "@$!*#"
 
emart2173 said:
As you come up on your ball whether walking or riding what is going through your mind as your are preparing for your shot?

for me it's my lie, stance, distance to front/middle/back and where pin is, wind/weather and where is trouble
Click to expand...

I typically check the lie, pick my target, determine what type of shot I want to hit, visualize said shot and execute.
 
First, evaluate where the good miss is. Choose my target and shot shape accordingly.

At address, make sure my setup matches the picture in my brain. It's extremely difficult to hit a fade unless you're setup for a fade, as an example.

During swing, focus on target and feeling the weight of the club work with gravity in a tension-free manner.
 
Yep, lie is the first and most key component. I'm using my 60 degree for about 85% of my chips and short pitches, but desired the shot with it will depend on lie, pin location, and whether the green is elevated. Played a bunch of turtle-back type greens today and for some cases the safest play was to bump them into the slope, while others flying it on was best.
 
I'm looking at the lie first. Then I go to distance and if I can attack the pin or not. I rarely worry about weather, trouble or stuff like that.
 
I am thinking of holing it if it is within 10 yards of the green or at least an easy putt, lie and if it is up or downhill comes into the thought process
 
Lie first, then what is the best type of shot to hole out or leave it tight considering how much green I have to work with. Last commit to the shot and execute.
 
I probably go about it the wrong way, but I'm looking for the yardage and pin placement first. Then the lie and let that determine my target. Then whether or not I need to hit a certain shot: low, high, work it to the right, or pray it goes left... maybe hit it straight up...
 
How far away am I, check out what the lie looks like, where is my trouble, make up my mind and let it rip
 
Pin location, how does the lie look, then my landing point.
 
Lie pin placement and target. Then club selection. At address it's "don't blade it". Or the more positive corollary to that.
 
emart2173 said:
As you come up on your ball whether walking or riding what is going through your mind as your are preparing for your shot?

for me it's my lie, stance, distance to front/middle/back and where pin is, wind/weather and where is trouble
Click to expand...

About the same as you. And I may also be thinking about making a good swing.
 
Distance to front/back of green and pin position. Lie of the ball. Wind. Where the trouble is that surrounds the green. Pick my target based on all that and try like heck to execute on that plan.
 
Usually always look at the lie first so I know how I need to approach the shot, and then will look at distance.
 
Mostly the pin and figure out that landing area I'm wanting to hit the ball.

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JohnSinVA said:
As I approach the ball, thinking lie, distance, pin placement.
At address: "Please, God. Don't let me shank, skull, or otherwise flub this."
After contact: "Whew" or "@$!*#"
Click to expand...

Yes sir!!! That is exactly what goes thru my head. Sad to say but.....
 
I look at distance and play the shot needed for that distance
 
On approaches, key note is pin placement and as it relates to trouble. Then lie, stance, wind, elevation, etc.

I'll aim safe, not going for a tucked pin. Usually center of green, at least toward the safe side of the pin, preferably below the hole.

On shorter pitches, I'm more apt to go for a pin but I'll still aim toward safety's side, below the hole.

Chips, I'm trying to make. Lie dictates so much but if clean, I'm treating it like a putt and going for the hole.
 
Distance is the first the piece of information I get, from there I will look at the lie. Then I determine what club and shot I want to hit. From there it is focus on my target, pull the trigger and trust it. I very seldom factor the trouble into my shot/club selection especially in 7 iron and below. To me factoring in the trouble is adding a negative thought into the equation. Negative thoughts are like the plague on the golf course and I try to avoid them at all costs.
 
Yards I have to carry, yards I am choosing to carry and the angle I want the ball to land with the right amount of spin to stop at the hole. Then I look to see if the lie is going to cause issues. Practice swing or 2 and go.
 
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