Golf Tip-O-the-Day for Monday

[OU4LIFE]

Everyone seems to struggle with the mid-range wedge shots, say from 35-65 yards. I've actually made this a strong suit of mine, here's how you do it.

Next time you are at the range, take a couple of targets with you, towels or something to aim at. Now go to one end of the range and pace off 30 yards, and 50 yards putting a target at each of these yardages. Now go back and get our your wedges. most people carry at least 3 wedges. Pitching wedge, sand wedge and usually one other, a gap wedge or a lob wedge or both. Start with your pitching wedge, and after warming up, work on half-swings with the pitching wedge. Most will go to the 50 yards target or just beyond. By having a target that you KNOW is at 50 yards, take note of how far the half-wedge shot goes with this club. 55, 60, or 65 yards...or whatever it may be.

Go through this routine hitting about 25 balls, with half swings with each wedge you have. Now with three wedges you have SIX yardages from 110 yards are so, in. and if you carry 4 wedges you will have EIGHT. Having a solid knowledge of how far full and half swings go with each wedge gives you a ton of flexibility from inside 100 yards and will make you better than most of your foursome, and I guarantee that if you practice these half wedge shots, you will knock several strokes off your score.

I know it's not sexy to go to the range and hit wedge shot after wedge shot, but the dividends paid by wedge work will add a few dollars to your wallet when you play with your buddies.

Let them hit driver at the range all the time, while you hone your wedge game and collect their cash.

[fadada1]

nice drill.

soft hands, soft hands, soft hands.

ALWAYS PICK THE SMALLEST TARGET POSSIBLE. don't just try to hit the green during wedge play. try to hit your "target". know that the pin may not always be the best target.

[Mjcpr]

Keep your head down, also keep it down when you're pacing off your yardage for this towel drill so you don't get beaned in the coconut by the other guys.

This is a dumb drill for me because the last 3 times I've played, I've lost all ability to hit my PW except for chips. If I have to take a 1/2 swing or more, it's a hozzel shank to the right. I went through this phase a few years ago too. It's fun.

[OU4LIFE]

I think you're doing it wrong.

[Mjcpr]

I think it must be the club.

[Turd_Ferguson]

What do you recommend for a 15-20 yard shot with not much green to work with? I can usually get handsy with a SW and try to let it land soft, but most of the time it runs out way past the pin.

[Mjcpr]

What do you recommend for a 15-20 yard shot with not much green to work with? I can usually get handsy with a SW and try to let it land soft, but most of the time it runs out way past the pin.

The problem occurred on the shot before. :D

[fadada1]

I can usually get handsy with a SW and try to let it land soft, but most of the time it runs out way past the pin.

don't do that.



once you've "short sided" yourself, you need to become a tour player to execute a flop shot worthy of keeping the ball near the hole. good luck and keep your head down.


;)

[Turd_Ferguson]

The problem occurred on the shot before. :D

Heh. That's what my FIL say's. "Your standing too close to the ball......right after you hit it".:D

[Turd_Ferguson]

don't do that. I can't always hit the green on every par 3:D

[OU4LIFE]

well you basically have two choices, if there is no trouble, IE Bunker, water etc, between you and the hole, then hit a little bump and run with a 7 iron....just try and judge the rough and get the ball one the green. If you DO have trouble between you and the hole, then you've got no choice but to try and flop it, try and get it to the middle of the green and take your medicine for the bad shot you hit.

Basically try and minimize the number as much as possible. Get it into the middle of the green and try to give yourself a reasonable putt for par, but a guaranteed two-putt for bogey.

[Howzit]

OU4Life, do you ever hit a ball into the water and have to swim after it? Because I could go farther out than you.

[sooner_born_1960]

I would guess that our definitions of "guaranteed two-putts" are quite different.

[Turd_Ferguson]

I would guess that our definitions of "guaranteed two-putts" are quite different.
guaranteed two-putt is anything inside the leather:D

[Partial Qualifier]

Let them hit driver at the range all the time, while you hone your wedge game and collect their cash.

My methodology may be out of date but the ol' "HAY SOMEONE'S BREAKING INTO YER CAR!!" trick just plain works. I've collected tons of cash, clubs, sleeves of balls, what-have-you.

[OU4LIFE]

OU4Life, do you ever hit a ball into the water

Yes


and have to swim after it?

No

[Partial Qualifier]

4Life: How many wedges do you carry and what lofts are they?

[OU4LIFE]

I carry 4. Pitching wedge(48), Gap Wedge (52 bent to 51), sand wedge(56 bent to 55) and lob wedge(60 bent to 59).

I dropped the 3 iron out of the bag to add the wedge, hell I couldn't hit it anyway.

[Turd_Ferguson]

I carry 4. Pitching wedge(48), Gap Wedge (52 bent to 51), sand wedge(56 bent to 55) and lob wedge(60 bent to 59).

I dropped the 3 iron out of the bag to add the wedge, hell I couldn't hit it anyway.Does the 1 deg. de-loft really help that much? What made you decide to bend it back a degree? I once saw Jesper at the Byron Nelson, hit a SW 132yds, uphill, past the pin & back it up next to it. The guy I was with made the comment that Jesper de-lofted his clubs quite a bit.

[OU4LIFE]

I did it just because the way I hit them, it made the yardages more evenly spaced between the wedges....and it relieves the bounce a tad.

[Mjcpr]

I have one, a PW, and I can hit it anywhere from 2 feet to about 120 yards (160 if I blade it).

[Partial Qualifier]

where are they bent.. hosel? shaft?

I can see why a little less bounce on the wedges would be nice

[fadada1]

i also carry 4 wedges. but a lot of it depends on the type of course you play and what demands i may/may not have. i've got the same set up as 4LIFE, but i've left the lofts alone. however, i may mix it up this year and go with a 50, 54, 58 (in addition to the standard wedge).

you should be aware that each degree will translate into about 4 yards (give or take). if you have a wedge and a sand wedge, you should know that you have 8 degrees of loft unaccounted for - translates into about 32 yards of (potential) empty space. unless you're good enough to blade/chunk it on demand, get yourself a gap wedge (at the very least).

[Turd_Ferguson]

where are they bent.. hosel? shaft?
Depends if the club lands head first or grip first when I throw it:D

[fadada1]

where are they bent.. hosel? shaft?

I can see why a little less bounce on the wedges would be nice

they get bent on the shaft after you blade it across the green into the parking lot and decide that the tree closest to you should be punished.;)

bounce depends on a couple things. are you a sweeper or a digger? and do you find yourself in bunkers a lot? you want more bounce on you wedges for bunker play - thats why 56-60 degree wedges geberally have more bounce.

[OU4LIFE]

HEAR HIM!

I like to chip with my sand wedge a lot, so I have 10degrees of bounce on that wedge, and only 4 on my lob wedge. IMO, more bounce on a wedge makes chipping harder....for me anyway.

[Condescending Sooner]

HEAR HIM!

I like to chip with my sand wedge a lot, so I have 10degrees of bounce on that wedge, and only 4 on my lob wedge. IMO, more bounce on a wedge makes chipping harder....for me anyway.

If more bounce makes it harder to chip, why do you chip with your sand wedge instead of your lob wedge?

[OU4LIFE]

lob wedge = too much loft and backspin for most chips. for me.

[Mjcpr]

Word. I hate it when I spin it too much.