Short Approach

2,004 Views | 14 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by birdman
TX_Aggie37
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AG
I just started playing regularly back in April, and have seen significant improvement in my putting and off the tee. My short approach (50-100 yards) sucks something awful though. I always get in my head and either blade it past the green or catch it fat leaving it short. Any quick tips that y'all focus on to improve this aspect of your game? I've worked on not slowing down my swing and just adjusting back-swing for distance, but was wondering if y'all had any other advice. This fix would easily save me at least 5 strokes a round I think.
bagger05
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What do you typically hit that distance?

If I'm 50-100 out and I have a fluffy lie or a good lie in the fairway, I typically will just play a normal wedge shot.

If I don't like the lie (too soggy or too hard) then I like to play something like an 8-iron and play some bump and run if I can.
AggieIce
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Using a wedge (52-60) on shots like that take a lot of practice and confidence.

Like Bagger said sometimes it is easier to use a 8-PW and flight the ball a bit lower and let it release a little on the green. Even if a pin is tucked up front being anywhere on the green is usually a bonus if you're having issues with short game pitches/shots
jj9000
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If I'm 20-80 yards out I typically play a 58* and adjust for distance by gripping down on the club and taking a full swing.

80-100 yards I do the same thing with a 54*.

Take whatever club you hit a certain distance to the range and hit nothing else but that club...rinse and repeat the next day...then the next day.
NOBEVO
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Dave Peltz's Short Game Bible. Use the "Clock" program taking various wedges back specific lengths. Works wonders in your short game.
CapCity12thMan
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I am a huge Pelz fan, but I will say unless you can get consistent or somewhat consistent contact, it will only help in concept. I think the OP is having issues with consistent contact - i.e. not blading it, chunking it, etc.

so, I will focus on that.

I would start with smallish - 20-30 yd chips keeping two things in mind: 1) ball middle or even back of middle in stance and 2) hands ahead of the ball at impact. #1 will help with #2.

As you get the feeling of impact and where it should be and you see more consistency, start ratcheting up your yardages.

You should start to feel when you 'flip' the club with your hands, or start doing things you shouldn't. Hit down and through it - hands ahead of the ball for consistent contact.

Ag_07
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AG
Learn the low, bump and run shot. Use your 9-7 irons and just half swing and run it up there. Essentially a long chip.

I just made an effort to use this shot over a half swing wedge and it's helped a ton. Takes a lot of risk out.
gravy97
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AG
Also, most folks don't take advantage of this... but most driving ranges have grass in this distance range that you can practice hitting this shots to. You have to get a little creative to find targets... maybe a spot of dead grass or dirt, a sprinkler head, or something

Its not as much fun to hit little half shots as it is to make full swings after you paid for the balls... but practice is where you are going to find those 5 shots you are looking for.
Tony Franklins Other Shoe
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AG
quote:
Learn the low, bump and run shot. Use your 9-7 irons and just half swing and run it up there. Essentially a long chip.

I just made an effort to use this shot over a half swing wedge and it's helped a ton. Takes a lot of risk out.
This is good advice. Let your mind take over and just punch it up there. If you are just starting or getting back into the game, a lot easier to hit 1/2 or 3/4 shots than using a lob wedge to throw it up on a green. Also, most courses are more forgiving up front, don't need to fly bunkers and such.
Cen-Tex
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quote:
I am a huge Pelz fan, but I will say unless you can get consistent or somewhat consistent contact, it will only help in concept. I think the OP is having issues with consistent contact - i.e. not blading it, chunking it, etc.

so, I will focus on that.

I would start with smallish - 20-30 yd chips keeping two things in mind: 1) ball middle or even back of middle in stance and 2) hands ahead of the ball at impact. #1 will help with #2.

As you get the feeling of impact and where it should be and you see more consistency, start ratcheting up your yardages.

You should start to feel when you 'flip' the club with your hands, or start doing things you shouldn't. Hit down and through it - hands ahead of the ball for consistent contact.


Echo Cap City's post. Suggest getting 'The Short Game Bible' book by Pelz. It really helped my short game.
CapCity12thMan
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quote:
This is good advice. Let your mind take over and just punch it up there. If you are just starting or getting back into the game, a lot easier to hit 1/2 or 3/4 shots than using a lob wedge to throw it up on a green. Also, most courses are more forgiving up front, don't need to fly bunkers and such.

I will still argue you will get more value in your game overall by honing in on crisp/more consistent contact. Learn to hit the ball first with a descending blow and the returns on that practice will be immense - in ALL facets of your game.

Learning to bump your 6i-8i up onto a green is treating the symptom, not the problem, and might save you a couple of strokes per round ONLY if you are faced with a green that allows this type of shot. Learning to make better contact will save you many more strokes, IMHO.

I would go to the range and hit nothing but 20-60 yard chips, making sure your hand are ahead of the ball and you turn through the shot - don't flip your hands through it. Watch this, starting at about 1:00 in...

USGA77
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AG
As others have noted, the issue you describe is inconsistent contact. Based on what you say the ball is doing (thin, bladed shots and fat shots) I suspect the cause is due to you trying to "help" the ball in the air on the downswing. When that happens your weight shifts towards your back foot, your right shoulder dips a little and as a result, your swing can't bottom out in the same place every time. It's the same problem a lot of us have with bunker shots.

The goal is to keep the bottom of your swing on these short shots in the same place every time, and with some slight adjustments to ball position in your stance, as well as your setup, you can catch these pitch shots with solid contact every time.

There are many roads to Dublin as you've seen from prior posts, and any of them may work for you to maintain a consistent bottoming out of your swing. I suggest keeping your weight a little more on the left side throughout the swing.A good drill is to make practice swings at a low tee stuck in the ground just above the surface. You don't even need a ball. If you can consistently clip that tee with a descending blow with the divot in front of the tee, you'll make solid contact with a ball.

Another thing that will help is to always make an aggressive downswing with a high full finish. You can vary the backswing length and grip down a little to develop touch and distance control. But a lot of fat/thin pitch shots result from a big backswing and then a decelerating short downswing. You can dial in distance control later once you have a confidence in your approach to how you want to hit the shot.

1208HawkTree
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USGA is spot on. It's all about solid contact with a descending blow, first and foremost. I was told as a kid, "hit down to make it go up," and it's one of the most important things to learn in order to build consistency.
Tony Franklins Other Shoe
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quote:
quote:
I would go to the range and hit nothing but 20-60 yard chips, making sure your hand are ahead of the ball and you turn through the shot - don't flip your hands through it.


I hi-lited this because I believe in the bump and run, but agree overall that you need to go practice. I can do both but you see so many guys trying to hit shots they have no chance at hitting. This is great advice that people never think of much like banging out a whole bucket of balls then walking across the practice green to go to the car and leave and never practice putting enough.

Confidence in short game is the key to good golf.
birdman
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Once you get a mostly repeatable swing then get your distances. How far does sand wedge go? Putting wedge, et cetera. Then do same thing with 3/4 swings with all your clubs. Get your distances. This is Pelz method.

I know people use 1/2 swings and 90% swings. Those are tougher and harder to be consistent. Just stick with full swing and 3/4 swing. You'll have pretty good distance coverage and be more consistent.
birdman
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A drill that helped me was from a Tom Lehman drill. Mostly for tempo, but it helped me with half swings. Obviously, that helped with my wedges.

I'll hit my 7 iron. Mine goes 150 yards. Then hit it 140 yards. Then hit it 130 yards. Just work your distances down. You might have to start with 20 yard gaps at the beginning. I'll keep hitting shorter until it becomes silly.

Then I'll do same thing with 8 iron and work through the bag.
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