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Between clubs: hit it hard or take some off?


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I tend to come up short more than long (probably 70/30 ratio), so I just grab the next lower lofted club and make a normal swing.  The approach aprons on our courses here are deceiving in that they don't look all that sloped but, for those having normal to high descent angle, they are ball stoppers - particularly this time of year.

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Seems like most take extra club. In general. For those that do, what would it take for you look to take some more muscle and get a harder swing?

For me it would be front pin, no real front trouble and preferably harder conditions. Leaving myself short then may but be so much is a penalty. 

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Majority of the time I am taking extra club, I am significantly more accurate 3/4 swinging. I don’t typically grip down until I get to the wedges.

@GolfSpy_APHits really dependent on where things are to swing harder and size of the green m. Years ago I would have answered hulk smash everything but I am just significantly more accurate with more club smoother swing. If I am 180+ out that’s where I’ll typically swing a little more oomf, longer irons seem to like being swung with some giddee up occasionally 

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Hard answer it all depends,  Hit it hard if adrenalin is a factor, if you have room short, and wind helping.   Hit it easy if you have room deep, are not feeling able to ramp up or the wind in your face.  

Next factor is where is the worse trouble, if it is left hit it easy, if it is right hit it hard, (or visa versa if you are left handed)  

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In that my coach is teaching me not to take a full swing on my normal shots, going only about 80%, I would take a full shot.....

 

 

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3 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Seems like most take extra club. In general. For those that do, what would it take for you look to take some more muscle and get a harder swing?

For me it would be front pin, no real front trouble and preferably harder conditions. Leaving myself short then may but be so much is a penalty. 

Maybe a front pin with no traps to cover but even those situations have proven challenging on my courses here.  Billy Casper & Greg Nash are evil. 🤣

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Shotscope had a report that the majority of golfers will always miss the green short. I have always factored that into my club selection. I want a club that I comfortably carry the front of the green. 

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I consider a number of factors, but in general, I’m more successful taking a longer club and taking a 3/4 swing.  I routinely take full and 3/4 swings with my wedges and practice them every trip to the range, so that always feels comfortable taking a little off.

But other considerations are important.  We have some greens that have sections with significant slopes.  One has an upward slope from front to back.  But on the backside of the green, there is a steep drop off which is all Bermuda rough.  Yesterday the pin was at the back.  In calm conditions, I probably just use my PW leaving a 15-20’ upward putt.  Yesterday, there was ~10mph we were hitting into.  I chose a 9i and took an easy swing and hit it perfectly about 2’ from the back fringe. One of the guys in my group hit almost identical shot, hit the back edge and rolled over.  I parred, he had to mini pitch, landed just past the hole then rolled 30’ down the green. 
 

 

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Like many of you, I think it depends on the conditions and where the trouble is and where the pin is on the green.  If it's windy, I tend to take the longer club, unless the wind is at my back obviously.  If I have trouble left and right and back, but nothing in the front, AND a front pin I don't have any issue taking the lower club and coming up short.  I do a lot of bump and run shots around the green so I am pretty confident that if I'm short I will be able to get up and down fairly regularly.  The main thing I don't want to do is try to swing slower.  Every time I try to do that, I get all out of rhythm and the resulting shots are bad.  So when I do take longer club, I usually choke down.  

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3 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Seems like most take extra club. In general. For those that do, what would it take for you look to take some more muscle and get a harder swing?

The longer the club, the more likely I am to take a hard swing. There has to be no trouble short or left (where my miss on a hard swing goes). I also look at how the ball is going to react when it lands. If the ball isn’t going to stick in the ground upon landing, my normal draw sets up well for a little chase onto a green. Some of the greens on my home course have a severe front-to-back slope and anything long leaves a very difficult downhill putt, so that’s a consideration as well. 

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Depends on the trouble around the landing area. If a miss left is dead, I’ll hit it hard, as my 70% shot can sometimes turn into a pull. 

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22 hours ago, fozcycle said:

I read somewhere that if you are using an 8 iron through wedge just lean on it. If you are using 7 iron or less take an extra club.

Totally agree! I didn't read this, though, I just do this. But it's because I'm not all that good with long irons so I don't have the confidence to swing one harder to get more out of it. What I have to do is learn to choke up a bit when I do take a longer club because I invariably hit it flush with the smoother swing and go too far. I think there's a lesson in there somewhere 🤔

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Depends on where the trouble is.  Bunkering,Water, swales.  Error to the safest area of recovery 

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I finally figured out that my golf game is less bad when I 3/4 swing. I usually find less trouble.  Over swinging always put me in trouble. 

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I know my carry distances for different backswing lengths. 8, 9, and 10 o'clock for all my wedges.

For other clubs, it depends on situation, lie, etc.  if I add or take some off.

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Generally,  hitting harder just creates more spin and not (for me) much difference in distance. I can clearly remember a practice round in the Spring a few years back where I had, like, 155 to a green (uphill slightly and into the wind).  I hit 7i and fell 20 yards short.  So I proceeded to drop additional balls and keep hitting.  7i NEVER got there.  Even the 6i barely made it on with my 6th or 7th try.   I learned that the ChromeSoft is not a good choice on windy days--AND  hitting it harder is not a good strategy for me. 

I practice half shots and 3/4 shots, so I am pretty comfortable with those options.   For me, generally a shoulder high swing (as opposed to full) will be about 1 less club of distance-- all things being equal.   So my 3/4 9i is a good choice for a PW distance.    Also, you can play with ball position and shape (draw or fade).    It is pretty easy to hood a PW about 10 degrees and aim 5 yards right, or so, to pick up another 5 yards of carry.   

Best to experiment when you play a practice round-- and then find out what you are most comfortable with and what is most effective. 

I will often drop down a club and go 3/4 smooth as a first choice all the time.  My general rule-of-thumb for most shots is the least amount of loft and the least amount of swing to accomplish the task.  That means hitting less than full approach shots, and using less loft around the green for pitches and chips.   For me, a shorter, controlled swing will just be more consistent and predictable and less prone to errors.   

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On 1/24/2023 at 9:28 AM, G56744 said:

All other things being equal, if you are between clubs, are you more likely to try the “hard” shorter club or take something off the longer club?

I usually go the latter route, choking down or making a three-quarter swing only to catch it flush and fly the green anyway. If I try the “hard” shot, it usually spins a bunch, flies higher and ends up short. It’s the 50-50-90 rule in full effect (if you have a 50-50 shot at getting it right, you’ll pick wrong 90% of the time).

How about everyone else?

For me, it depends entirely on lie. If the ball is sitting up enough to where I think I can get a solid ball strike on it, on relatively flat ground, and I've got some room up ahead to work with, I will take the shorter club and power it up.

If the ball is sitting down, on a weird slope, positioned where my feet aren't level with it, or if the area up ahead looks dicey, I will typically club up, choke down half inch, and go more feel.

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All depends on the hole layout and where the trouble is long or short whether I club up or swing with both cheeks. Also, to add it depends on what club, I do have my favorites and some step children. 

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depends on pin position. Short or middle pin, take more club. Choking down works for me. Back of the green pin, take the shorter club and swing normal. You never know what you might get with a flushed shot.

My reasoning, middle of the green is almost never bad. 

another thought: I think it's been proven that most amateurs don't really hit what they think is their target yardage with any approach club with any degree of regularity. If they hit their 7 iron 165 yards once, it will go that far forever. NOT! So to my way of thinking opting for a longer club is usually the better way to go. Commitment is everything whatever you pick.

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5 minutes ago, Benjamin Sokolowski said:

Take the longer club and choke up a half inch and swing normal 

reading this thread there are lots of personal moves that players are taking to achieve the "tween" shots. Interestingly enough for me, if I take the same club and grip down, 70% of the time I it it my normal carry distance and on occasion a bit further. I see many players on the PGA tour and lots on the LPGA tour grip down on their clubs all the time, so I know this style doesnt work for me.

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Depends on other factors (what is short, long, where is the proper miss, what are wind conditions). In general, I lean on wedges and short irons if I feel like I need a few extra yards out of them. I will try to hit a trap draw and flight it a bit lower. Longer clubs, I usually choke down a touch and try to make sure I make an aggressive, committed swing. 

All of that goes out the window if the conditions are windy or gusty. I am almost always taking longer clubs and trying to flight the ball lower in windy conditions.

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For me it is trying minimize the big number. So I look at where do I want to miss if I miss. Long or short? Then you have to factor conditions, lie, wind, etc. Also be realistic when evaluating the numbers, especially on the given day you are playing not in your optimal conditions. 

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I almost always take more club and back off versus hoping for a perfect pure strike, and that has served me well. Not only do I get better distance control, I am more likely to go off line the harder I swing. The only time I use less club is when I've walked to my ball with the wrong club because I'm too lazy to walk back and change clubs...😬

Though consequences of missing short vs long always enters into my club selection. I want my (distance) miss to leave me in better shape than not. So less club to avoid downhill putts, more or less club to miss traps, water, false fronts or other green side slopes, etc.

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2 hours ago, TBS said:

Shotscope had a report that the majority of golfers will always miss the green short. I have always factored that into my club selection. I want a club that I comfortably carry the front of the green. 

I take a similar approach, but carry it a bit further....if the pin is in the middle, I take enough club to land between the pin and the back of the green.  If the pin is in front, I take enough club to hit the middle of the green.  If the pin is back, I plan on taking enough club to reach the back of the green but not go over.  Obviously, going long over the green is often trouble, but falling short is also trouble (green side bunkers, false fronts, etc)...middle of the green is always good.  🙂 

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For me, it really depends on flag location and where the trouble is located.  Typically for a back pin I am free to swing away with the shorter club, no fear of going long into trouble. If the pin is front, then error room is long so I choke down on the longer club, about a 1/2 inch to take off 8 yards and take a normal swing.  If the pin is middle, then where the safe bail out is located will dictate my club selection. 

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