Iron Dispersion

[revkev]

In the thread where Golf Spy T through his driver under a bus he made the comment that he's done enough testing to know that there is no appreciable difference in dispersion between a middle iron and a short iron among testers (or something to that effect.)

 

I'd love to see a test done by our testers with a wedge, 8 iron, 6 iron, 4 iron/hybrid to see average distance from the target.

 

From my perspective I think that I feel as if I'm pretty consistent from 105 to 165 (PW to 6 iron). I think I get it closer to the hole from 105 to 75 - full GW to LW - 165 to 185 (5 hybrid/4 hybrid) I feel as if I can get it on the green - outside of 185 is less than 50 percent although if I have a level lie and its not windy I'm pretty good from there as well.

 

Generally speaking I'm trying to leave myself a 7 iron or less into the green - I don't really see much difference between how close I'll hit a 7 iron or a 9 iron.

 

What's the consensus here?

[The Dansome]

Ya gap wedge and in I'm pretty money for gettin it close, but PW-6 it's all the same thing, consistently good but they certainly aren't always tight. 5-3 iron I'm just getting them on the green as well.

[BK in TEXAS]

Nope. The longer the club, the greater the dispersion. It's as if I have a set "range", or dispersion "V". If I could narrow that down I'd be happier than a pig in a manure pile.

[Matt Saternus]

I've been coming to the conclusion lately that my best number is a full PW and there's a dead zone between that and my bread and butter punched gap wedge. While I like a full PW best, I think I'm probably just as good with anything up to an 8I and only slightly worse with a 7I. 5I and 6I...not so much.

[revkev]

I've made 14 birdies in my last 4 rounds (basically since I recovered from the pneumonia). Five of them have come as the result of a shot with a 7 iron - only two of them come from part wedges - so that means 12 of them came from full shots of some sort or another.

 

I'm really liking that 7 iron right now - made back to back birdies with it on Tuesday and had a very good look at birdie a couple of holes before the back to backers.

 

My best club for making birdies is my putter though.

[Shambles]

I'm going to sound simplistic and accordingly accused for this.

 

Dispersion comes when you habitually swing for distances you are not comfortable with, essentially stretching whatever club you are using. It does not matter that you are using a long or a short club. When you are swinging out of your shoes, you are also swinging out of your balance and giving up control for distance, or height or whatever you momentarily feel more important.

 

You can hit targets with a 3 Iron or a Driver, but the landing is more likely to vary if the distance involved is something that requires extra effort, whatever effort that might be, from you. It's why the old advice of using a bread and butter swing as often as possible is good advice, and the range should be your friend because that is where you find out what you are truly worth with each club.

 

 

Shambles

[revkev]

Interestingly our pro James over in the teaching section gives the opposite advice Shambles - he says stay away from the range - I tend to agree with him on that account. The range is a place where many players go to groove their flaws into their swings. The range might be productive if there is something in particular that you're working on - better and way cheaper to spend one's time on the putting and practice green - lots more strokes to be found there I think.

 

I do agree with you to a point on the first part of your post though - if you swing withing yourself you are going to be more accurate - however there is a point of dimishing return - if my three wood is 2 degrees open the ball is going to go farther off line at 210 than my gap wedge will if its two degrees open at 105. Also since the wedge's shaft is shorter it's going to be easier for me to keep it's face square at impact.

 

Those are things that have to be factored in.

 

So I think you raise a valid point but don't spend too much time at the range trying to prove it.

[Matt Saternus]

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer on the question of range time because it all depends on the person. Some people do need to go out and hit a lot of balls because they have something they need to accomplish there - fix something mechanical, find out how far their clubs go, find out their "best" club distance, etc. Personally I am in James' camp FOR ME because I get bored/sloppy/unproductive when I hit too many balls. I like to get a little bit loose, work on something specific, achieve it (hopefully) and get out of there.

[RoverRick]

 

Dispersion comes when you habitually swing for distances you are not comfortable with, essentially stretching whatever club you are using. It does not matter that you are using a long or a short club. When you are swinging out of your shoes, you are also swinging out of your balance and giving up control for distance, or height or whatever you momentarily feel more important.

 

Shambles

 

I find all my irons now are equally straight and true distance wise. I like Shambles suggest do not swing for the fences with them most of the time. Tonight we were playing 2 on 2 again, the same guys where my partner abandoned me on Tuesday. I gave him hell about that. But, I hit a 5 iron today 185 yards and came within 10 feet of the flag, three times. The first time I had I aimed a two iron at the 150 marker from 200 yards away, planning on it going past the marker. (a piece of 1 1/2" pipe painted white.) I hit the stake dead center and it bounced back 35 yards. It gave me the confidence that all I needed to do was aim at the flag. So I did. Two holes later, I was 185 out on a par 5, and a 5 iron and a putt I made eagle. Two holes after that my partner went OB. Both the other guys hit great drives. I laid up in the fairway and happened to have 185 to the flag. One of the other guys was 85. I stuffed another 5 iron in there close and he just glared at me.

 

As long as I do not over swing, I am as accurate with all my irons. With my new driver shaft I am very accurate with it also. The key is to swing within myself. I am quite capable of hitting very ugly shots with these clubs, and it is from overswinging.

 

Because of the confidence I have with these irons, I am not afraid to give up 100 yards to play it safe if need be. And the advantage of that is I get to hit first. I find it adds pressure when someone hits a longer shot than I have into the green. And I like putting the extra pressure on my opponents before they put it on me.

[revkev]

If one of the guys you were playing is 85 rr its no wonder you beat them.

[Richie3Jack]

I think some may want to look at dispersion a little differently. It's one thing to have roughly the same dispersion with many clubs throughout your bag on the range. Another on the course. If I'm 180 yards away and hit a shot a little offline, with the velocity the ball is traveling, angle of descent of the ball and lower spin rate, the ball is more likely to bounce off the green further and in the end, the dispersion would be greater compared to a 120 yard shot where the ball is traveling at a lower speed, steeper angle of descent and higher spin rate.

 

I personally play shots differently depending on the club. From 175-225 yards, my main goals are to make solid contact and find the green. I'll take a look at the flag and what the likelihood of getting up and down is if I miss from certain spots. But for the most part, it's about solid contact and finding the green, 2-putting and moving onto the next hole.

 

From 125-175 yards, my focus is now more on shooting at the flag and what are my up and down chances if I miss the green and where the best miss is and favoring that side a little. Then if I don't like my options if I miss, I start focusing more on finding the green, 2-putting and getting out of there.

 

From less than 125 yards, I'm usually focusing on the pin. And if I get in a shorter distance, I start to focus more on trajectory so I can attempt to hit the best possible shot into the flag. If the pin is cut up towards the front of the green and I'm 60 yards away, I start focusing on what trajectory is needed to hit the best shot possible into that flag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

[Tyk]

I think I am equally accurate and best with my GW, PW, 9. I am comfortable and confident with my 8,7,6 and even really with my 5 but there is a gradual slide in accuracy as I progress through them. My 4 iron? Depends on the day! I doubt I'm any better than 50/50 with the 4, but I've also hit some fantastic shots with it!

 

I keep hearing these suggestions to stay away from the range because you will build bad habits. This advice is, in my opinion, flat out laughable. It falls into the category of a superstition. A pro might as well recommend that one "don't actually PLAY golf! Just hit balls with me in front of this monitor. . ." The whole goal of golf instruction is to teach someone how to make a repeatable swing, and even more importantly how to check themselves and determine their errors. Now, if someone is going to go to the range and hit balls incorrectly without attempting to identify or change the flaw, well that person is an idiot. However, that person probably doesn't hit the ball well on the course either (hence they aren't ruining anything), and that person probably hasn't had lessons.

 

Yes, I'm sure there are people that practice wrong, but why would they do it right on the course and wrong on the range? I would say the reverse is much more common, for almost everyone. Ever hear of the "Driving Range Champion"? Well, you're lookin at him! It was a real battle this year, but I held off the competition again!

 

You practice to ingrain movement into your muscle memory, so it is automatic, so you don't have to think about it anymore. That isn't going to happen if you just hit the course and play 9 twice a week no matter how much you pay your instructor to tell you it will.

[JMiller]

The PGA Tour stats for distance on the following yardages average approach distance to pin:

NOTE: I am rounding a little here to give a rough range for each distance

 

~ inside 100 yards --> 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5 yards off)

~ 100 - 125 yards --> 15 to 25 feet (5 to 8 yards off)

~ 125 - 150 yards --> 20 to 35 feet (7 to 11 yards off)

~ 150 - 175 yards --> 22 to 40 feet (7 to 13 yards off)

~ 175 - 200 yards --> 30 to 42 feet (10 to 14 yards off)

~ 200 - 225 yards --> 32 to 50 feet (11 to 17 yards off)

~ 225 - 250 yards --> 40 to 70 feet (13 to 23 yards off)

~ 250 - 275 yards --> 43 to 110 feet (14 to 37 yards off)

~ Driving Accuracy (to the center of the fairway) --> 20 to 40 feet (6 to 13 yards off)

--> Driving Accuracy (hit fairway percentage) --> 74% down to 46%

 

Not sure if that helps any these are the best players in the world, I think most single digits and really good golfers can some what relate to this as well. I would have to assume that majority of single digit handicaps are hitting 50% at least of fairways and the ones that they miss are not by a lot.

 

 

 

 

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer on the question of range time because it all depends on the person. Some people do need to go out and hit a lot of balls because they have something they need to accomplish there - fix something mechanical, find out how far their clubs go, find out their "best" club distance, etc. Personally I am in James' camp FOR ME because I get bored/sloppy/unproductive when I hit too many balls. I like to get a little bit loose, work on something specific, achieve it (hopefully) and get out of there.

 

Sorry for getting OT here for a minute...

 

I have to agree with you and James on this one at a given point the range will give someone negative returns and if you are practicing the wrong movements you are going to get yourself into a bigger hole then what you started at. If you want to do the range thing to improve get lessons and work on the range with an instructor, take video on your own practice times to bring back to the instructor later with questions on specific things you are not sure about.

 

Practice effectively, I much rather hit 15 balls giving it my 110% focus on every shot. Making sure to pick a specific target, trajectory, shot shape like I would do on the golf course. This for me gives me a better idea and more effective to take to the course the just making a random swing to just hit straight. How can you tell if something was straight so to speak if you have no target line reference?

 

Really the best thing to do is develop a 1-curve go to shot an play it, don't force the idea that you need to hit both directions all the time. If you have a predictable shot shape then you can eliminate 1/2 the golf course and play very well. Obviously, most people around here play the forward tees, I have never seen many tee boxes that are forward force you to shape shot the drive one way or another, it is normally wide open.

[BK in TEXAS]

 

I keep hearing these suggestions to stay away from the range because you will build bad habits. This advice is, in my opinion, flat out laughable .......

 

Now, if someone is going to go to the range and hit balls incorrectly without attempting to identify or change the flaw, well that person is an idiot.

However, that person probably doesn't hit the ball well on the course either (hence they aren't ruining anything).......

I gotta agree with this. Especially the part I highlighted.

[revkev]

I gotta tell you that the highlighted part is mostly what I see when I'm on the range - I generally go to the range to practice full shots every other week. I will go to the range more frequently when I don't have time to play - I go to the putting green three times a week regardless of how much I'm playing.

 

Sorry JMiller but I'm going to respectfully disagree with you in a big way about your front tee comments - a well designed course has well designed hazzards, including trees, that are equally in play from all tees. In fact there are several courses that I play regularly that actually require more shaping of shots from the white tees than from the blue tees because it's easier to fly the trees from the blue tees and thus take the need to shape or lay up out of the equation. There are three or four dogleg rights that play shorter for me from the tips for this reason - I generally have to hit a slight cut with 3 hybrid or 3 wood at the 150 instead of hitting driver over the trees to about 130 from the back - heck because I can hit it over the trees I can hit draws from the back even on the dogleg rights.

[revkev]

I gotta tell you that the highlighted part is mostly what I see when I'm on the range - I generally go to the range to practice full shots every other week. While there I see even more amazing things than I see on the course. I will go to the range more frequently when I don't have time to play - I go to the putting green three times a week regardless of how much I'm playing. Certainly if you have a teacher and are working something in your swing you need to go to the range - without a teacher and without a plan it's a crap shoot.

 

Sorry JMiller but I'm going to respectfully disagree with you in a big way about your front tee comments - a well designed course has well designed hazzards, including trees, that are equally in play from all tees. In fact there are several courses that I play regularly that actually require more shaping of shots from the white tees than from the blue tees because it's easier to fly the trees from the blue tees and thus take the need to shape or lay up out of the equation. There are three or four dogleg rights that play shorter for me from the tips for this reason - I generally have to hit a slight cut with 3 hybrid or 3 wood at the 150 instead of hitting driver over the trees to about 130 from the back - heck because I can hit it over the trees I can hit draws from the back even on the dogleg rights.

[JMiller]

Sorry JMiller but I'm going to respectfully disagree with you in a big way about your front tee comments

I figured someone was going to, I am prepared to explain

 

A well designed course has well designed hazzards, including trees, that are equally in play from all tees.

Not exactly, I am playing a 285 yard carry driver something that is sitting at 260 - 290 like a fairway bunker is in play from the tips, if that is 220-250 from the front tee it is no longer in play for my length, I would have to hit a 19* hybrid to be in the 220-250 range of something being in play off the forward tee in that case. If the players distance remains the same then the course changes completely from the forward tee to the back tee. The tee boxes even set at different angles to the fairway on most courses and holes to give a different shape look to the guys playing back there. I think this is the big reason that the course and slope ratings are drastically different between tee boxes.

 

In fact there are several courses that I play regularly that actually require more shaping of shots from the white tees than from the blue tees because it's easier to fly the trees from the blue tees and thus take the need to shape or lay up out of the equation. There are three or four dogleg rights that play shorter for me from the tips for this reason - I generally have to hit a slight cut with 3 hybrid or 3 wood at the 150 instead of hitting driver over the trees to about 130 from the back - heck because I can hit it over the trees I can hit draws from the back even on the dogleg rights.

I play on a Reese Jones course here in NC, everything I have played around here is a different look from the tips then the forward tee. I played a ton of golf in South West OH growing up same sort of thing. I have never personally seen / played a golf course where it was easier to cut a corner of a dog leg from the tips / middle tee then the forward tee. I am sort of shocked to even hear that is the case at all that doesn't sound like a well designed hole to me normally the designer propusly gives less issues off the tee to the forward players and more to the back player.

 

Can I ask the name of the designer and the course and the name of the course?

[RoverRick]

If one of the guys you were playing is 85 rr its no wonder you beat them.

 

If you are asking me if I am playing an 85 year old. The answer is no. My team mate was 60 as was one of the team and the other guy is younger than me.

[Shambles]

The thing about the Range is that it is a tool, just as your clubs, tees, bag and, if you have some at home, the bench vise and a bunch of wrenches, pliers and so on. Used properly, they serve you well. I like the range and actually got more golf satisfaction from it than the fairway until the cost went up too high for me to enjoy the sessions and time spent there. These days I spend more time on the fairway and need to think before I spend range time to acquire a new shot, fix an old one or simply pass the time.

 

The range can be harmful just as any tool can cause you harm when used poorly. Spending the day there doing the same old even when it does not need work is not good. That's a day lost because it was spent without thought or an effort for improvement. However, if that same amount of time is spent looking at how others do things and trying to understand how it may or may not help you, that's another matter. Personally I do not like going to the fairway doing the same old and I do not like going to the range doing the same old.

 

There are times on the fairway that you need to shape a shot or hit a target but it's not likely to happen unless you have at least learned how such a shot is done by you, and you can most conveniently do that at the range. It's not going to be exactly the same as on the fairway but you already know how the shot is done and only need to adjust for the conditions that confront you. You have a better chance.

 

Golf is a lot more fun when your mind is needed and you have a fair assortment of tools to use.

 

 

Shambles

[revkev]

Back to Jmiller don't know the designer. It's been redisgned so many times it wouldn't matter anyway. As you can guess there are a number of sharp doglegs on the course - trees have been planted along the tee box to prevent players from cutting the doglegs most notably because it means flying over houses. However the fourth set of tees was added more recently to give the course increased distance (ostensably to get more members.) More trees were added but they haven't matured enough yet to block those lines across the dogleg for an accomplished golfer. There are 4 or 5 holes that are this way depending upon wind direction and if I can cut them anyone who is playing from the tips can cut them.

 

Obviously for the same player the course changes depending upon the set of tees - that wasn't my point and I didn't realize it was yours. No argument there. What it doesn't mean is there's less need to shape shots or have to think less strategically just because a given player is playing differing set of tees.

 

I think we can take a great lesson from the USGA here - they use different sets of tees to cause holes to play differently strategically in all of their events - it's a great strategy on their part. Following suit the PGA and PGA tour also do this - they'll move tees up on certain holes to bring risk reward into the equation - a well designed course or creative superintendent will allow for this.

 

In regards to slope/rating is difficulty the same as better? I don't know - when I'm shooting 59 regularly on a less difficult course I might have a firm opinion but until then I find it fun to occasionally move up a set and have the opportunity to reach some par 5's in two and shoot a lower score that way instead of my normal methodical plodding way of going about the game.

 

What I do know is that for a single digit golfer course rating is far more indicative of difficulty than slope - If a course is rated 69 from one set of tees and 72 from another jmiller or I can pretty much take it to the bank that if we have enough of a sample our average scores will be 3 strokes higher from the longer set. So I'll adjust my expectations of a good round accordingly - where I would be happy to break 75 on the course with the 72 rating I'm going to be looking to shoot even or under par from the next set of tees up. Conversly if the course rating gets up to 74/75 breaking 78 becomes the goal. It's realitive. That's why when someone asks me about my lowest round ever I answer with qualification - its a 66 but the course rating on that course is 68 (it's an easy par 70 that only plays 6,000 from the tips in Wisconsin - very short - a couple of drivable par 4's but really very fun). My best round ever was either a 68 on a course with a rating of 72 or a 69 that I had on a course with a rating of 72.7 - the 68 was a competitive round, as was the 66, the 69 was not but it is a tough course.

 

I perceived your comment as deamening to those who play from forward tees - I doubt you meant it that way but wanted you to know that this is how it came across - to me.

[RoverRick]

If you are asking me if I am playing an 85 year old. The answer is no. My team mate was 60 as was one of the team and the other guy is younger than me.

 

 

Sorry Rev, I am usually the one who reads other peoples posts and make fun of their wording. I simply did not get it. Sometimes there is no excuse for stupid.

 

What I meant was that one of the other team guys really hitt a great drive and went over the trees and just 85 yards from the flag. I had enough confidence in my irons that I knew I could get on the green by teeing off with an iron and just getting in the fairway. I got in the fairway but was 100 yards behind the guy that cut the corner. I hit the iron shot in there real close.

 

 

Here is the worst part about this post and thread. I played this hole twice today, and used driver off the tee twice today, and drove it in the woods twice today, and did not get it on the green in regulation twice today. Sometimes there really is no excuse for stupid.

 

Today, I hit two drives that were over 300 yards and just fell in love with the long ball. (Chicks dig the long ball.) ( Wind behind me, hit on hard pan, got lucky.) And I hit driver on two holes where there was really reason to do that. I make pars or birdies regularly on these two holes with an iron off the tee, but did it twice of each hole today and made two pars and one bogey and one double bogey. Sometimes there really is not excuse for stupid.

[JMiller]

This has gotten us way OT I would like to apologize for that, but I figure I might as well answer the question and statement and try to get this back on topic.

 

REV, you read it correctly the first time I was speaking in general about the forward tees and what is in play directly off the tee box.

 

I can think of a bunch of holes on my golf course that give a total 180 perspective of the hole from the tips and the forward tee. Here is a course tour of my home course and here is the list of totally different holes. Pretty much all of it has to do with trees that get brought into play more on the tips then the white tee, the ones not listed are really just length changes --> http://www.golf.duke.edu/z2hole01.html

Hole 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13 (it is missing another tee box in that picture for the tips), 14, 16 (lots of trees on the left that stick out between the tips and white tee around the 2nd box pictured)

 

So about 10 holes out of 18 play drastically different in terms of tee shots with trees that are in play from the tips that are not in play on the white tee, the other 8 are just length changes really and not a lot less.

 

I was sort of pointing out that the USGA has a Course and Slope rating that are different between the boxes and not just length. I was sort of making the point that if a single person changes tee boxes it is going to change how they approach the golf course.

 

I see why now that you can cut corners from the back tees where you can't from the forward tees. They added a tee box and didn't plant trees next to the box to help protect against cutting the corner like the original design had intended. When extending the golf course you have to take things like that into consideration on how to make it fair across the board. Normally, very good players play the back tees you might want a look off the tee box that makes the hole play harder compared to the forward tees and just length doesn't normally get the job done.

 

 

 

Back to iron dispersion, I feel that the better the player you are then tighter the dispersion is going to be but even the best players in the world get larger target circles as the club gets longer.

[revkev]

Thanks JMiller - I thought I knew what you meant but wanted to clarify even if we were getting OT and I knew what you meant RR I was just pulling your chain - I do those sorts of things all the time because I have my computer on while I'm working and will sometimes post while being interupted a couple of times.

 

Back to the original intent of this thread I'm wondering if there is a study out there for ordinary golfers as to iron dispersion between clubs. I don't have the patience to test this - it would take significant time - I don't know that I'm any straighter with gap wedge than 9 iron - it seems like I'm just as comfortable with gap, wedge and 9 - I do think that I'm a bit more accurate with full sandwedge than with those three clubs - it seems like there's a bit of a gap between my 9 and 8 in terms of dispersion but then I'm equally comfortable with 8-6 - I think there's another gap with 5-3 wood being all pretty much the same - maybe I'm a bit more accurate with the 5 than the 3 wood mainly because I can control the trajectory with the 5 a bit better - I'm just as straight with the 3 wood by may not always kick it up high enough to hold it where it's landing.

 

I'm thinking that my 50/50 is around 175

[Shambles]

 

Back to the original intent of this thread I'm wondering if there is a study out there for ordinary golfers as to iron dispersion between clubs. I don't have the patience to test this - it would take significant time - I don't know that I'm any straighter with gap wedge than 9 iron - it seems like I'm just as comfortable with gap, wedge and 9 - I do think that I'm a bit more accurate with full sandwedge than with those three clubs - it seems like there's a bit of a gap between my 9 and 8 in terms of dispersion but then I'm equally comfortable with 8-6 - I think there's another gap with 5-3 wood being all pretty much the same - maybe I'm a bit more accurate with the 5 than the 3 wood mainly because I can control the trajectory with the 5 a bit better - I'm just as straight with the 3 wood by may not always kick it up high enough to hold it where it's landing.

 

I'm thinking that my 50/50 is around 175

 

 

That's the kind of info that makes me go looking for either a very good swing doctor, and I do mean very good in the sense of truly understanding the swing and able to talk and explain it, and a very good fitter to check the clubs involved relative to how well they fit me.

 

I don't like clubs that act funny within my range and the norm is that the fault is mine, but sometimes there are subtle differences in the club that I am not aware of that cause error. They often are right to the specs I wanted but I was wrong about the specs I needed.

 

 

Shambles

[RoverRick]

For what it is worth, I missed the green today with all the clubs. Short irons, mid, long, and fairway metals. I only hit the green with partial wedges. Wait, I think I hit one with a 7 iron. However, all were equally strait, just could not get the hip action to generate the required power. Always better to be short than long at my course until next month. Next month, we have the other 9 open, and 4 holes have water short. 3 are islands.

[Tyk]

I'm pretty much the same way Rev, I kind of view my clubs in groups of 3. Strangely enough though, I think I am a little less accurate with my full swing sand wedge, no clue why, I just can't really seem to dial the distance down with it, I can fly it 100 yards or hit it 75. Perhaps what makes it so good for chipping and sand makes it less good for full shots.

 

I suspect that through the set the dispersion is probably a fairly consistent upward slope, but I don't record the stats so if my average 8 iron dispersion is 30' and my 7 is 32' it would seem about the same. Once we get to the 5 where its 40' and I miss greens often enough, then the difference is noticeable!

[revkev]

The issue isn't with my 3 wood Shambles it's with me - my swing is my swing - My last two rounds I've shot 71,69 - I can live with some holes in my game - I'm certainly not retooling because I can't always hit a soft high 3 wood over a trap from 210 - very few people have that shot - I watch guys on the PGA tour and they don't often hold greens with their fairway woods - granted its from 260 not 210 but same concept.

 

Most people have a very elevated opinion of their 50/50 spot - in fact in many cases its inside of 150 - I see 14's who throw a club when they miss a green from 200 - really? You expected to hit the green from 200 - you couldn't accept a ball on the fringe with a great probability of getting up and down?

[JMiller]

I think for me you have the following situation.

 

Wedges ~ I try to throw darts right at the pin, that is the primary target

Short Irons ~ I sometimes try to throw darts but back off on trouble pins and try to throw a dart at a different target not the pin.

Mid irons ~ Again it gets backed off a bit more and the dart target is not the pin more likely the center of the green

Long irons ~ Always the center of the green, anywhere on the green is good.

Hybrid / Fairway ~ same thing as long irons, I am just aiming center green trying to avoid trouble around the green, picking a miss that won't hurt me that bad.

Driver ~ I really use this going into the green but I do attempt to throw a dart at a spot in the fairway, an acceptable miss for me would be +/- 7 yards with the bigger misses being an over shaped shot to the safe side of a fairway. If I were after a green, I pick a shot shape and target that would make for an easy up and down if I miss the green.

 

 

The only time I might not pin hunt with a wedge is when I only have a total of 5 yards of green to work with. I think of number 9 at my home course with a pin tucked front right. There is a bunker long, false front short, bunker just short right of the fairway(not pictured on the link). You have a very very small area to land and stop the ball, if you have a wedge you are sitting down in a huge valley with a uphill 3 stories wedge shot blind landing spot, any mistake is toast, best thing to do is play a little left of hte pin and try to make a longer putt.

[revkev]

JMiller we have the same approach - just thinking the distances we hit those clubs are different and I feel as if I'm more accurate with the driver than + 7 - I'm pretty straight with that sucker - I know that lots of guys just hit it - I try very hard to picture in my minds eye how it will fly, land, bounce, roll out and where it will be when it's all over with.

 

Like RR I am fully capable of having those days when I miss the green with all the clubs - even the putter. Here I'm more concerned about what's normal for all of us -

 

Tyk I've gone through that with the sand wedge - I've found the key is ball position and never try to full nuke the think - I miss with a sand wedge is really, really ugly because it goes anywhere from a chunk to a skull over the green - probably 100 yard wreckage field. I'll just grip down on the gap wedge if I'm in between unless I'm seriously down wind.