how is this for a short game description & cure by PELZ

[Whizz]

When you face a shot shorter than what you can produce with a full wedge swing, you've officially entered the short game - PELZ

Chances are you struggle from these distances because you make a full backswing and then decelerate into your foward-swing to "soften" the blow and shorten the distance. Keeping a consistent follow-through and varying the length of your backswing is the best way to achieve efficient and accutate distance control.

[GizzaJob]

Re: how is this for a short game description & cure by PELZ

Good definition.

[BrianW]

Re: how is this for a short game description & cure by PELZ

It's best to have as many options as possible here depending on whether you are facing hazards, the fairway condition, if you are in rough etc.

I carry 4 wedges so that I can vary the length and height of my shots, I can choke down on the grip, I can vary my backswing length but I will always swing at the same tempo.

I will also punch shots or make long chips with irons up to a 5. Become comfortable with as many options as possible in the short game.

[samburk]

Re: how is this for a short game description & cure by PELZ

I hit my pitching wedge just over 100 yards. I dont vary my swing speed or backswing length at all but by simply gripping down on the club, standing closer to the ball and narrowing my stance I can take about 25 yards off it!

[BrianW]

Re: how is this for a short game description & cure by PELZ

I hit my pitching wedge just over 100 yards. I dont vary my swing speed or backswing length at all but by simply gripping down on the club, standing closer to the ball and narrowing my stance I can take about 25 yards off it!

Changing the length of your backswing and follow through will give you more shots and control, just match the backswing to the follow through:

knee high to knee high - 30 yds
waist high to waist high - 50 yds
shoulder high to shoulder high - 75 yds

[Scragger63]

Re: how is this for a short game description & cure by PELZ

Whilst searching through golf web pages last night, I read something on pitching which seems to fit with Brian's theory of altering swing length rather than gripping up or down on the shaft to control pitching length.

The advice was to master 7,8 and 9 to become a better "pitcher"...

Meaning that if you were to look at yourself in a mirror whilst pitching, and imagine your left arm as the "big hand" on a clock face, you take your left arm back to either 7, 8 or 9 o'clock in order to vary the length of the shot. In each case, the suggestion is that your left arm should go right through to 3 o'clock. This ensures you are accelerating the club head through the shot.

In each case, tempo is the same and weight should mostly stay on the front leg.

Go out on the range and hit as many balls as you need to with each of your wedges so you get to know your 7, 8 and 9 o'clock lengths for each club. You could also experiment with adding in some wrist cock or not. The author was suggesting that you do add it in as this enhances the ability to strike "down crisply" with your pitch shots.

I know I'll be trying it...

Cheers

[jambalaya]

Re: how is this for a short game description & cure by PELZ

I hit my pitching wedge just over 100 yards. I dont vary my swing speed or backswing length at all but by simply gripping down on the club, standing closer to the ball and narrowing my stance I can take about 25 yards off it!

You are actually doing a lot of things here including a shorter backswing length. When you grip down on the club the club and stand closer to the ball, therefore effectively shortening your arms, the radius of your arc is smaller and therefore a shorter backswing length. Tempo could be the same but by standing closer to the ball you probably are not making much of a turn or at least a very narrow one. Not that what you are doing is uncommon but I only use it for shots very close to the green.