Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

[Stillhacken]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

Although I havent read either book I have adopted the one wedge for all shots approach. I had read an article that quoted Jack Nicklaus as saying he only used his sand wedge for all shots around the green because he knew what it was going to do.

After committing to this technique my chipping has been the best part of my game this year. Its hard to hit a bad chip shot. Its easy to hit a lob or pitch shot fat or blade it. This isnt about pretty golf shots.......its about scoring. Once you figure out your roll you can cozy it up close or rattle the pin almost every time.

Although I havent read Stan utleys book I can totally agree with the concept. Having confidence in getting up and down has taken a lot of stress off the rest of my game.

[South]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

Haven't read the Stan U book (although larger than life Amazon.com keeps on recommending it to me. I don't necessarily even want to read it since I'm getting good results with Pelz method (HCP 9).
My reasoning for choosing (and sticking with) Pelz is as follows:
- got only limited time to practise (once or twice a week)
- Forced to practise also other areas of game than short game

I.e. I simply do not have the luxury the pros have to spend several hours chipping/pitching each and every day hence no way I can create much of a feel to any given shot. Better stick with simple and robust method in scoring. So far none better than Pelz's ideas.

Several different ways to achieve your goal but pain in you-know-where is how to select the optimal mantra. For me the guiding factor was available time to practise and maximizing benefits potentially to be achieved in that given time.

[bill reed]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

hi
i think one thing with the pelz system is once you get use to working out how far each club makes the ball fly and how much run then you can work out where on the green to have the ball land on its first bounce and then run to the flag, if there is a hump or hollow then you take a diffrent club, your swing if like taking a long putt, i find working out the distance was hard at first and had a note book i looked at but can work it out ok now, if you had to get a ball over a bunker and run about the same amount i think picking the club is easer then trying to make a shot happen with your fav club.
bill

[Kumabjorn]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

Now that the season is over, I've had some time to reread the book and that has certainly helped. I understand the concept a lot better now and I began to apply SU's thoughts on other than standard "around the green" shots. For example, I can now chip the ball 80 yrds with my 9I. Not a bad shot to have in the bag. Doesn't look pretty but it is amazingly effective. Just by delofting and hitting with the leading edge, granted a "powerful" chip swing, I get a ver straight line to my target with no effects from wind. Without his book I doubt I would have discovered this kind of shot. Now I'll begin to see what I can do with some other clubs using that chip swing.

[Crazyscotsman]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

I switched to the Utley method several months ago. I must say that I am enjoying my short game again. I am so much more confident from 100 yds and on the greens than I have ever been. I have never had so many chip ins and my putting average has never been better.

[Crazyscotsman]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

I have bought all three of Stan's Books over the past year and have immersed myself into learning the techniques. Switching to the putting method was the easiest for me with his bunker technique the most difficult. After many hours of practise and playing I am proud to say my handicap has gone from a 16 to a 9. I believe if you are willing to give Stan's methods a chance it will help.

[Kumabjorn]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

I too have problems with the bunker technique, especially for short and high soft landing shots and also when I'm close to a slope where I find that the wide stance will cause me to hit some funny shots. In those situations I actually return to my old technique (open stance and "cutting" with an open blade) due to confidence issues. Hence, it would be interesting to find out what the main points and adaptions are for the high soft landing short bunker shot.

[Crazyscotsman]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

Kumabjorn:

I went to the course last night and spent 90 minutes in the trap. I found that when I use Utley's technique and hit the sand about an inch behind the ball I am able to hit good shots. The one thing I wasnt doing was actually at setup keeping the grip end of the wedge behind the ball. Once I started doing this I was hitting the shots higher and creating a lot of check.

I too have problems with the bunker technique, especially for short and high soft landing shots and also when I'm close to a slope where I find that the wide stance will cause me to hit some funny shots. In those situations I actually return to my old technique (open stance and "cutting" with an open blade) due to confidence issues. Hence, it would be interesting to find out what the main points and adaptions are for the high soft landing short bunker shot.

[Kumabjorn]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

I am actually very careful about having the hands behind the ball at setup. To be honest I hit great shots when they are 12 - 13 yrds or longer. Distance control is obviously always an issue depending on how the club reacts when entering the sand, but direction is always right where I aim it (my playing partners tend to get pissed ). I think my problem is related to shaft lean as I come into the ball.

I probably also should mention that I have the same kind of problem in wet and "hard compact" sand. The ball simply flies to long (and yes, sometimes I wish we had more 40 yrd bunker shots on the course, I might hit into them simoly because I know I will be close to the flag coming out).

[tm3]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

i wish there was a video of this sand technique.

i've read and re-read the directions, and worked on the technique but am not as consistent as it seems i should be. i've read that once you "get it" it really works well but not clicking for me, so far.

[Kumabjorn]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

You're not alone. Me too. Especially a slo-mo video would be interesting to watch.

[Crazyscotsman]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

ive searched you tube and googled utley several times and found video clips on every shot except for sand!

[tm3]

my eureka moment?

i had about decided to bag utley's sand technique, and had even dug up my copy of pelz' short game book to review the "standard" sand play ...

when i decided to give it one more try. towards the end of my practice session i began hitting some decent shots.

so i tried it again today, and was hitting some of the best sand shots ever. i was aiming at the pin instead of just the center of the green and putting a few very close.

besides the setup he describes, the feel for me was a very steep takeaway and follow through with the sensation of flipping the clubhead through the shot while focusing on moving sand onto the green.

if i can keep this up it will be a big improvement for me.

[Kumabjorn]

Re: my eureka moment?

I think I'm getting close to understanding Utley's bunker technique. If you're hitting a short bunker shot, let the right shoulder stay back and fire the club with the arms, for a longer bunker shot the shoulder comes into play. Curious to know if you share this sensation, or if you concentrate on a different kind of feel?

[Crazyscotsman]

Re: Stan Utley's Art of Shortgame

I just have the sensation of releasing the clubhead at the ball on all shots. For the longer shots I feel I hit a little closer behind the ball and increase my speed