How do you play a standard 50 yard shot?

[pusb365]

For the purpose of this thread so that we're all thinking of the same shot, let's assume it's a good lie in the fairway, no wind, and pin slap bang in the middle of the green.

 

So many ways to play this shot, but how do you play it?

[JClev02]

Choke down just a hair on my 60 and open the face. Hit a 3/4 spinner in there.

[SNIPERBBB]

If greens are spinable, low checker.

 

Harder greens , something short andlet it run up.

[hagimihale]

 

I suspect most people are going to give some variation of what SNIPERBB said above, low checking shot or bump-and-run.

My low spinners here are either a 58* (3/4 swing) or a 54* (1/2 swing).

If the greens and fairway are hard/fast, I'll take somewhere between a PW and 8 and run it up.

[SBH9458]

@SNIPERBBB Spot on. This is what I’d endeavor to do. Some varying degree of success....but this is what I would try!

[Fuscinator]

I should bounce a lower lofted wedge in there, but I'll often hit my lob wedge as high as I can and try to fly it in the hole. If I'm persistent enough, it's bound to happen...one day.

[golfkrzy10]

low spinner band wagon.....some sort of wedge, gap or lob

[Cpm881]

I would hit something between a bump and run and long pitch with ~46* wedge. Could come off looking like either one depending on how well I strike it....

[Hawkeye77]

54 or 58 depending on the green, either more spin or less.

I don't speak "low and checking", though, not in my repertoire.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

At least a dozen ways. Bump and run from the fairway seems appropriate? If there’s water and a bunker, I’ll hit a riskier flop shot or pitch it over the flag?

[bpink21901]

A 1/2 swing with the 53* Cleveland RTG.....

Thin, bladed spinner over the green or chunk and run layup to get to my preferred 15 yard distance... either way I'll let you know what i was planning after it comes off the club.

[llewol007]

Open face with my 58 degree. Square my 58 degree wedge goes 90 yards. Open it to 2 o’clock and open my stance to get my leading edge back to pointing at the target. I’ve got a versatile wedge so not much bounce added. Learned this from a Phil video on youtube and it’s my go to. Then straight forward hands to my ear level and swing like normal. I do the same thing with my 52 and my Pw.

[MtlJeff]

usually like a loopy 60% swing with my lob wedge. I don't have a lot of success with low spinners, tend to hit them fat too much.

Note, this is probably the worst part of my game....creative short game stuff.

I spend 6 months a year pounding balls in a dome, so my game is very robotic.

[MMB1500]

Narrow stance, ball in the middle, sternum forward of ball, light grip pressure, small pivot driven swing and thin into the oomska at the back of the green.

[Itsjustagame]

All of these will work, but unless you practice from 50 yards a lot the best idea is don't leave yourself at 50 yards.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

Sometimes, and often, it’s unavoidable. My typical approach from 130-150 is a hooked PW to 9i. Pin high 50 yards right.

[Krt22]

I'd argue the opposite, it's a shot everyone should practice and have in the bag and if executed correctly should take very little time to maintain. Can be a great cure/drill for early swing flaws (ie inside take away, moving off the ball).

[Schnee]

Does a blade qualify as a low checker?

[bladehunter]

I prefer to just play the Lob. A 50 yard shot for me is just taking it back to a feel of 3/4. Which on video shows a little past perpendicular to the ground. I’ll vary it plus or minus 5 with a open or square face ( draw and cut spin )And path. But basically just dropping one down the chimney. As in hitting a high one at a spot. No roll.

 

now if you need to hit it low. Probably a pw back foot , and low checker that hopefully rolls 5/7 yards after check. My issue with that one is I often spin it enough to kill it dead. So you come up short.

[Aggie98]

56 deg, soft grip squeezing left pinky, transition just short of hands waist high, smooth it.

[OrangeGravy]

I'm the opposite. I have so much trouble with full iron shots, that I've developed a solid short game. It keeps my cap respectable. I'd shave 5-8 strokes off my number overnight if I could be even average with an iron.

50 yard shot to the middle, I'd most often take my gap wedge and hit low/medium checker. If greens are hard, I'll use my 56/58 for the same shot.

[jonsnow]

Depends on if it checks enough to stay in bounds.

[MountainGoat]

I'll bet of all the lessons I've ever had with all the pros I've ever dealt with over my golfing lifetime, the only one that ever stuck and did any good was the one on the mid-length pitch. It's not a technique I would have thought up on my own, because it differs considerably from my full swing. In other words, it's not simply a shortened version of my full swing. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite. It's sort of an assertive open-stance, weight-forward, outside-in cut move with either SW or GW. You just very the length to vary the distance. I'm always (pleasantly) surprised it works.

 

[andrue]

If the 'perfect lie' includes no bunkers or other hazards coming into play I'd probably go with a 9i and 'putt with loft'.

If there are hazards that might come into play I'd go with a PW. Open my stance, swing back until my wrists nearly start to break then swing forward, making sure to keep my head behind the ball. Depending where the hazards are the forward swing could be a lot longer than the back swing. An instructor I know doesn't like me doing that but it helps me get the ball up. I like to envisage the club head carrying the ball to the hole.

My chipping/pitching came on well last year. I went from not knowing what would happen to being pretty certain that the ball would at least end up on the green. One of my goals this year is to never two putt after a chip or pitch. I'm trying to play to the mantra that you should only ever play two shots from anywhere around the green. It's very much a 'best efforts' project though :)

[MaineMariner]

This is pretty much what I do as well. Open my stance, my body exits left. I basically swipe across the ball with a loopy, relaxed, balanced swing. I usually get a nice mid-high lobby shot that stops without much rollout. 50 yards means I'm going pretty much 1/2 to 3/4 of the way back with my backswing.

I tried the clock method for a couple years and haaaaaated it. My swing ended up with so much tension.

[ThinkingPlus]

I choke down about 1.5 inches and make a 3/4 swing with my 58° lob wedge. The lower speed and shorter club (steeper AOA) results in somewhat of a depressed trajectory minimizing impact from the wind.

[gsrjc]

I do this as well because I’m not a feel player. More based upon how far my backswing goes.

[Chip Duffer]

Narrowed stance, Choke down 1-1/2” approx., 3 O’clock to 9 O’clock smooth swing 56* or open stance, open face 60* with 3/4 smooth swing.

Strangely, sometimes I’m better by seeing the distance and seeing the shot than having an exact “number” from a range finder and trying to hit it.

[shortstop20]

Nothing special, narrow the stance slightly, using the bounce on a 54 degree. Comes in at a low trajectory.

 

[doubledub]

Play the ball back in my stance, closer to feet with my 64* upright with the toe down. Handle gets about belt high with wrists fully cocked and swing through. Low spinner that usually takes a 10'-15' hop and stops immediately. I play on bent 70% and hard firm bermuda the other 30% and this shot works great on both with not to much yardage adjustment.