What club (and % of swing) do you hit for approach shots?

[jibbs1082]

Starting to get annoyed with piping a drive out there to the center stripe and then pulling a 100 yard shot 30ft + from the stick. What does everyone hit from the following yardages?

 

115

100

80

60

 

115 is a full 52 for me.

Usually 100 and down I hit a stock 58 full swing...

80 yards I hit a 80%ish 58 which basically feels like a full swing

 

I see the Pro's take effortless approach shots and feel like I swing too hard, and too long for wedges. They are almost like full flop shots... but that's what I am comfortable with right now.

 

Should I be hitting pitch 52's like 50%? or like a PW 40-50%? I don't have the feel for that, but curious what everyone dials in for short approaches?

 

[ChipNRun]

You need to figure out if you're a feeler or a mechanic. Feelers are those who from say, inside 80 yards, just know how hard to hit the ball to get it onto the green. One pro in our area is a feel guy inside 80 yards. And, he gets it done.

 

I'm more of a mechanic, a la Dave Pelz (modified). I have three wedges (the 48* replaced both the PW and GW), and a 9i in my wedge matrix. I have short (semi-feel) shots for inside 30 yards, and go into a Pelz clockface matrix. With my three wedges (and a couple of 9i shots), I have so-called finesse shots: 7:30 (half) / 9:00 (three-quarters) and full. I vary the length of my backswing to set how far each finesse wedge goes. (Or, at least I try to)

 

Pure Pelz would have a 10:30 / 90% swing in there, but that 90% is where my backswing stops for my full swing.

 

---------------------

As for my yardages:

• 115 = chokedown 9i
• 100 = 48* wedge back an inch (deloft)
• 80 = Chokedown SW
• 60 = 48* half swing

Edited July 12, 2021 by ChipNRun

[smashdn]

1 hour ago, jibbs1082 said:

Starting to get annoyed with piping a drive out there to the center stripe and then pulling a 100 yard shot 30ft + from the stick. What does everyone hit from the following yardages?

 

115

100

80

60

 

115 is a full 52 for me.

Usually 100 and down I hit a stock 58 full swing...

80 yards I hit a 80%ish 58 which basically feels like a full swing

 

I see the Pro's take effortless approach shots and feel like I swing too hard, and too long for wedges. They are almost like full flop shots... but that's what I am comfortable with right now.

 

Should I be hitting pitch 52's like 50%? or like a PW 40-50%? I don't have the feel for that, but curious what everyone dials in for short approaches?

 

 

First, a 30' leave from 100-125 is not terrible though it may feel like it is.  The lowest ranked person on PGA Tour's average leave is 26' and some change.  If you average 30' you are just off PGA Tour player performance.  Since it is an average some are closer and some are ending up farther from the hole.  If you are lamenting an occasional 30' leave from 100 you are doing pretty darn good.

 

To answer your question:

115 - Full 52, smooth PW (but I will generally rather hit the full 52 for spin and I like it better than my set pw)

100 - full 56, smoothed 52

80 - smoothed 60, feels like a 3/4 56 but is probably less

60 - depends upon how I want to flight it -  high splashy, flop 60 from rough that hits and gets no roll or a little low pinch from the fairway I will hit the 56 to spin and stop it and anything from that 52 to a 7 depending upon what kind of roll out I want.

 

I am going to say that no full shot should feel like a flop shot except for a flop shot.  Keep a firm lead wrist, don't flip, and make sure you get clean, ball-first contact.  I have better distance control hitting low trajectory shots that hop and stop as opposed to full shots that go high.

 

Don't forget you can choke down the grip to take some distance off.  It doesn't always have to be a feel thing.  If you can cut 5-8 yards off your full swing distance with a club by choking down there is no need to feel for something if you don't have to.  Make the same swing with the "shortened" club to get what you want.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HttXJN0u5E8

 

Butch goes into a little chat about the firm lead wrist.

[N0rs3man]

I hit pw at 100-115, I just feel the shot. Inside 100 I hit sw 56 and feel from there. Around the green i just have a stock shot, look at hole and wack kinda like putting.

[Justsomeguy]

If you can stay low stay low. It doesn't need to land and spin or do anything fancy unless you need it to.

Take one club more and just get the face aimed dead at it and make good contact.

[TLUBulldogGolf]

115 - Full 54*, unless the wind is hurting then I'll knock down a PW. If the greens are super soft I'll club up for spin reduction

100 - 3/4 54*, feels like a 10 o'clock swing to me

80 - Pretty comfortable yardage for a 60 for me unless into the wind, not full so the spin isn't crazy, feels like 10 o'clock as well

60 - Waist high 60 with a slightly open face unless I need to drive it in lower, more of a feel yardage

 

You definitely don't want to be hitting it hard and launching it way up in the air, much harder to control. 

Edited July 13, 2021 by TLUBulldogGolf

[aramirez24]

Did wonders for my wedges and short irons when I started clubbing up and taking 75% swing instead. I would always go for the nuke sw for 100 yards when an easy gap wedge at 75% was much more repeatable. Watch the pros from like 150 in and it's almost never a full turn swing. If you really do hit a 58 100 yards you are probably a pretty good hitter. I think you'd surprise yourself learning to hit that 52* 100 yards.

[msg]

115 - Half swing 9 iron 

100 - Half swing PW

80 - Quarter swing AW

60 - Half swing AW

 

I never hit 100% on my approach shots from these distance. I usually "think" of 70% effort. 

[SNIPERBBB]

Just something to add when doing half swings....you still want to go 90-100% full power on those. When I get play/practice gaps I tend to go easy with 1/2-3/4 swings and the ball doesn't go anywhere. That will definitely fix your too long swing issue if you then start air mailing greens.

[dvq9654]

I play 3 wedges above PW, which are:

 

50 Degree - Can hit it ~120, but generally use for anything between 105 and 115

54 Degree - Can hit it ~110, but generally use between 90 and 105

58 Degree - Can hit it ~100, but generally use from 70 to 90 

 

As I move up the degree spectrum, I try to get less and less distance out of the club.  

 

Generally, I aim to take no more than a 3/4 swing, but I always swing aggressively through the ball with that shorter swing. That doesn't necessarily mean fast, but I've found that if I try to baby it up there, I'll pull it left or strike it less than stellar. 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by dvq9654

[nsxguy]

I avoid any partial swings if I can.

 

Pretty much every partial shot from 70 and in is a LW. Occasionally, if I try to hit a different trajectory, I'll use my SW. But not very often.

 

I do practice these partial shots quite a bit in a simulator though, probably 2 or 3 times a week. My full LW is right around 75 yards or so.

 

I'll take a 60* and think "hit it XX yards of 75" and try to hit the distance. I usually vary the distance from shot to shot.

[596]

115 130y 9 iron 

100 115y PW 

80  102y 48* or 92y 52*

60  80y 56*

 

Much more accurate and consistent hitting 1 to 2 clubs more and an easier/shorter swing.

 

 

 

[Barfolomew]

You gotta practice em!  That way when you're faced with a short shot you can reference a practice shot in your mind...."oh it just like that one shot that I pepper the flag with"

 

Practice on the range but also try and practice on the course..... Doesn't matter which of the many great techniques but gotta groove it.

 

Don't wanna waste these shots cause these should be tap in pars or birds...

[DaveMc82]

115 = 3/4 46 wedge - 1/2 8 iron

100 = 3/4 50 wedge - 1/2 9 iron 

80 = 3/4 54 wedge - 1/2 46 wedge

60 = 3/4 58 wedge - 1/2 50 wedge

 

No shot inside 150 is hit full out unless it is from the rough. Left to right dispersion improves massively for me this way. I can keep the wrists quiet and avoid the pushes and pulls by making everything feel like a long pitch/punch. 
 

It also depends on stop required vs run out. Trajectories are a big factor too as it’s almost always windy. 

[North Butte]

The numbers are completely specific to your game, comparing with other people is no help. Some people can hit it a country mile with an 80% swing with a SW while others could swing as hard as they could with the same club and hit it 50 yards shorter. 

 

But as someone already said, you should not be making full-swing approach shots where your technique is anything remotely like a flop shot. Just stop doing it.

 

Here's what I suggest. Imagine you have a forced layup shot of 160 yards. You can hit any club you like as long as you don't go more than 160 yards. Think about how hard you'd swing.

 

That's how hard you need to be swinging a wedge from 80 yards. Not like a flop shot, not 100%, not 99%, not hard at all. Just make a golf swing and hit the shot.

 

[phizzy30]

115- 58*/100% or 54*/75%

100- 58*/80%

80- Really depends on pin position.  I use both wedges.

60- Same as above.

 

For me I use the clock system like Bryson.  I was taught that methodology from a very young age and it's what works for me. 

 

[BirdieDoc]

Interesting to see the mix in this thread at efforts.

 

I'm with the not full swing gang. I had a lesson with a pro on approaches and we did a comparison of approximate distance to hole with full swings and 3/4 swings. We found with the 3/4 swings and just feeling for the distance my dispersion is 2-12 yards, averaging around 7. Most of that is deep or short. Full swings I was more erratic with misses left and right as well as short and long. 

 

I still need more practice as I try to avoid 110 but very comfortable with 120-140. 

 

110- 50*

100- 50* 

80- 54*

60- 54*

 

Again I'm more of a feeler when it comes to these. 

[Tax77]

56 56 56 56. Swing faster or slower.

[smashdn]

32 minutes ago, Tax77 said:

56 56 56 56. Swing faster or slower.

 

Eew.  I don't know that I have ever read golf instruction anywhere that said you should vary the speed of your shot consciously.  By virtue of varying the backswing you inevitably take speed off.  Club head speed through the hitting zone should be maintained or increasing if possible.

 

Fat shots happen when I slow the clubhead down.

Edited July 15, 2021 by smashdn

[Tax77]

6 minutes ago, smashdn said:

 

Eew.  I don't know that I have ever read golf instruction anywhere that should should vary the speed of your shot consciously.  By virtue of varying the backswing you inevitably take speed off.  Club head speed through the hitting zone should be maintained or increasing if possible.

 

Fat shots happen when I slow the clubhead down.

For sure not ideal for most. My back swing may be shorter or longer on the yardage, I don't really know or pay much attention to mechanics. If I feel im in range for my SW I pull it and just swing.

[hoganfan924]

115 - smooth full GW or zippy 10 O'clock (50 Deg.)

100 - smooth full SW (54 Deg.) or "deadhanded" GW (all shoulder turn, firm wrists)

80 - Zippy 10 O'clock LW (59 deg.)

60 - smooth 9 O'clock LW

[nitram]

Please take the time to read this and try it for yourself.

 

 

[Pepperturbo]

On 7/12/2021 at 12:27 PM, jibbs1082 said:

115

100

80

60

Which depends on surrounding conditions, pin position and green speed.  I am a feel player that uses visual sense to tell me how hard to hit the ball for a certain distance. 

 

115 = 9i or PW

100 = PW or 52'

80 = PW, 52' or 58'

60 = PW, 52' or 60'

40 = PW, 52' or 60'

 

That said, if you don't have the next shot, and it sounds like you struggle there, think twice about your choice of club off the tee.  I don't always use Driver, many times I use 4wd or 2 iron, so my leave calls for 3i or shorter club in. 

 

Consider adjusting your swing, so you're not using a full swing all the time.  Learn to hit punch shots, trajectory control and spin control shots, so the ball hits bounces once and stops.

 

What the pros do has nothing to do with you and most others.  An effortless swing is the result of practice, a grooved swing along with fluid transition and tempo then hitting the ball using the club head sweet spot.  When I nut PW, it flies as much as 120yds, and it's only 47', and I am 70.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Pepperturbo

[EDT501]

@nitram has the right idea, check out the Monte thread and start incorporating it into your game plan. Since stumbling across that thread I only full shots with wedges and short irons when there is a compelling reason too - downwind, trying to stop the ball quickly, etc.

 

Another point, is that I think it is very, very important to know exactly how far and with how much spin you hit your scoring clubs. I'm not talking "I hit this 105," I mean "I hit a full SW 103 +/- 2 and enough spin to pull it back a few feet" or "I hit a 75% LW 78 and it will hop and roll an extra few feet." That amount of self-awareness really helps play aggressive, but smart, with wedge in your hand. When I first committed to finding out my exact yardages I thought it was overkill and a little ridiculous as I'm no elite ball striker, but I've found that my shot selection got much smarter, my results got better, my confidence went up, I played more aggressive, etc. in a cycle that has made me much better at these important, touchy shots.

[Grayback1973]

Anything between 80-100 I've been having real descent success with a left arm parallel(full wrist set) PW making sure to fully release my wrists at the start of the downswing.If I have any kind of handle dragging it is a dead shank!

Edited July 16, 2021 by Grayback1973

[Saltydawg15]

On 7/12/2021 at 3:27 PM, jibbs1082 said:

Starting to get annoyed with piping a drive out there to the center stripe and then pulling a 100 yard shot 30ft + from the stick. What does everyone hit from the following yardages?

 

115

100

80

60

 

115 is a full 52 for me.

Usually 100 and down I hit a stock 58 full swing...

80 yards I hit a 80%ish 58 which basically feels like a full swing

 

I see the Pro's take effortless approach shots and feel like I swing too hard, and too long for wedges. They are almost like full flop shots... but that's what I am comfortable with right now.

 

Should I be hitting pitch 52's like 50%? or like a PW 40-50%? I don't have the feel for that, but curious what everyone dials in for short approaches?

 

115 smooth 3/4 PW

100 smooth 50 degree

80 smooth 56 degree or 3/4 50 degree

60 3/4 56 degree or smooth 58 degree

 

I can hit all of my wedges harder but I lose my control.

[Wormkiller]

On 7/13/2021 at 3:27 AM, jibbs1082 said:

Starting to get annoyed with piping a drive out there to the center stripe and then pulling a 100 yard shot 30ft + from the stick. What does everyone hit from the following yardages?

 

115

100

80

60

 

115 is a full 52 for me.

Usually 100 and down I hit a stock 58 full swing...

80 yards I hit a 80%ish 58 which basically feels like a full swing

 

I see the Pro's take effortless approach shots and feel like I swing too hard, and too long for wedges. They are almost like full flop shots... but that's what I am comfortable with right now.

 

Should I be hitting pitch 52's like 50%? or like a PW 40-50%? I don't have the feel for that, but curious what everyone dials in for short approaches?

 

PW feel shots for all these distances for me. Love this club.

 

Edit: actually if I want it to go high and stop more suddenly I’d go a 52 on the 60 yard shot.

Edited July 18, 2021 by Wormkiller

[getitdaily]

115 - 3/4 50*

100 - 3/4 54* or full 60 if downwind 

80 - 3/4 60*

60 - less than half 60*

[Mobert19]

On 7/13/2021 at 11:10 AM, dvq9654 said:

I play 3 wedges above PW, which are:

 

50 Degree - Can hit it ~120, but generally use for anything between 105 and 115

54 Degree - Can hit it ~110, but generally use between 90 and 105

58 Degree - Can hit it ~100, but generally use from 70 to 90 

 

As I move up the degree spectrum, I try to get less and less distance out of the club.  

 

Generally, I aim to take no more than a 3/4 swing, but I always swing aggressively through the ball with that shorter swing. That doesn't necessarily mean fast, but I've found that if I try to baby it up there, I'll pull it left or strike it less than stellar. 

 

 

Same

[betarhoalphadelta]

Just got new clubs, so I'm still dialing in some things (such is my "stock" full swing 52 distance)...

 

But this is what I've got unless I have a particular reason to change, such as no room for run-out...

 

115: Pretty close as far as I can tell so far to my stock full swing 52. Need more range and course time to confirm.

100: 52 at full grip length but a slightly shortened swing.

80: 52 choked down at a shortened swing.

60: 52 at a "long pitch" swing.

 

I'm not a big fan of gapping based on full swings with ultra-high loft clubs. I'd rather adjust distance by feel than going to my 56 or 60 for specific distance gaps. Those clubs exist for when I need shots with more bounce (sand/rough for the 56) or high loft and limited run-out (60). 

 

My goal is to learn my 52 like the back of my hand and know how far it goes.