Month: March 2014

Categories
Golf Short Game

Improve Your Pitch Shot

By Shooting 90

As beginner and high handicap golfers improve their game, they become increasing proficient in getting near the green in regulation. They are putting in a lot of work on their full swing and that is showing results in getting near the green in one stroke on a par 3, two strokes on a par 4, and three strokes on a par 5. Many times this leaves an awkward 20 to 50 yard pitch shot left to the green.

Amateurs often struggle with the pitch shot. The biggest reason for this is that the pitch shot is not a full swing distance for their sand wedge. Amateurs are sometimes not sure the best way to control distance. Many try to vary the distance of their shot by changing the pace of their swing. This is extremely challenging and requires a great deal of feel. A better way to control the distance of your pitch shot is to keep your normal pace but vary the length of your swing.

Practice your pitch shots with varying swing lengths. Know how far you hit your pitch shot when you take your hands back to waist high and back through to waist high. Do the same for other reference points, like taking your hands back and through to shoulder high, for example. By practicing your pitch shots with different length swings on the range, you will have much more confidence pitching on the course. The reason is simple. You will know how long your swing has to be to hit your pitch shot far enough to reach the hole.

Check out the video below as Thor Lokey explains varying your swing length to dial in your pitching distances.

Categories
Golf Short Game

The Wedges You Need in Your Golf Bag

By Shooting 90

The rules of golf state you can have no more than fourteen clubs in your bag. You can have any combination of woods, irons, wedges and putters as long as the total number does not exceed fourteen. Many golfers have three woods, a hybrid or two, six to eight irons, two or three wedges, and a putter. What clubs are in your bag depends on your current ability and personal preferences.

The wedges you carry in your bag play a vital role in your success. The short game is arguably the most important piece in becoming a better golfer. The wedges in your bag can either be the same model as your irons and an extension of the set, or they can be a separate set all their own.

Beginner golfers many times use wedges that are part of their iron set which is perfectly fine. Almost all sets of irons include a pitching wedge, with most having a loft angle between 46 and 48 degrees. Most iron sets have options for additional wedges, including a sand wedge. Some beginner and high handicap golfers have the pitching wedge as the only wedge in their bag, but it is highly beneficial to have a sand wedge in your bag. Sand wedges typically have loft angles between 54 and 56 degrees. A sand wedge also has a wider sole and a higher bounce angle. The bounce angle lifts the leading edge of the club off the ground. The design of the sand wedge along with proper technique, allows you to hit sand shots from green side bunkers close to the hole. A sand wedge also lets you use a full swing to hit shots closer to the green instead of using a pitching wedge with a shorter swing.

There is usually eight degrees of loft angle between a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. This leaves a significant gap between the full swing yardages of each club. Having to hit a yardage in between those would require using a pitching wedge with less backswing. Dialing in the different yardages you can hit each of your wedges with varying swing lengths takes considerable practice time. Using a gap wedge is an easier short term way to hit the yardages in between your pitching and sand wedges. A gap, or approach wedge, has a loft angle between 50 and 52 degrees and allows you to utilize a full swing to fill the yardage gap between your pitching and sand wedges.

One final wedge that is available for golfers is the lob wedge. A lob wedge has a loft angle of 58 to 60 degrees or more and is designed to get the ball in the air quickly allowing you to stop it on the green with minimal roll out. A lob wedge is commonly used by advanced players as it can to difficult to hit consistently. Advanced golfers sometimes replace their gap wedge with a lob wedge while others carry four wedges.

The ideal number of wedges for a high handicap or beginner golfer aspiring to play bogey golf is three – a pitching wedge, a gap wedge, and a sand wedge. Master these three wedges and your short game will drive your success in becoming a better golfer.

Categories
Golf Equipment

Should You Be Fitted For Golf Clubs?

By Shooting 90

Many beginner and high handicap golfers struggle with when and if to get custom fitted for golf clubs. Should a golfer who is buying their first set of clubs and just starting out in the game get custom fitted for clubs? Many say golfers should wait until they can consistently repeat a swing. But what exactly does that mean? What level of repeatability does one have to reach? We’re all going to have the occasional mishit.

There are many measurements and observations that are part of a custom club fitting. Some measurements are static such as your height and arm height. Other measurements pertain to your swing and are more dynamic, or fluid.

It is not the best idea to buy a set of clubs off the rack with no fitting whatsoever. You will create bad swing habits that may be difficult to correct later on if you adapt your swing to clubs that do not fit you.

At the very least, get fitted for shaft length, shaft flex, and lie. Starting with clubs that physically fit you will allow you to build a correct, consistent swing over time.

As time goes by, your swing will improve and at some point you will benefit from being refitted. You will have the consistent swing that can then be analyzed for spin rate, launch angle, and ball speed. This information can be used to determine the exact right clubs for your game.

If you are looking for a new set of clubs, be sure to make a fitting part of the process. It will be highly beneficial to your game. Any club fitter, whether they are a big retailer like Golfsmith or Golf Galaxy, or a smaller pro shop at your local course, will do a free or very inexpensive fitting when you are buying a new set of clubs.