Digger's and Picker's... again

[warbirdlover]

I'm seriously thinking of an all out effort to "become" a digger after all these "picking" years.. I'm just not progressing in my iron play and THAT is what is ruining my score, especially lately since I'm hitting good, straight drives and 3-woods, hybrids etc and chipping and putting really good. Please answer the poll and also let me know (again) what you are, digger or picker and why. I'm wondering if some of the lower HC players in here are mostly one or the other or a equal mix....

[MIKE1218]

I take very big, chunky divots. Always have. I kind of wish that I was more of a picker right now because it's so dry that my wrists hurt after a wedge shot. I find that taking a big divot gives me a little more consistency in distance control.

[ThatCanadianGuy]

I dig because..that's the propper way to hit an iron.

I pick the long irons off a tee though.

[FKA19]

just so you know WBL... you not supposed to pick a normal iron shot. especially with 6-9i. you can sweep the long irons a bit, but i guarentee that your iron play will improve if you start taking some good healthy 5 dollar bill sized divots. if i "pick it" ive pretty much hit it thin.

[Clugnut]

It is possible to hit good iron shots with a sweeping motion. You'll just create more spin if you dig. I don't think anyone would claim that Moe Norman was a bad ballstriker. He said that a proper strike of the golf ball was on the second groove up from the bottom, with the ball hopping forward once and stopping.

[twofast2s]

i have divots clearly seen after my shot, even w/ my 3i, but not w/ my wood or hybrid. the degree of the divots differ from long club to short club. short club usually takes thicker divots, but i don't get that chunk that comes up the air like pros do.

ez on the otherhand, compresses the ball against the ground so much that you see big chunks flying all over the place.

[Sean]

I'm a digger. Not huge but I definately take divots.

This might all be in myhead but I'm convinced that's why I can't hit off those range mats for shit but hit reasonably well off grass.

[JamesR]

Digger,

I just find it easier to make consistant contact if I dig instead of picking the ball

[BStone]

I am a digger, usually take very large divots. The sole on my clubs is designed to cut through the grass very easily, which helps to create such large divots. I also feel that it allows me to make more consistent contact with my irons, since digging creates a downward strike on the ball.

[Eracer]

You can lose a small child in my divots.

[zaphod]

Have been a picker my entire golf life. The fairways where I learned have always been hard so I learned to pick out of self defense. I tend to hit the ball high and soft. However I can spin the ball if i need to. Just need to hold onto the wrist lag as long as I can. I will never have the massive spin to scrape the cover of the ball as some posters do but irons still accurate. Thin shots are rarely an issue for me.

What really has helped my iron play is not hitting full shots. 90% of my iron shots are 3/4 swing. The only reason I would go for it is if I need to bring the ball in from very high. (Maybe short sided pin location)

As a picker I believe the the toughest shot for me to master is the knock down wedge. I'm working on the shot however its not a go-to pressure shot for me yet.

WBL, What particular part of the iron game do you want to improve?

[warbirdlover]

Zaphod, direction! Distance isn't so much the problem but I'm left or right, even though I take alot of time to align. I also hit it thin once in awhile and I figured "digging" might take that problem away. I don't take a full swing either. Lot's of work to do...

[Sandpiper3]

Digger. Divot starts at the front end of the ball (part closest to the hole), like a proper divot does. Always take a decent divot, but no huge chunks anymore, just even so it usually stays together.

[lamebums]

I'm a real picker. The most you can see is a slight scuff mark on the grass where my club went through the ball. If I dug on every iron shot my wrists would have fallen apart a long time ago.

But, I guess I do occasionally dig. That's when I rip up a divot putting Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack to shame, and the ball goes 30 feet.

[ManchesterGolfer]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

Zaphod, direction! Distance isn't so much the problem but I'm left or right, even though I take alot of time to align. I also hit it thin once in awhile and I figured "digging" might take that problem away. I don't take a full swing either. Lot's of work to do...

WBL, this season I have changed from a picker with longer & mid irons to a digger with all my irons. I find that the downward strike helps me keep the ball a lot straighter probably because it puts more backspin on the ball. I'm probably hitting a little shorter maybe 5 yards tops but a hell of a lot consistant. I've never been the best of ball striker but it has improved no end since my change and it's not been a hard transisition either.