Learning the Finess of the game

[Gridiron]

Hello,
I guess you can say I'm a long ball hitter. I have a awsome drive great approach, however all this has to be done before 100 yards. I use a PW for a 150 Par 3. On a PAR 5 I am usually on the green in 2 but leave it with a +2.
Under 100 yards I cannot find a way to limit the power. I try and try on the driving range but I loose accurancy or I hook it right off the club. I recent got a 60. W and that has not helped much except on the short par 3s.
I would really really really appreciate and tips or help you can provided me. I'm getting tired of people calling be the Big Gorella everytime I approach the ball.
Thank you.

 

[CybrSlicr]

Reducing power can be done a couple of ways (that I am aware of). Chipping (to me) is about the length of your backswing. Once inside 60 yards it sounds like you should only be coming back a quarter or half way on your backswing - not to the top. This should help reduce distance. Also, choking down on the grip will shorten the swing arc and also reduce distance.

Once I am within 60 yards, I typically choke up on the grip almost to the shaft and then it's a matter of deciding how far back my backswing goes (remembering always to follow through the downswing).

Those two things have helped me get the ball up and down in fewer strokes. Hope that helps...

 

[Gridiron]

Thank you, CybrSlicr
I have tried choking up on my clubs but I have to choke up a lot, Pass the end of the grip. Then what usually happens is that I catch the tip of the club and hook the ball right off the tip of the club or I top the ball(I don't take my eyes off the ball). Someone told me it was because I was hunched over too much.
But thank you so much, I am hoping to lick this problem with great advise from everyone like yourself. I hope you have more tips for me.

 

[LottaBalata]

One thing that's helped me around the greens is just slowing down everything. Slow your swing, slow your backswing. . .You're looking for a "touch" around the green. So you have to be able to "feel" everything. Realize that if the ball is sitting in some poofy grass, it'll fly right out of there if you're not careful.


Also, wedges seem to be easy to blade around the green. They're obviously a shorter club so as soon as you lift your head, you pull up and the ball is 20 yards on the other side of the green. KEEP your head down until you are FINISHED with your swing.

So, slow and easy, and keep your head down. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Gridiron]

Thank you SnaphookR,
That's what I have been trying to practice on the range. thank you very much and I'll keep trying. Do you have any advice on chipping from around 100 yards and closer?

 

[longiron]

Shorten you swing. If you hit the ball as far as you say, 60* wedge on par 3 WOW, then the only thing that i can think to help you is half wedges into the green. If you are hitting the ball off the toe after chocking down on the club try to stand just a bit closer to the ball.

 

[LottaBalata]

Thank you SnaphookR,
That's what I have been trying to practice on the range. thank you very much and I'll keep trying. Do you have any advice on chipping from around 100 yards and closer?

I'll agree with longiron for sure on this and say, shorten it up!! If you can hit your clubs that distance, then a full backswing would be way much. Personally, I'll walk off 20 yards in my front lawn and throw my "target" out there and just work. As hard as you hit it, BE CAREFUL!! You don't want to put out any neighbors windows

Gridiron, it took me a long time to figure out the finess part of my game. Still struggling with it every round, but I'm not pitchin' it 25 feet past. On your short irons and pitches and chips, think of everything being delicate. Don't even think about power.

Another thing you can do to maybe figure out your "range". . .Start with a 1/4 back swing & 1/4 follow thru. Increase it by 1/4's, or just a 1/4 in your back swing, and not your follow thru--all kinds of combos. Just to see how far the ball is going to go. Do it over and over and over until you can figure out what you need to do to place the ball at a certain distance. Good Luck!!

 

[Joe]

Hello,
I guess you can say I'm a long ball hitter. I have a awsome drive great approach, however all this has to be done before 100 yards. I use a PW for a 150 Par 3. On a PAR 5 I am usually on the green in 2 but leave it with a +2.
Under 100 yards I cannot find a way to limit the power. I try and try on the driving range but I loose accurancy or I hook it right off the club. I recent got a 60. W and that has not helped much except on the short par 3s.
I would really really really appreciate and tips or help you can provided me. I'm getting tired of people calling be the Big Gorella everytime I approach the ball.
Thank you.

Maybe open up the club face a bit for more of a flop type shot.

 

[obagain]

The best way is to go to a range and hit one full bucket of balls with a 7 iron, at the 100 yard flag. This is the fastest way to learn to control your swing. Experiment with moving the ball around in your stance to see how that affects the shot.

 

[Gridiron]

I would like to thank everyone very much; I went to the range yesterday and played with my swing. I always did the full backswing but I would just try to ease off on the power. I was playing with the back swing a little last night and it did work. Now I have to get comfortable with the whole follow through with only starting with the 1/4 back swing. Thank you all very much.

Just one question, when you say open up the club face what exactly is meant by that? Sorry for my ignorance.

 

[longiron]

If you take your normal grip the face is square to you target. If you turn the face to the right and then take your grip the club is now open. hope that helped. I tried to find a pic for you but no luck.

 

[Loop]

Very good tips indeed.
For me, being more of a feel player, I do everything between 40 to 100 yards with my PW. I don't do a full or even half swing, I make a punch shot (ball on center, like chpping, but with more wrist hinge). Also, you need to make sure you make good contact, and don't thin or fat the shot.
Feel playing is like this: you see the target and react to it with your body.
For example, if you throw a basketball with your hand about 10 yards, you instinctively know the amount of power you should put. If you were farther to about 40 yards, you know you'd have to put more power. You don't need to know how much backswing you make.
In golf, you only need to know where you want your ball to land, and how much it rolls after that (depending on the club you use).

Hope this helps

 

[BentGrass]

Take off your glove around the green. You'll get more feel. I have no doubt you can do this. It's just practice and confidence.

 

[Gridiron]

Thank you very much everyone, The tips I got here were more than helpfull. I just hope one day I can help you all with your questions and return the favor.
Thank you Keep them coming.