Drills for approach to the green

[weekend hacker]

I am currently playing off 11 and hit the ball well off the tee and with my irons but really struggle from 60 meters out and closer. I hit a mix of fat and thin shots. Any drills you can recommend. I will blame my 14 years working at a driving range for having no touch.

Cheers

[Toolish]

Fats and thins are both generally caused by decelerating and maybe scooping.

As a guess you are swinging too long and trying to baby it. Swing a bit shorter and accelerate through the ball. Easier to do if you know your distances, which can be basically sorted in an hour or two on a range where you can measure distances.

[Waddzy]

Lay up to 100m for a full shot ( or a distance that you find ideal)

If thats not an option as above I used to struggle taking full baby swings , turned them into half swings with acceleration and just focusing on solid contact with the ball and all came good. But I have taken the lay up option more often than not now, alot of holes on my course now require a 3 iron / 3 wood off the tee for my best scoring positions.

[Johnny Canuck]

Have an "arms only" swing with your 2-4 wedges as well as your normal swing. The arms only one should help full distance gaps and be very consistent.

By arms only, I mean a relaxed swing without any shoulder turn.

[mrbluu]

Virge showed me this previously and it works great. Essentially 30-100m I play 2 shots, I swing hip to hip or hip to shoulder. If you need to hit it further then you get a less lofted wedge and if you want to hit it shorter then get a lower lofted wedge. Hip to hip with the 54* is 45m. You can also move your down on the shaft to hit it a little shorter.

The trick too keep most of your weight on the front foot and keep it there and not to move off the ball. A good drill for this is the right foot back drill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKFhT9yw76Q

[BUSHY]

I'm a convert of the Phil Mickelson hinge and hold. I adjust it for the particular circumstances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZWPee66M1s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[mrbluu]

I'm a convert of the Phil Mickelson hinge and hold. I adjust it for the particular circumstances.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZWPee66M1s&feature=youtube_gdata_player

This video doesn't best describe the hinge and hold technique....

[weekend hacker]

Went out last night and hit balls from 50 - 60 out and most balls went on the green and close enough to hole. My misses were not too bad and just off the green. It annoys me that I can do it in practice but not when it counts, I think I need a shrink.

[mrbluu]

Went out last night and hit balls from 50 - 60 out and most balls went on the green and close enough to hole. My misses were not too bad and just off the green. It annoys me that I can do it in practice but not when it counts, I think I need a shrink. U just need more pratice. 30-40 mins every second day for about a month will be good.

[BUSHY]

That might be because it is showing the 50 yard pitch. However this might be the one I was looking for. Definitely agree with the importance of practice though.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4DevROGzXM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Buzz]

U just need more pratice. 30-40 mins every second day for about a month will be good. I've been trying to do this but I can't get to the course so I try at the local oval. Problem I find with this is that the run of the ball after landing is different so it's hard to calculate how far I actually am hitting.

[Daves]

I've been trying to do this but I can't get to the course so I try at the local oval. Problem I find with this is that the run of the ball after landing is different so it's hard to calculate how far I actually am hitting.


If you aren't hitting to a target, you are wasting your time. Take a bucket, or a towel, or an alignment stick or similar that you can set up as a target.

[Dotty]

I've been trying to do this but I can't get to the course so I try at the local oval. Problem I find with this is that the run of the ball after landing is different so it's hard to calculate how far I actually am hitting.
Even better as you can concentrate on where to land the ball.

On the rare time that you get to a practice green, then use that to gauge how far the ball will subsequently travel after hitting your chosen landing spot.

[BUSHY]

I've been trying to do this but I can't get to the course so I try at the local oval. Problem I find with this is that the run of the ball after landing is different so it's hard to calculate how far I actually am hitting.

When I practice this somewhere where there is no green I try and focus on the landing point not worrying about the reaction of the ball post first bounce. I put my alignment stick in the ground and drape my towel over it aka semi-flag(so I can laser it), using it as a landing target and try pitch as close to the base of it from different distances. An oval isn't generally even enough to gauge the reaction of the ball like a green, if you can improve control of your landing point then the rest will be easier.

[BUSHY]

Even better as you can concentrate on where to land the ball.

On the rare time that you get to a practice green, then use that to gauge how far the ball will subsequently travel after hitting your chosen landing spot.

Too quick. :)

[Buzz]

All good advice, thanks.

I find I am losing a few shots a round because I don't trust my "read" on distance, then I back off and leave it short.

[BUSHY]

I had similar problems with my whole short game until I worked on targeting landing spots. Big improvement for me.