I have been using my 8 and sometimes 7 iron for bump and run shots onto the green, when I get within 75 ish yards. I've had a lot of success with this, of course the green can't be guarded with a bunker. These shots are all feel, the back swing distance goes to maximum 9 oclock. I would say it's 7:30-8 oclock, 90% of the time. It's much more of a chip type of swing. The question is, has anyone taken the time and written down, or in phone, or whatever, of knowing the yardage with 5-8 iron on this chip shot type of swing and then apply this on the course. I'm thinking about doing this, but it will be time intensive. I really like this bump shot for really poor lies, like off dirt, let's face it, not every part of the course is nice green grass. Thanks for any responses. If I do this, I will use my range finder and on a flat fairway with golf grass, a random field is useless.
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Interesting. I think the rule of thumb is 2.5 yards for every degree of loft. Thus, some of your distances (if I'm close to correct) are likely due to swing speed for certain wedges vs the same swing speed for each wedge. Good to collect data though.
Doug S - for what it is worth, here is what I use to gauge distance with Wedges but is seldom used because I am never at these yardages but closer to the green. I spent a lot of time hitting literally hundreds of balls to come up with these average yardage figures. Need a new Guide for closer Wedge shots.
So I just went out and did my 7 and 8(pic). Took me maybe 15 minutes. I did 9 o’clock and 8 o’clock. Nice turn back and through, chip shots. 4or 5 balls each. Took my shag bag and propped it up for the rangefinder to target, went out to the average area of those balls. Shot the bag, put the yardage in my phone. Came home and added those labels to those 2 clubs. Easy peasy.
I'm pretty sure @GolfLivesMatter will have something to say about this, Doug, especially given his recent post as follows:
"I'm usually the first on the tee box on par 3's and while others are madly using their lasers to estimate distance. They almost ALWAYS ask me "what are you hitting?". Keep in mind the variation in distance can be from 118 to 148 yards on a couple of the par 3s. So to answer their question, I say "8 iron". They look at me like I'm from Mars. But with the straight arm drill...maybe slightly more than perfect straight arm....I can hit an 8 iron between 118 and 145 yards.
So today, the pin was 143 (mind you I did not laser the distance...it was a back pin, thus I guessed the distance based on the yardage marker stone in the ground). I got on the tee box and I hit my 8 iron to within 6 feet...birdie. Not bragging, but I don't think the other guys understand how to hit an 8 iron between 118 and 146 yards. It's a "feel" shot for sure, but I find it's easier to stick with a certain iron and variate the distance, and MOST IMPORTANTLY...stick with the basics...even drills, on the course."