Winter Duffs

kelbal

So winters coming, and the ground is getting softer.
Around the greens I never ever use anything lower than my 52 gap - its either that or my 58. I open the feet, and take a good portion of the green out of play with a good lofted pitch/flop. That's all well and good during the summer, but it gets difficult to do when the ground isn't as forgiving and a little bit heavy means you duff the ball 5ft.
So, I guess I need to adapt my game a bit. I should take on little dinked 8/9 irons when possible. But for those shots where I still need to go high - do any of you have tips on how I can be more consistent with picking the ball nicely. I know, practice is the obvious one - but maybe gripping down?, ball back in stance?, stuff like that.

josie19

From a wet fairway it's going to be difficult to be consistent hit with the 58 degree high shot so I tend to used the 50 degree and nip it clean. This results in a lower trajectory but it grips pretty quick on the second bounce. From the rough you can tee it up a bit and use the 58, but I have to make myself hit these shots harder as the tendency is to hit under the ball making it go higher with less carry. It's more of a bunker type shot when it's sitting up.

Senecio

Get a wedge with more bounce for winter. Ever so slightly more forgiving on a heavt shot.

GreeBo

More bounce and/or get your hands in front of the ball.
Keep turning and commit.

Aiming for low punch and high spin on damp or wet grass is going to be a random result at best.

Im not a fan of ball back in the stance unless you want to hit the ball low, play your normal shot and commit to hitting through it, dont transfer your weight, keep it all on the front foot.

alxmorgan

GreeBo wrote: »

More bounce and/or get your hands in front of the ball.
Keep turning and commit.

Aiming for low punch and high spin on damp or wet grass is going to be a random result at best.

Im not a fan of ball back in the stance unless you want to hit the ball low, play your normal shot and commit to hitting through it, dont transfer your weight, keep it all on the front foot.

+1 on this. Think of swing as an arc. Shift weight forward will put bottom of arc in front of ball ensuring ball first then ground.

kelbal

thanks guys

DuckSlice

Also agree with greebo and alxmorgan, I have my weight forward and ball just off the front foot. I also have minimal wrist movement, break them on the back swing but hold on the way through. Works for me with plenty practice!

whizbang

The softer ground only exaggerates the effect of fat shots.

Don't go blaming bounce, or angle. As posted, just practice picking the ball cleanly.

No weight transfer, keep the wrists quiet, etc. Concentrating on balance (mostly toe-heel) works best for me.