Written by Jim Bromley, PGA
On the PGA Tour, almost all players use a Trackman to learn exactly how far they hit the ball (just look at what Dustin Johnson has accomplished). My practice in the simulator allows me to also check my yardages. Next I try to hit in-between shots. How can I make my 160-yard 7-iron travel 155 yards instead? Am I better hitting a hard 8-iron? It’s good to know what works best for you.
The most important practice I do is with my wedges. I’ve learned to make a hip-high swing, a chest-high swing, and a shoulder-high swing. From there, I work to get consistent yardages from each of those swings. Now I have 3 different yardages for each of the wedges in my bag. The key is to wedge the ball close enough for a one-putt. PGA Tour statistics tell us that from 6-8 feet, professional players make 50% of those putts. From 15 feet, they make about 10%. So it’s easy to see the goal is to get your ball inside that 8-foot circle to have the best chance for scoring opportunities.
By the way, I never practice half-swing wedges at the driving range. I feel that it’s a waste of money and I go through the bucket too quickly. In the simulators, I can hit as many wedges as I need and feel like I get something accomplished. Now it is up to you: come into Play-a-Round Golf and do the work you need to lower your scores!