my wedge game stinks

[magicmarker]

As far as the other shots go, I think it is perfectly ok to reinvent the wheel for different lies in order to take what the defense of the course is giving you.

The main thing is to pick the shot that you can most easily visualize going into the hole. For me sometimes it is a low 3 skipper with a 52* and sometimes it is a soft floater with a 56* that falls almost straight down. On really bad lies I have punched a 7 iron onto the green from 50-60 yards. This shot is probably the easiest to get on the green even though it is tougher to consistently knock stuff it close. The point I'm trying to make is that you need to get out of your own way. Let your brain see the challenge, then it will give you a first hunch on how to get the ball close. Trust and follow the first instinct, that's your brain saying 'put it on cruise control, I've seen this before, I know what to do, I got this'

Let instinct choose the type of shot you play

Let your brain trust your instincts and believe in the shot

Let your body execute the instinctive shot

Learn to accept the results without your ego getting too excited or offended based on the outcome.

 

[magicmarker]

Hopefully I don't break any rules with this, if so remove it and I will pm it.

The Unstoppable Golfer by Rotella is a really great book about the short game. I found it immensely helpful and I thought my short game was good before I had read it.... take that for what it's worth.

 

[Bonesy]

thanks all. had some good results today, particularly out of the bunkers. 92 with a 42 on the back; caught OB left + an unplayable on the front. opened my stance a bit, focused on swinging left, and committed to each shoot.

 

[DCgolf]

On feel shots if you have even a hint of a thought about how to do it when you're doing it, you have almost no chance of feeling the shot. That's why Kevin said it takes work. You have to be so confident in the how, then the how much, how hard can be your total focus. Standing over a 50 yard tight lie pitch over water thinking about your technique is tantamount to disaster.

 

[Billy McKinney]

Billy, would this motion kinda be like the motion you would use to putt the ball 30-40 yards across the fairway?

Steve Stricker?

Stricks is a darned good model, indeed...though I can't really say I've ever putted across a fairway...on purpose.