Measuring up a shot

[metallion]

John,
I am curious to know to what extent you rely on exact distances during a tournament versus "just seeing the shot".

Example 1
You are "halv a sandwedge" from the front of a green some 7-8 feet below your feet. The contours of the green are easy to read from where you stand. Would you pick a spot and just use your experience to feel how much lag pressure is needed to land the ball on your spot - or would you want your caddie to give the exact distance to it.

Example 2
The 200 yard marker is some 15 yards left of you and the pin seems to be on the middle of the green. You know the green is rather flat. Would you simply produce your "more-or-less 205" yards shot or would you go into details and have a discussion with your caddie regarding to determine exact distance and decide the exact spot where you want to land the ball?

[john riegger]

i play all shots from 50 yds and out with yardages.no exceptions.that way i can play for the ball releasing or backing up on the green

[metallion]

Thanks, John. (Very comforting to hear that after a frustrating round of constantly ending up on the wrong part of the green due to lack of a yardage book and pin placements. From 28 putts Saturday to 36 putts Sunday.)

And on 30-50 yards shots? Do you never/always/sometimes play by yardage?

Thank you so much for taking the time to provide Tour Insight and best of luck out there.

[john riegger]

never use yardage inside 50 yards

[Daryl]

never use yardage inside 50 yards

Of course not. The caddie never says 45 yards. He says, "80 feet 6 and 1/2" to the front edge of the cup".

[birdie_man]

So you just go by feel then I guess eh John.

Control distance with Lag Pressure...?

[Yoda]

This has the making of a very great thread!

[metallion]

I recall a discussion between Dave Pelz and Paul Azinger. It was probably from Short Game Bible, but might have been an interview. The story was that Pelz was testing various (tour and average) players ability to hit a target at a specified distance. When Zinger visited with Pelz, he was asked to hit that specific target that so many others had done. I believe the discussion was:

Pelz: I'll give you 25 balls. Let's see how many you can land on that target 17 (or whatever the distance was) yards away.
Azinger: Sorry. I don't have a 17 yards shot.
Pelz: You don't? Then what do you do if your ball is 17 yards away.
Azinger: I'd fire my caddie.

If this story has any truth to it, certain distances shorter than 50 yards are an issue for some tour players.

How should we interpret that:

Interpretation 1
Azinger was so full of Pelz clock swing system that he'd lost his ability to think outside the box.

Interpretation 2
Azinger did not care about the clock system but was effectively using club selection, lag pressure, hinge actions and ball position to accomplish his shots. But he still did not have a combination of lag pressure and hinge action to accomplish 17 yards. At least not one he felt comfortable with.

Interpretation 3
If Azinger knew what lag pressure, hinge action, ball position and plane variations could do to his game he'd never say that.

Can we imagine this:
Hole 1
Azinger: What's the distance.
Caddie: 23 yards
Azinger: SW please

Hole 6
Azinger: What's the distance.
Caddie: 12 yards
Azinger: PW please

Hole 13
Azinger: What's the distance.
Caddie: I am sorry boss. It's 17 yards

[Yoda]

Can we imagine this:
Hole 1
Azinger: What's the distance.
Caddie: 23 yards
Azinger: SW please

Hole 6
Azinger: What's the distance.
Caddie: 12 yards
Azinger: PW please

Hole 13
Azinger: What's the distance.
Caddie: I am sorry boss. It's 17 yards

It just so happens that Paul Azinger's caddie, Ted Scott, is now my student. Since we both have a vested interest in this situation -- 17 yards = no job = no lessons! -- I'll ask him what Paul is doing to solve the problem.

[birdie_man]

Wow that's weird.

I don't get it.