Happy Tuesday everyone! Today, I am gathering your thoughts on how you would play this shot. It is quite difficult so let me set the stage.

This is a 165 yard shot to the pin. The first 140 yards is over water. The pin is located on the right tip of the visible sand trap. The pin is on the green by 7 yards and the there is 10 yards of green past the pin. There is no wind (see the calm water) and it is comfortable warm day.
What club do you use?
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
Jim I love this question. As you know the number at the bottom of the club is irrelevant these days as there is no standard. For example my irons (Nike TW blades) are 4 degrees weaker than the comparable Callaway epic irons. I would hit my 7 which carries 165- 170. I’m not perfect and dialed in. But I’ll try to hit it 170 to be safe 🙂
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Linley
You are absolutely right that there is no standard between the different manufacturers. It is a challenge and that is why I am a huge supporter of amateurs getting fitted for new clubs. Buying off the rack without hitting them can present challenges on the course.
Cheers Jim
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Agreed. Getting fitted for lie and length based on a persons height. Even swing type affects the flights and distance.
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I’m either going an easy 7 or a hard 8. If going the 8 I would concentrate on keeping my shape in the backswing and getting a good rotation and aim it at the bunker looking for a draw. If hitting the 7 I’d want a bit less rotation and aim up for a fade.
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That sounds about right to me, however I would be using a smooth 6 iron. Bit far for me.
Cheers Jim
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Jim, looks like a stock six-iron at the middle of the green for me.
Are you still open and playing? Hope you’re squeezing the last bit of play out of the season.
Brian
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Brian
Tock 6 sounds about right. Our course is still open, but I am not playing much. A little cool and we are in the middle of a move. All good, hoping once or twice more depending on weather. You still playing?
Cheers Jim
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Jim, yes still playing. Actually was victorious in the club championship last weekend! And it’s 96F today. Gah! too hot to play, but I’ll be out there again on Sat/Sun.
Good luck in your move!
Brian
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Congrats on your win! That is great news!
Cheers Jim
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Thanks Jim!
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So 158 to reach the green, 165 to the flag and 175 max before trouble. The green looks pretty flat so no big benefit staying short. I’m thinking 6 iron with a tall fade and go right at it maybe aiming just a couple of feet left of the flag so it can work back towards it. Maybe someday soon a 7 iron with a draw will do the trick again too, but for the moment, if I’m playing for score the 6 with a fade seems the best choice.
I got in some practice holes today and hit some draws, and a couple fades as well as a straight shot or two and controlled them much better than last week. And I hit a couple of 300+ yards drives using the draw swing too, so I walked off the course happy, if soaked. The rain caught me on the last two holes and it poured really hard. But it felt pretty good since it was feeling like about 95F out most of the day. One little cloud did it. It was over before I finished loading my stuff into the car but by then I was dripping wet. But it was a good day. I hit shots I wouldn’t normally try a few times, and brought my old 3 iron out to compare it with the new. I had meant to bring the 5 wood too, but somehow got distracted and forgot that. Maybe next time or I’ll head to the range for that maybe. Anyway, it was a fun day. No pressure, just fun and some good practice.
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Kevin,
6 iron is my club as well. Not sure I could squeeze a 7 iron. It does sound like you had a good day on the course, albeit a bit wet. I like those days as well. I will be interested to hear about your 5 wood successes.
Cheers Jim
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The 7 would be a little iffy today but mostly because the draw is still a little iffy. I used to reach 160 with the 7 with no problem but if I hit it like I used to, I’d be aiming to the right of the red tree in the background to get it close. That’s how much it turned unless it turned even more. I want the draw back, but not that much turn. Once you go to that extreme, it’s too hard to hit anything but a draw. I hit a 6 with a draw yesterday that would have likely reached to the back of your green if not to the trouble behind, and that was off the fairway. But I usually prefer to not swing so hard because it adversely effects control. I feel like I play my best when I stick with somewhere between 80 and 90 percent. Even the longest drive I hit today that reached 310 yards I felt like I had more I could have given. But had I tried, I probably wouldn’t have done as well. That ball was picture perfect. There’s a huge power pole I aimed the ball at and if it hadn’t have drawn, it would hsve hit it right in the center. Scared me for a second or two as it got close. The hole, a short par 5, was playing 450 yards and I hit an 8 iron for my second shot from 140 to the middle with the flag in the back. That was a good feeling. Unfortunately, I missed my mark on the second shot and the ball bounced right away from the flag and stopped even with it but below the raised green leaving me a tester of a chip. I didn’t get my birdie that time because I fluffed it. But I was practising and using shots I don’t always hit. I used the lob wedge for that chip when I would usually use the sand wedge. I think doing things like that on occasion helps a lot even if it doesn’t always work so well at the time.
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Kevin
Thanks for sharing. I am not playing much and enjoying reading about your exploits. I like using a different wedge for practice as well. You never know when I will need it.
Cheers Jim
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From my bag that would be a full 7-iron. That should just carry 140m – about 155yards. And if hit propely (I would tee up ½ inch) not roll more than 165 yards. So right at it – and a full swing/stroke, so perhaps adding 5 yards to the lengths. A 6 would be too much – unless there is trouble behind the flag ? In which case I would go further right !
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There is trouble behind the flag. A sand trap and a pond. Being long is definitely a bad thing.
Cheers Jim
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