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Re: Masters and Pros, a question

• CharlemagneRH 1,054 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 5:57 AM

  I tried it out in a CTTH and didn't like it.

  I put backspin on my shots for a reason... I don't want the ball rolling 10-50 ft.  For the vast majority of my 100-230 yard shots, I'm going to stick with the full swing.

  I do play some rolling shots, though, and I might use it there... like ones where you are 180-240 yards out, and you can't stop the ball on a dime, and you can't land 10 yards in front of the hole either, because there is a huge upslope that will kill any forward movement... so you land it 20 yards short and roll it up the slope.  One of the Par 5's at St. Andrews comes to mind, but I can't recall what hole it is.  I could see punch shots working for that.

  It might also work good in the 30-45 yard range... or from the rough.... or into really heavy wind at St. Andrews... I don't know, but I have no plans on using it from the fairway anytime soon, if at all.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 6:03 AM

  90% of the time it's used inside 100 yards for me. Be careful using it from longer out because the flight is lower and on certain holes you will come up short because it doesn't carry mounds in front of pins such as there is at SA. GL

   

• Stryder1261 931 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 7:41 AM

  Pro Level

  Use the punch mostly with wedges when I have under 60 yds but longer than 30 yds to the hole or when Im in the rough near trees I will use the punch with mid irons to put it back in the fairway

• Bluenose12 2,101 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 8:28 AM

  Master

  Form up and down like a whore's knickers.

  I've not used the punch much at all but after reading this thread will be giving it a go.

• Seekerb 651 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 9:29 AM

  Master

  Hardly ever use the punch shot although 3 wood from the first cut of rough seems to behave like one.  Don't seem to find big gaps in my clubs, although perhaps I dont know something.  Find My Ping Master 54 Wedge the most contrary to always get the distance  right.  It is the one I am most often short with.  Feel the Satin 64 Pro Wedge is almost a cheat club it is so versatile virtually from 25yards and all the variations of chips pitches and especially  flop shots, although a bit flakey at that perhaps I should try punching it> Guess one has to get out on the practice rounds and play round with the punch shot.  Having said this only averaging around 64 65 so a lot or room for improvement.

• GerryTS 122 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 11:48 AM

  YankeeJim:

  Gerry-On a real course have you ever been in that spot where the right club to use will hit the tree you're barely under? Instead of taking a full swing you maybe add a club and take a shorter back swing and "punch" the ball out of there to stay under the branch. That's what I think of when I use it. It has a lower flight so wind doesn't mess with it as much and there is roll at the end but usually only 3-4 yds (on flat.)  Spin helps either way-more roll or less-but the best part is what it does to the coverage between your clubs. You master that and it's like picking up several more clubs in your bag. GL

   

  Thanks Jim for the tip. And yes , on the real course the other day punched a five iron out under trees, ball position slightly toward back foot came out swell.  A great control shot. That is what I meant when I said usually use the shot in the rough. Again thanks for that tip will begin to use it more in this game. Boy do I need help since turning master ( small m intentionally used) lol .

• borntobesting 9,625 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 4:35 PM

  Struggling Master 

  I use the punch for a variety of shots. I first started using it in place of the chip and pitch from the heavy rough around the greens at BPB and Kiawah. Also use it to fill the gap between the wedges and sometimes the 9 iron and wedge.It has saved me several strokes over the past few months.I will even use it with the driver off the fairway and off the tee at #1 @ St.Andrews if there is high tail winds.

• jcs89 172 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 7:13 PM

  Master-  I have mixed feelings about using the punch.  With no tailwind or with a head wind, i have a lot of success using it.  With a tailwind, i seem to get too much roll out of it, possibly because i use balls with no spin.

• ccrume 138 Posts

  Sat, Aug 7 2010 7:41 PM

  Master - use it all the time.

  I have to say that I didn't really consider the shot until several months ago when BolloxInBruges shot some unworldly score (54?) on Kiawah and provided his shot-by-shot description of his round.

  What hit me was the number of times that the punch shot was mentioned. At that time, it really was not part of my game.

  I tried it thereafter, and figured out how to make it work. As with other tips it was extremely helpful - these forums are great if you sort through the clutter!

  A belated thanks, Bollie.

  Edit: Here's the post I'm referring to

• zagraniczniak 1,984 Posts

  Tue, Aug 17 2010 7:18 AM

  Don't use the punch much in this game but sure as hell use it all the time in real life! Into the wind on a Scottish course, from pine needles when under a tree in my native Piney Woods American South....

  I was disappointed in the punch shot here in the sense that it does fly pretty high, nearly as high as a full shot. In my experience, it hasn't really helped get out from under trees and the like. As a gap-filler, yes; to go under trouble ... not so much.

  A (modest) proposal for a new shot type that has its ignominious place in real life: the Wormburner.

  And seriously, the Blast (or Splash) shot (from sand only, and only with wedges). Surprised that is not an option in this game.