Hello All,
I want to preface this by saying that I think the GIR might be the most important stat in golf. A high GIR% means that you are at least giving yourself at an opportunity for birdie. However, there are days when the irons just aren't going your way, and on those days it's important to know your wedges, and what they are capable of doing. Knowing when to use your pitch, flop, chip, or punch shots is crucial, and can save you when you just don't seem to have your "A" game. Take a look at my most recent effort on BPB:
Now I'm not saying that a 33 is a great score by any means, but look at how often I hit the GIR and you will see that it could have been much worse. Frankly, I was all over the place with my driver and my irons...and that can be frustrating. However, I get a certain amount of satisfaction from knowing that I was able to make par, even in an off round. The ability to scramble and knock it close is extremely important when attempting to salvage a hole:
I guess the moral of my story is don't be afraid to head into practice mode and really figure out what your clubs are capable of...practice those flops and punches to figure out when to use them. When I go into practice mode, I use the maximum number of shot available, intentionally hitting it into greenside bunkers and heavy rough...and when i knock it on to the green, I grab my putter, set it to 150 feet, and drive it right back out into the rough again. Try it out and you will be happy you did
Good Golfing
Longwedge