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Elevation & High Lofted Clubs?

• Buckeye8084 307 Posts

  Mon, Nov 19 2012 11:35 AM

  I wanted to see what others strategy's are for elevation with high loft clubs like the 2.0 irons and R11's. 

  People commonly use 1 yard per 3 feet of elevation. Since getting back in the game recently I've noticed you don't typically need the much, especially with severe uphill elevation as the ball will roll forward negating the need for 1 per 3. I've been playing Oakmont a lot. I've been calculating for distance and not factoring in the elevation on holes like #3 and the daunting #9 and I typically get roll out close the hole even with spin.

  Thoughts?

• chris5214 1,937 Posts

  Mon, Nov 19 2012 12:45 PM

  i always use full b'spin on approaches .. highly elevated tees i just play couple yards short, wind depending, for a little roll out .. especially if pin it tucked close to front edge of green ..

  my aim is to be inside 3 yds always from distances over 150yds .. gotta be on ding though .. some people prefer roll out, others wanna make it stick where it lands .. suppose what u're most comfortable with .. 1yrd per 3ft is the rule of thumb yeah

  i just find using backspin offers more options in terms of where u wanna land the ball on the green, while the roll out game eliminates some of those options .. 

• Buckeye8084 307 Posts

  Mon, Nov 19 2012 1:04 PM

   

  chris5214:

  i always use full b'spin on approaches .. highly elevated tees i just play couple yards short, wind depending, for a little roll out .. especially if pin it tucked close to front edge of green ..

  my aim is to be inside 3 yds always from distances over 150yds .. gotta be on ding though .. some people prefer roll out, others wanna make it stick where it lands .. suppose what u're most comfortable with .. 1yrd per 3ft is the rule of thumb yeah

  i just find using backspin offers more options in terms of where u wanna land the ball on the green, while the roll out game eliminates some of those options .. 

  I typically play half to full backspin on most shots too but on high up hill approaches you tend to get roll out regardless is why I haven't been accounting for the elevation on calculations. 

  Do you still typically calculate for elevation with your high lofted iron/wedge approach shots?

   

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Mon, Nov 19 2012 1:11 PM

  Buckeye8084:

  Do you still typically calculate for elevation with your high lofted iron/wedge approach shots?

  I think I understand what you're getting at.  You have to visualize where the high arc of the shot is interrupted on the way down. The flatter the arc, the more that up elevation is going to affect it. Closer in where you can hit very hit shots, the affect is going to lessen as the shot comes down at a steeper angle. You could almost say there's an inverse relationship between distance and loft. The closer you are, the less you lose. 

• chris5214 1,937 Posts

  Mon, Nov 19 2012 1:30 PM

  Buckeye8084:

   

  Do you still typically calculate for elevation with your high lofted iron/wedge approach shots?

   

  yes i do .. and Jim, as a seasoned vet, mentions some good points ..

  think Beth #2 for a moment .. i would typically be left with an approach of 105-110yds with an elevation of 27-28ft ..

  that gives me 9yds added to the shot for elevation .. if i was at 110yds i would now have 119yds .. i'd add 3yds for full bspin, but take off 1yd (maybe 2) for roll out, assuming zero wind conditions .. the loft on my 125yd PW will make the ball stop within 2yds of touchdown ..

  on to Beth #5 .. tee shot 300yds or so, leaving an approach of approx 190yds with 25ft elevation .. again assume zero wind .. plus 8yds for elevation .. in this case i know the shot will role out 6-7yds .. so 190yds + 8yds (elevation) + 5yds for full b'spin = 203yds .. but i draw back 7yds for roll out, giving me a shot of 196yds full b'spin ..