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Is it only my Punch Shot

• RickRR 125 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 10:49 AM

  I have watched several videos on using the punch shot and what a great tool it is to have in the bag. From what I get out of the videos the punch shot is good from 60 yards in. The punch shot is mainly used with full backspin will land, take a hop or two and stop. Unless you are me. Lately when I use the Punch Shot with full backspin, my ball backs up 5 - 7 yards, very frustrating. So I am wondering what the heck am I doing wrong? I get the same results no matter if it is on the fairway, fringe, rough, flat surface, up elevation or down elevation. It seems the ball has a mind of its own and backs up when ever it feels like it. Walkoflife has an excellent video pertaining to Punch shots, that I try to follow. Just can't figure out why the backs up so far. Any help is appreciated.

• siggipj76 2,989 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 5:09 PM

  I only use full backspin when punching 80 % and less , if you have 50 punch and use full bs it will roll back.

  above 85% I go half , then quarter then no spin , if the wind is not in play , 30 mph tailwind might change that.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 6:14 PM

  RickRR:

  Lately when I use the Punch Shot with full backspin, my ball backs up 5 - 7 yards, very frustrating

  The only way this happens is if you're not at 100% back spin. I use that shot regularly and it is extremely dependable and consistent and never backs up from the fairway. Certain roughs do, like 20-25 and some 30-40. In those cases I don't use any with the 64W.

  Also, don't forsake the other 2 wedges you have and your set PW.. Punch shots with them and no spin are very accurate and easy to control from 100+ down.

• Robert1893 7,729 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 7:12 PM

  Deleted.

• K7JBQ 1,469 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 8:15 PM

  If I'm punching (or hitting a full wedge) to a green where the pin is on an upslope, I often have to use a bit of topspin just to keep the ball from spinning back.

  Backspin with my wedges is like that old commercial tagline: "a little dab will do ya."

   

• Woodie312 671 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 8:52 PM

  RickRR:

   From what I get out of the videos the punch shot is good from 60 yards in. The punch shot is mainly used with full backspin will land, take a hop or two and stop. 

  Only good from 60 yards in??????    No Way! I use punch shots all the way out to the 9 iron which gives me a nice range of distances to pick from while still stroking at 90% power or better. This gives me a range from 45 all the way up to 135 to work with between punch and full shots. As to the spin unless facing a sever run away green I never use any backspin with my Cleveland wedges, I normally just bump the spin to about 6% top unless on a hole like #2 or #4 at Pebble Beach where the slopes can really reject a ball. On these types I will put maybe 20% top on them and try to hit to the uphill side of the hole.

  This may not fit everyones game style but it works for me. There are a lot of par 5 holes that I feel safer trying to layup and hit the wedge into the green (like ol chrome dome aka pinehurst) than gambleing with where in the heck will the 3wd decide to stop at today. I may not make eagle but i do tend to take bogey out of play that way.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 9:10 PM

  siggipj76:

  I only use full backspin when punching 80 % and less , if you have 50 punch and use full bs it will roll back.

  I disagree. Full back spin on the CG 64W punch from fairway will always stop, hit  at any % of swing. Partial spin is what causes massive back roll. 71 Nikes.

• DonCaron 5,502 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 9:15 PM

  A lot of times in 40% rough on my second shot, I'll punch it to get distance with a mid iron and some top. 

  Many times I'll roll right up on the green if I have an avenue to it. usually just add 10.

  This works for me anyway. Great tool in our arsenal 

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 9:19 PM

  DonCaron:

  A lot of times in 40% rough on my second shot, I'll punch it to get distance with a mid iron and some top. 

  This is the right shot from rough, you'll always get out. The roll is going to happen no matter what you do so the trick is to get the right club. I found that taking 2 clubs and hitting about 80% gets you pretty close if you have the room/line to run up. Forget trying to carry anything, there's no loft.

• DonCaron 5,502 Posts

  Sat, Feb 10 2018 10:24 PM

  +1 as always Jim