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Punch Shot Help

• Cicero733 2,309 Posts

  Wed, Dec 4 2019 1:41 PM

  Looking for some assistance. I’m a late convert to the punch shot, but over the past several months I convinced myself that I needed to incorporate that shot into my playing routine. I did and have been very pleased with the results, especially with shots within the 20 to 50 yd range. However, over the past several weeks I have run into a strange anomaly that I cannot explain. At times, when I hit the punch shot onto the green in the distance ranges of 44 - 50 yds the ball will land at the distance hit, but then rapidly backup 6 yds or more. In one case it backed up totally off the green (15 yds). This situation occurs almost always on a flat green (no change in elevation) when hitting from the fairway and mostly occurs on greens at RSG, RSA, and Merion. I use the Cleveland 64 degree wedge, the Callie 33 ball in practice, or the Titleist Pro V in matches. It happens with both golf balls. The shot setup is the same, FBS. It does not happen consistently nor on the same greens. It is a “sometimes” event. I have had it happen several times during practice rounds and I have taken countless mulligans with varying degrees of BS to include check spin and flat to try and analyze the problem. The result is the same. The ball backs up a very significant distance regardless of the amount of spin used. For comparison purposes I will end up hitting a full wedge shot NBS for the same distance; the full wedge shot will stick, the punch shot will not. So I’ve come to the conclusion that this will happen at times. Unfortunately I don’t know when. Is there a means of “predicting” when this will occur or indicators that I should be looking for or is this just one of the random anomalies built into the game? The part that really baffles me is that uphill punches, a shot where I would understand and accept a big backup, always stick or more forward no more than a foot or two. Same with downhill punches. It just seems to happen only on flat greens.

• hpurey 11,505 Posts

  Thu, Dec 5 2019 7:17 AM

  Are you using full backspin?   I can only get what you described to happen when I use less than full bs.

  Try it with full bs and see the difference if you haven't yet.  

• Cicero733 2,309 Posts

  Thu, Dec 5 2019 7:37 AM

  Yes, full backspin. Also have tried varying amounts of spin to include flat and check.

• HackWilson1930 1,437 Posts

  Thu, Dec 5 2019 8:43 AM

  Cleveland wedges at full back spin are going to give you a lot of backspin. I might use just a touch of BS to get the ball to stop after one bounce when I punch.. If I use more spin then I try to hit beyond the hole so that the ball will come back to the hole.

• MGB01 1,469 Posts

  Thu, Dec 5 2019 9:05 AM

  greens that run uphill will tend to spin back.....but flat greens fbs normally stop with punch....i use punch shot from 25 yds upto 62 yds and find it very accurate

• andwhy67 2,816 Posts

  Thu, Dec 5 2019 11:46 AM

  WALK0fLiFe’s you tube Chanel, he has published a comprehensive punch guide, different shots, fairway 25-30, 30-40 etc.

  Cleveland wedges, but it’ll give you a starting point.

• Cicero733 2,309 Posts

  Thu, Dec 5 2019 3:36 PM

  Thanks for the info. I have been using his chart since I started using the shot. It’s quite a accurate tool. I may have already watched the video a few months back, but I will definitely check it out.

• borntobesting 9,701 Posts

  Thu, Dec 5 2019 10:03 PM

  He must be using less than full backspin on his shots. Full backspin with the Cleveland 64 degree wedge will hop and stop. Anything less  than full backspin will make it back up like crazy. 

• rasputin6 195 Posts

  Fri, Dec 6 2019 4:18 AM

  I use the punch shot as often as possible. I am curious about massive amounts of backspin. Have you by any chance got a item of apparal installed giving you loads of extra backspin. It will come into force on practice, turf wars, clashes,  I use high spin titliest balls and don't seem to have the same problem as you.  Only a suggestion. 

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Fri, Dec 6 2019 5:39 AM

  Cicero733:

  At times, when I hit the punch shot onto the green in the distance ranges of 44 - 50 yds the ball will land at the distance hit, but then rapidly backup 6 yds or more.

  I use the punch shot extensively, all the way up to the 9 iron, and will tell you your CG64 will back up all by itself without any help. Top spin will overcome this and full back spin will stick the ball after a hop. 

  I found it useful to learn the 64 wedge punch with full back spin. It is very accurate AND consistent plus it's very easy to map. I use it all the way down to 20 yards with excellent results.

  Under 20 yards the pitch shot with it is just as reliable. Full back spin will stop it at 17 yards and with no spin it rolls to 20-21. BPB4 is a great hole to learn both the punch and the pitch. Get to the back side in practice mode and see what you see.  :-)

   

  p.s., Partial spin with that wedge induces high-gear reverse every time.