What Club Should You Use to Get Up and Down?

While the advent of Strokes Gained has taught us that the long game is critically important, for most average golfers the short game provides ample opportunity to save strokes and shave your handicap.

In an ideal world, we would hit every green and life would be good on the course. Unfortunately, at times, golf can feel anything but ideal, let alone good!

Naturally, we’re all going to miss greens and while every shot counts the same, our ability to get up and down can transform a terrible score into a great one … or at least one we can live with.

Take Less Loft

One easy-to-implement change that Shot Scope data suggests the majority of players would benefit from is taking less loft.

From the Shot Scope database, consisting of over 350 million shots, we have compiled data on short-game usage of 8-iron, 9-iron, and pitching wedge among 15-handicap golfers. We then compared it to that of a gap, sand and lob wedge to reveal where average golfers have an opportunity to save strokes.

First, let’s look at usage rates and the results.

• 8i / 9i / PW combined usage = 20%

• GW / SW / LW combined usage = 52%

In terms of club selection, 15 handicappers are 2.5 times more likely to use a GW/SW/LW than the lower-lofted options. However, this may not be in their best interest and may, in fact, be costing them strokes.

When it comes to converting their potential par save, 15 handicappers are eight percent more likely to be successful with a lower-lofted option.

Some may argue that eight percent is not a massive difference, but golf is a game of margins and every little bit helps over the course of a round.

Similarly, we see a four percent increase in the likelihood of finishing inside six feet with the lofted club. It goes without saying that the closer proximity makes a significant difference when it comes to making the putt.

The significance of finishing inside six feet from around the green

Shot Scope data reveals that, for a 15-handicap golfer, chances of making a putt from zero to six feet versus six to 12 feet are 45 percent higher.

The nearly 50-percent increase in the likelihood of making a putt is testament to how important proximity to the hole is.

Every foot counts.

Should you find yourself outside this six-foot zone (which is more than likely), then lag putting is a key skill to work on. While we’d all love to drain all our long putts, the data says we’re more likely to miss than make.

Therefore, we should try to control the extent to which we miss. Leaving putts short is most common among amateurs and can often lead to the dreaded three-putt. The perfect miss, if there is such a thing, would be a putt that finishes beyond the hole and inside three feet.

Inside three feet, players of all levels should be looking to convert a minimum of 93 percent of these putts – this is our handicap benchmark for a 25 handicapper.

If players can get dialed in on their distance control, then even their unsuccessful up and downs will be limited to a bogey rather than a double.

The takeaway message for on the course?

Where possible, use less loft. The data above all points towards saving strokes when we keep the wedge in the bag.

Putt if you can, chip if you can’t putt, pitch only if you have to.

Start Tracking your game with Shot Scope.