Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

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Generally, IMHO, great length only really helps when you play from the tips on most courses. Being able to drive it >300yds isn't beneficial on most holes because course designers usually pinch off the fairway at that point from the normal tees. If you can drive it ~280 and be very consistent, I'd take that and not think twice about risking losing the consistency for 15-25 more yards (same applies to irons).

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You make no sense. In one breath you say length doesn't matter. Then you say if you could hit it 280 consistently, you'd take it. Ya think! I'd venture to say less than 1% of the golfing population can hit the ball 280 yards, and consistently land it in the fairway.

As for your other argument, that length isn't important - I'd make the following bet with you all day long. I get to drop the ball in the rough 300 yards from the tee box, and you get to drop the ball in the fairway 220 yards from the tee box. Who do you think will score better?

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

If he has video, you should be able to identify that quickly, to answer the other question, if you are off the map short with your wedges from your other irons, then clubhead speed is not the problem because you have it with other clubs. Also, this is more of a driver concept, but do you hit the ball high? if you do you are adding loft most likely, if you made a swing with say a 3 iron at 25mph, your ball is going to travel at about 2 feet off the ground for like 20 yards then hit the ground running, the speed issue applies to all clubs, you will have an easier time getting your wedges in the air but they are not going to fly very high compared to other people you will play with.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

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Also, this is more of a driver concept, but do you hit the ball high?

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Yeah, I tend to. I use a 9 deg driver and while I've been improving when I miss I tend to really fly it high.

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if you are off the map short with your wedges from your other irons, then clubhead speed is not the problem because you have it with other clubs.

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I sort of think I don't get enough out of all my irons, but that it's more pronounced with the shorter ones.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

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Generally, IMHO, great length only really helps when you play from the tips on most courses. Being able to drive it >300yds isn't beneficial on most holes because course designers usually pinch off the fairway at that point from the normal tees. If you can drive it ~280 and be very consistent, I'd take that and not think twice about risking losing the consistency for 15-25 more yards (same applies to irons).

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You make no sense. In one breath you say length doesn't matter. Then you say if you could hit it 280 consistently, you'd take it. Ya think! I'd venture to say less than 1% of the golfing population can hit the ball 280 yards, and consistently land it in the fairway.

As for your other argument, that length isn't important - I'd make the following bet with you all day long. I get to drop the ball in the rough 300 yards from the tee box, and you get to drop the ball in the fairway 220 yards from the tee box. Who do you think will score better?

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Your reading comprehension might need work...I said GREAT length...so >280avg. Take a guy who hits it consistently 275 vs a guy who can hit it 320 but with 50% of the first guy's consistency, and see who wins...the second guy will likely need to have a great short game to scramble ceteris paribus.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

Your distances sound pretty normal for most men. I don't think sweeping the ball is that big of a deal or even wrong. All that matters is where the ball ends up.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say that you are getting less and less distance when you move down the bag. You are supposed to get less distance. Do you mean that you hit all of the clubs the same distance. If you are not getting at least 10 yards difference between each iron, then you either aren't hitting the ball consistently or your clubhead speed is too low.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

I'm saying I'm getting disproportionately less distance. IE, I hit a 7 150, but hit a PW 95ish. SW goes like 60 yds.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

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Your distances sound pretty normal for most men.

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Set your sights a bit higher, amigo.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

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I'm saying I'm getting disproportionately less distance. IE, I hit a 7 150, but hit a PW 95ish. SW goes like 60 yds.

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I hit my 7 iron a little shorter than 150, but according to this chart (and most others I found), that's pretty normal:
http://golf.about.com/od/beginners/l/blclubdistance.htm
In context, though, I'm probably still a short hitter for my handicap range.

What's your setup like with your approach shots? I used to make the pretty basic mistake of overswinging with these clubs, often opening up the clubface at the same time. That led to a pretty wide range with the wedges, and inconsitent accuracy. If necessary I still play what is essentially a long lob shot with a sand wedge from 55 yards or so, but most of the time I play the shot back in my stance, closing the club face a little, and focus on the right swing path. I get the most consistent contact and distance that way, and it's accurate as hell. Like I said, I hit my 7 iron even a little shorter than you, but my PW is a pretty consistent 105-110, SW about 90.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

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Generally, IMHO, great length only really helps when you play from the tips on most courses. Being able to drive it >300yds isn't beneficial on most holes because course designers usually pinch off the fairway at that point from the normal tees. If you can drive it ~280 and be very consistent, I'd take that and not think twice about risking losing the consistency for 15-25 more yards (same applies to irons).

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You make no sense. In one breath you say length doesn't matter. Then you say if you could hit it 280 consistently, you'd take it. Ya think! I'd venture to say less than 1% of the golfing population can hit the ball 280 yards, and consistently land it in the fairway.

As for your other argument, that length isn't important - I'd make the following bet with you all day long. I get to drop the ball in the rough 300 yards from the tee box, and you get to drop the ball in the fairway 220 yards from the tee box. Who do you think will score better?

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Your reading comprehension might need work...I said GREAT length...so >280avg. Take a guy who hits it consistently 275 vs a guy who can hit it 320 but with 50% of the first guy's consistency, and see who wins...the second guy will likely need to have a great short game to scramble ceteris paribus.

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Besides, when we're talking about the AVERAGE golfer, we're not talking the difference between the fairway at 225 and the rough at 300. We're talking the difference between fairway and OB/woods/water/highway.

If I could drive the ball 280-300 consistently in the rough, I'd take it every time. But I can't. And long and wrong is really, really bad on most courses.

Re: I sweep, I sweep
 

What's interesting to me about this discussion is that I presented a problem and asked for tips or drills to improve. A couple of people said it prob wasn't much of a problem. Fine. Totally fair. But I've yet to get a "try this" response. Instead this has sort of devolved into a distance doesn't much mater discussion.

It might be that clubhead speed doesn't have much to do with this sweeping thing. But still, fellas. If anyone can offer any advice on how to fix this swing flaw, I'd appreciate it.