In this quick-hit tip, via Cleveland Golf, short-game guru Dave Pelz goes over what club to use when you couldn’t get home on a par 5, and you need to chip it close for a one-putt birdie.
FIND THE ONE-PUTT PATTERN
- Two Clubs: Choose two clubs (Club A and B) from your bag that you’re comfortable with (Pelz chose PW and 64).
- Two Colored Balls: Use two different color balls (Ball A and B), six assigned to each club (Pelz used white for PW, yellow for 64).
- 12 Shots: Pitch on with Club A and Ball A, then Club B and Ball B, and so on, until you hit the full dozen. (Don’t hit six consecutive shots with same club and ball.)Â
- One Putt: After you hit all 12 balls, see which pattern gives you more one-putt birdies.
PELZ TRANSCRIPT
Pelz says, “My second shot was on the par 5 here was short of the green – I couldn’t get home. But I need to get my birdie. I need to one putt this. I don’t want to chip it up there and two putt. The question is what club do i hit? I could hit almost any club in my bag but I’ve chosen my pitching wedge or the 64.
“That’s really the choice because there’s a little ridge running right through it. If I can judge the pitching wedge rolling over the ridge and stop it close – maybe I can do that best. But I’ve hit six of those – I’m gonna hit.”
“This is my sixth yellow ball and I’m gonna see which pattern gives me more one putts. If I take my 64 degree wedge and loft it over that ridge [Pelz hits] I can hit it right to the hole and stop it.
“And the question is which ball pattern gives you more one putts? That’s the shot you want to play from this distance.”
Credit: Cleveland Golf | Where Scoring Matters