QUOTE (iamshack @ Jun 30, 2014 -> 10:15 AM)
So after years of basically hitting lob shots around the green, I've begun practicing bump and run shots with my gap wedge. Talk about a difference! First of all, the degree of difficulty is less to begin with, so the number of terrible shots I hit is greatly reduced, almost practically eliminated (versus the lob shots, which I might skull 1-2 out of 10). Secondly, the number of shots hit within 3 feet of the hole have been dramatically increased.
I don't know why I resisted this shot for so long. I always figured the best play was to take as much of the green's undulations out of play as possible, by carrying the ball to the hole as far as possible. But it's just such a more difficult shot to execute...I was throwing away shots left and right and maybe benefiting from that one great lob shot per round. What a waste...
I like to practice this quite a bit on your chipping green area. Move the ball from your front foot all the way to the back hitting maybe 20 shots per position and see how the ball behaves. I do this with my 60, 56, and 54 degree wedge from varying lengths. Really helps your game.