Club Corner

Set Gapping—The Missing Piece

By Doug Rikkers, GolfTEC Director of Club Fitting & Merchandise Services, PGA Member

Are there certain yardages you just don’t seem to have a club for? Do you have multiple clubs that go the same distance, or does one go too far relative to the next one in line? If so, you likely have gapping issues that are costing you strokes on the course.

One of the most overlooked elements of many fittings is what we call ‘gapping’. Gapping refers to the yardage gap, or distance variation, you’ll see from one club to the next. In a properly fit set, you should see eight to 12 yards in distance variation from one club to the next. If your set is not gapped properly for you, you’ll likely have situations where you don’t have the right club for the distance needed.

So how do you eliminate these gaps from your set? One of the first places to start is loft. Generally, you want three to five degrees of loft change from one club to the next to achieve the appropriate gapping distance throughout the set (players with very slow swing speeds might need more than five). We frequently see trouble with many of today’s iron sets that are built with stronger lofts to increase distance. Building stronger lofts may help increase distance, but it also results in a pitching wedge loft of 44 or 45 degrees. If your next wedge is a typical sand wedge with 56 degrees, you end up with 10 degrees between the two clubs, and a significant yardage gap. To overcome this, manufacturers often offer a ‘gap’ wedge to fill that void, but they’re not always included in the set, so many golfers unknowingly end up with a gap.

Another issue that can cause gaps is the shaft. Most hybrids come with graphite shafts that are lighter and longer than the steel shafted irons they’re replacing. As a result, many players find that their first hybrid goes much farther than the longest iron in the set. For example, they may hit their 5-iron 165 yards, but their 4-hybrid goes 20+ yards farther. To overcome this, we recommend that your hybrids be the same length and loft as the iron you’re replacing.

If you have doubts about the gaps within your set, here are a few suggestions:

1. Start tracking your distances (on the course or at the range)—if you’re not already doing this, you can learn a lot from this exercise. You’ll know how far each club goes and find out if you have any distance gaps.
2. If you have access to a launch monitor or shot simulator, spend some time determining how far you hit each club and identifying any significant yardage gaps.
3. Talk to your Certified Personal Coach. At GolfTEC, we have multiple ways of identifying and addressing your gapping concerns to ensure optimal performance. We can correct any gaps within your current set or make sure your new set doesn’t create any.

Keep the Fire Burning

Why the next 6 months will make or break your 2013.
By Dave Baltzer, GolfTEC Director of Operations, PGA Member

Ah, the Olympics; the sporting event of sporting events. The nations of the world wait four years for this opportunity to showcase talent, compete on a grand stage and unite in unmatched patriotism while cheering on their runners, throwers, swimmers, jumpers, gymnasts and teams. Year after year, this epic event is preceded by the lighting of the Olympic Torch, an eternal flame that represents the inner fire that burns in all competitors.

As avid golfers, we constantly look for improvement, but just like any Olympic athlete, we need a solid game plan to achieve our pursuits. As we head down the “back 9” of 2012, it’s tempting to hang up the clubs and disengage from golf for a while. Don’t let your progress slip away! The next six months offer a great opportunity to accelerate your golf improvement, or at least maintain your current performance level.

Every golfer is different, with varying degrees of competitive fire and improvement goals. Here are some 6-month training plans to help players of all ages and abilities.

The Casual-Avid golfer: You play golf on a regular basis, but mostly for fun, and scoring is less important than enjoying a day on the course. A good round means that you hit the ball well, avoided big numbers and played with the same ball throughout the round. For the next six months, your goal should be to avoid the rust that happens from inactivity.

• Don’t hang up your clubs when the leaves start to change
• Take a lesson every couple of weeks throughout the next six months
• Get into the bay or onto the range 2-4 times between lessons, especially when the weather prevents you from playing as much
• Take advantage of good weather days by playing when you can or at least getting onto a short-game practice area
• Ask your coach about things you can do at home between lessons

The Competitive-Avid golfer: If you play your regular foursome with more on the line than pride, then a more aggressive game plan is in order for the rest of 2012. You face more pressure putts and your risk-reward decisions on the course have more consequences than a casual round. It’s important to keep your game at its highest level throughout the year. Now is your chance to get a leg up on your competition!

• Assess your strengths and weakness and create a game plan to improve your game
• Take at least one lesson every other week
• 2-4 indoor practice sessions between lessons
• 30% of your lessons should focus on short game or putting
• Get out for a playing lesson!
• Take advantage of good weather days by playing when you can or at least getting onto a short-game practice area

The Tournament Golfer: If you play in competitive events throughout the golf season, then your next six months are crucial to adding more hardware in your trophy room in 2013. Now is the time your focus should shift to refining fundamentals, working on your technique and honing your course management. If your vision for next year is to win a league title or capture the club championship, this is the approach to take.

• Perform a thorough review of your game tracking from the 2012 season to identify your biggest problem areas and create a game plan to improve those areas
• Take 1-2 lessons per week (full swing and short game)
• 3+ practice sessions per week
• Monthly playing lesson to optimize on-course strategy and optimize scoring
• Shot-specific practice outdoors (when weather permits)
  • 30% time spent on putting
  • 30% spent on short game (chipping/pitching inside 100 yards)
  • 25% spent on iron play
  • 15% on drivers/woods/hybrids
• Play once a week, even if the weather is sketchy. Playing rounds in these tougher conditions is a great way to develop your skills without the pressure that comes with competitive play

No matter what your approach to golf is, the next six months can have a huge impact on your future golf seasons. Don’t fall back into bad habits and lose the progress you’ve made. Instead, keep those inner fires burning and come out swinging in 2013.

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