Between Clubs? Stop Trying to Hit the Perfect Number
You have 145 yards to the flag. Your 8-iron goes about 140, while your 7-iron usually flies 155. The pin is tempting, the green looks inviting, and you convince yourself that you can “take a little off” the 7-iron.
That decision often produces one of two results: a weak shot that comes up short or a nervous swing that sends the ball toward trouble. When you are between clubs, the best answer is usually not a clever swing. It is a better decision.
Why Between-Club Shots Cause Problems
Most recreational golfers have a natural full-swing distance with each club. They may be able to hit an 8-iron 140 yards and a 7-iron 155, but they do not have a reliable 147-yard shot on demand.
Trying to manufacture that distance often leads to:
- Decelerating through impact
- Changing your tempo
- Trying to swing harder than normal
- Making poor contact
- Focusing more on distance than direction
The problem is not that you lack talent. It is that you are asking your swing to do something you have not practiced enough to trust.
Choose the Club for the Safest Miss
Start by looking beyond the flag. Identify the trouble around the green and ask where you would rather miss.
If the pin is near the front of the green with water or a bunker behind it, the shorter club may be the smarter choice. If the pin is at the back and the area short is open, use the longer club and accept that the ball may finish beyond the flag.
Your target should not always be the hole. It should be the part of the green that gives you the best chance of making par or avoiding a big number.
Use this simple decision:
- Short side is dangerous: Choose more club.
- Long side is dangerous: Choose less club.
- Both sides are dangerous: Aim for the center and choose the club that produces your most reliable contact.
When to Take More Club
Taking one more club and making a normal swing is often the safest option. A smooth 7-iron is usually more dependable than a forced 8-iron, even if the 7-iron occasionally flies a little farther.
Consider taking more club when:
- The shot is uphill
- The ball is sitting down in the grass
- You are hitting into the wind
- The green is firm and the ball may not stop quickly
- You are tired, nervous, or playing under pressure
Do not automatically aim at the flag, though. If you take more club, choose a target that allows the ball to finish safely on the green.
When to Take Less Club
The shorter club can be the right decision when the green is receptive, the shot is downhill, or there is serious trouble behind the target. A controlled swing with less club is often easier to predict than trying to remove 10 yards from a full swing.
However, “controlled” does not mean slow or tentative. Make your normal rhythm and commit to the shot. Simply choose a club that naturally produces the distance you need.
Try This Practice Exercise
At the range, pick two clubs that are separated by about 10 to 15 yards. Hit five shots with each club using your normal swing. Record the average distance and the shortest shot from each group.
Next, imagine a target between those distances. Instead of trying to hit the exact number, choose one club and aim for the safest result. Repeat the exercise from different distances and notice which club gives you the more predictable misses.
This teaches you an important skill: not every shot needs to finish pin-high to be a good decision.
One Thing to Remember
When you are between clubs, choose the club that makes your normal swing and leaves the safest miss. Reliable golf usually comes from accepting a predictable result—not chasing a perfect number.