Wedge Play

[amac]

As we all know, the key to scoring happens from 100 yards and in. This just so happens to be my weakness, and it has to be rectified. I am specifically referring to pitch/wedge shots from 20 to 80 yards.

I took a lesson last year from Dave Kalil at Hunt Club, who I was told is a short game wizard. He promoted a technique of controlling the distance of the shot via the length of the backswing. His downswing advice was to keep the hands and wrists quiet, and rotate the upper body (while retaining the wrist angle through the shot). The finish would be less than that of a full swing, and the club face should be almost facing the target (if you can visualize that).

I also bought Dave Pelz Short Game Bible last year. His approach is the same as Dave's on the backswing, but his downswing advice was to swing to a full finish on every pitch shot over 30 yards (i.e. releasing the club with hands and wrists).

So what happened to me last year is that I sort of did a bit of both methods, and my pitching and wedge play did not improve.

Any short game gurus out there have any advice on the above or what works for them? I'd like to keep my approach simple this year, and start improving in this area of my game.

Regards,
amac

[Golfpeasant]

I found Pelz advice quite accurate. What problem are you having?

In any case, take any wedge (preferably more than just the PW), and make sure you can hit clean shots. Once you can hit clean shots, find out what your average length is full swing (keeping in mind you shouldn't really be over hitting a wedge). Then find your "half-swing" length.

If you have 2 wedges, you should be able to cover quite a few ranges. Than after that, just add or remove a little to adjust your distances.

Its not an instant recipe. You have to hit a thousand wedge shots. Go to the 19th tee (or any cheap chipping range) and practice your wedges day in and out...

[davevandyk]

I agree with the Pelz approach. I have heard many things over the years and his approach seems the simplest if you can repeat the length of your swing. Mostly however i just like to "feel" the swing in my practice swings and then go. I don't want to be standing over the shot saying "take a 9 o'clock swing and have a full finish" The method you were describing above sounds like way too much to think about on a little pitch, i could tell where it would be hard.

[jvincent]

Its not an instant recipe. You have to hit a thousand wedge shots. Go to the 19th tee (or any cheap chipping range) and practice your wedges day in and out...

Second this.

I have a relatively deep back yard and hit a lot of 15-20 yard chips with all of my wedges last year to really get comfortable with their feel.

My wedge play from all distances was noticeably better on the course not only for the short ones but for full wedges too.

[amac]

Thanks for the feedback. My issues were with inconsistent contact...I'm prone to a jerky backswing, producing fat and thin shots. Have to keep the body quieter and lessen the role of the right hand in this type of shot...

My < 1 yr old son could prevent the level of practise needed to master these shots but I think that I will stick with the Pelz approach and will endeavour to chart out my distances with my three wedges.

Since he coaches Mickelson, one of the best wedge players in the business, he can't be that far off!

Thanks,
amac

[BC MIST]

I took a lesson last year from Dave Kalil at Hunt Club, who I was told is a short game wizard. He promoted a technique of controlling the distance of the shot via the length of the backswing. His downswing advice was to keep the hands and wrists quiet, and rotate the upper body (while retaining the wrist angle through the shot). The finish would be less than that of a full swing, and the club face should be almost facing the target (if you can visualize that).

I also bought Dave Pelz Short Game Bible last year. His approach is the same as Dave's on the backswing, but his downswing advice was to swing to a full finish on every pitch shot over 30 yards (i.e. releasing the club with hands and wrists).

So what happened to me last year is that I sort of did a bit of both methods, and my pitching and wedge play did not improve.

Any short game gurus out there have any advice on the above or what works for them? I'd like to keep my approach simple this year, and start improving in this area of my game.

Regards,
amac

In watching people play over the years, not keeping the wrists from flipping through impact is the main cause of inconsistent contact. Mr. Kali's suggestion to keep the hands "quiet" through the ball is essential on all but a few shots. Controling distance through the length of the backswing may work for some, but IMO, is not the best solution. A golfer can take the club back for example to where the left arm is parallel to the ground, and hit shots that go 10 yards and 100 yards, depending on the speed of the arms coming down. After you have learned to make consistent contact, practice hitting to markers at 20, 40, 60, and 80 yards, or something similar. This will develop the feel necessary to do this on the course just by looking at the target. Your subconscious is pretty smart.

Also, I have had some success with a shot from rough around the greens where I take an almost full swing and go to a full finish, with the ball going only 20 yards. The key is to swing in "slow motion." No rushing or flipping allowed. Silent hands. The ball goes almost straight up and just plops itself down. I also use this as my sand shot method and it just works. Silent hands.

Two keys to success: 1. Silent hands. 2. You must hit down on every shot whether a 20' chip or a 50 yard lob shot. Hitting down maintains the flex in the back of the right hand, which, when lost, causes the fat/thin shots.

FWIW: The following is a copy of a post I made on another forum answering a similar question. The simple techniques have worked well for me and may for you.

"When one practices correct technique, both feel and confidence will come.

While there is a lot of information available on how to develop a good short game, IMO, there is too much information. Develop a shot that projects the ball low and running(chip shot) and one where the balls flies high and lands softly(pitch shot).

CHIP SHOT: For the chip shot play the somewhere off the back foot, lean the shaft foreward where the lead wrist if flat and the trail wrist is bent or flexed back. Hit slightly down on the ball, scuffing the grass, and, the most important part, when you finish the stroke, the lead wrist will still be flat and the right wrist will still be bent. All good players do this, most of those who want to be, flip their wrists to some degree.

DRILL: Hold the club in the trail(lower hand only) having a 2" to 3" gap between the butt of the club and your inner arm. Take a short backstroke and when you come through try to maintain the 2" to 3" gap. IOW, do not let your right wrist flip the club head through. This little motion is extremely difficult to do initially, however, as your forearm becomes stronger, there will be less flipping. This is the best drill that I have come across and was instrumental in improving my chip shots.

PITCH SHOT: When I have a little shot around the greenof up to say 30 yards, I open the face of my lofted wedge, play the ball a little foreward of centre and take a long, slow swing, both back and through. The ball pops up very high and just plops itself on the green. While there is a some wrist hinging on the backstroke, I keep it to a minimum for normal pitches. The key to the shot is that through the ball, there is NO hit at the ball or flipping of the wrists. Again, try to keep the left wrist flat and the right wrist bent. You must swing smoothly, almost a feeling of slow motion, and you hit slightl down on the ball."

[Golfpeasant]

Thanks for the feedback. My issues were with inconsistent contact...I'm prone to a jerky backswing, producing fat and thin shots. Have to keep the body quieter and lessen the role of the right hand in this type of shot...

I think BC MIST gives some good advice. I find that hitting down and hitting the ball first are things that are key for me. I also find, if in the middle of the pitch swing, I let my head think too much (as in "Geez, I think I'm swinging too much"), I invariably hit a poor shot trying to slow it down. Deceleration is a killer. Commit to the shot, put it on your back foot for a while, and hit down....these should create some immediate consistent contact.

Another thing to note: try a reduced swing, even a putter swing, til your feel comfortable making consistent contact...then increase.

As for your kid, ya, time is always tight. It really only takes 5-10 hits every 2nd day to improve your swing tho. Get a wiffle ball and hit it somewhere inside...it only takes a handful of dirt a day to build a mountain.

[amac]

Thank you all for the helpful advise. I will start small, trying to making crisp contact with the shots immediately around the greens. Then I will move further away and get a feel for various yardages 20, 30, 40, etc. until I can feel confident all the way back to my 'full' lob wedge.

Regards,
amac

I shall be mumbling in my sleep tonight: quiet hands...quiet hands...quiet hands

[BC MIST]

Thank you all for the helpful advise. I will start small, trying to making crisp contact with the shots immediately around the greens. Then I will move further away and get a feel for various yardages 20, 30, 40, etc. until I can feel confident all the way back to my 'full' lob wedge.

Regards,
amac

I shall be mumbling in my sleep tonight: quiet hands...quiet hands...quiet hands

Shhhhhhhhh!!! You''ll wake the hands.

[powerlefty]

As we all know, the key to scoring happens from 100 yards and in. This just so happens to be my weakness, and it has to be rectified. I am specifically referring to pitch/wedge shots from 20 to 80 yards.

I took a lesson last year from Dave Kalil at Hunt Club, who I was told is a short game wizard. He promoted a technique of controlling the distance of the shot via the length of the backswing. His downswing advice was to keep the hands and wrists quiet, and rotate the upper body (while retaining the wrist angle through the shot). The finish would be less than that of a full swing, and the club face should be almost facing the target (if you can visualize that).

I also bought Dave Pelz Short Game Bible last year. His approach is the same as Dave's on the backswing, but his downswing advice was to swing to a full finish on every pitch shot over 30 yards (i.e. releasing the club with hands and wrists).

So what happened to me last year is that I sort of did a bit of both methods, and my pitching and wedge play did not improve.

Any short game gurus out there have any advice on the above or what works for them? I'd like to keep my approach simple this year, and start improving in this area of my game.

Regards,
amac

Dave is a VERY good wedge player. I have played a couple of rounds with him and witnessed his skill firsthand. I have also taken lessons from him and he improved my wedge play significantly - especially the in-between distances like you speak of. At the time he did promote a short back swing, quiet hands and then a full follow through.

[fengler19]

I was having some problems with my wedge play, this thread really helped me out. I was hitting full nine iron and down all the way to driver solid. For some reason I was hitting my wedges very inconsistent; either fat and short or skulled and long. I practiced keeping my hands quiet through impact, keeping the club head behind my hands as long as possible and BINGO, nice crisp contact. I also like for partial swings finishing with a full follow through, this really helps to keep you accelerating through the shot. Thanks a lot

[byerxa]

I have bought into Pelz's short game program complete with making a set of 4 wedges, etc. His "distance wedge" system is great for 100-20 yard range - I have done the leg work to calibrate my 7, 9, and 10 o'clock distances on all four wedges and it works. It is very cool to be able to look at a 55 yard shot, determine the trajectory you want, and dial in a well known swing. Everybody knows how far they can hit a 7 iron and they generally hit to that distance very consistently. With Pelz's distance wedge system you will have that same reliability in the 100-20 range. Inside 20 yards becomes pitching territory at which point Pelz advocates that the pitch is similar to the distance wedge shot but without the full follow through. My 100-20 yard play is now my strong suit and I have a better up and down ratio in that range then from around the green (got the chipping yips around the green ).

What I found interesting is this work has finally got me feeling a more correct swing that keeps the hands quiet with lag. It is helping me for all clubs and I am finally getting the real feeling of lag (especially with the driver) - very cool. The one problem is I now have to re-calibrate my distance wedge distances this spring! With the work over the winter I am now at least 10% longer due to the better lag/quieter hands. Spent a lot of time down south chipping from behind the green!