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Sliding under the ball with wedges

albatross
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albatross Great Member

albatross

I've been working hard to fix this and I'm having so much trouble.

I've been shanking the wedges but when I don't shank I'm hitting before the ball and it feels like I'm sliding right underneath it and the ball goes 30 yards shorter than I want it to and there's no divot.

I've tried opening my stance a little, changing ball position to a little further back in my stance, and nothing is working. It just feels like this weird pinch before the ball at impact and when I focus on hitting a little further on the downswing, I'll skull the ball. Please help.
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JaY_B Great Member

JaY_B

How open is your club face at address?

In my Ping UCLAN Team Bag

Nike Sasqautch 9.5 - V2 Stiff
Cleveland HiBore 15 - V2 Stiff
Ben Hogan Apex FTX, 2 - PW - Dynamic Gold StiffNike SV Tour 52, 58 - Dynamic Golf StiffYes Golf Callie - 33 inchesBall - Srixon Z star X

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albatross Great Member

albatross

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I use the same grip that I do with the other clubs so I don't think that it's too open?? But I guess it might feel that way. If I close it at all, I tend to blade it.
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Lange Well Established Member

Lange

Do you have similar problems with your nine iron? or does it tend to just be when your using a PW etc. Try having a bit steeper down swing, this way to you can grap some grass to make a divot and hit the ball correctly.

In my Black'n'Red :

Driver: R7 TP 460cc 10.5* Reax 65 stiff shaft
3 Wood: Tour Impact 15*
Irons: Tour Impact 3-PWWedges: Vokey Oil Can Spin Milled 54.10, Golfco Baron 58* SWPutter: Tracy II 35"Balls: Prov 1Age:16

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Dent Great Member

Dent

I used to have the exact same problem,

What i would do is lose confidence as soon as I was about to hit. Part of it is mental, which can cause to you mess up. When I swung, I was fine until I was just about to hit the ball. I was scared to hit the ball so I stopped my swing as soon as I made impact, While the club stopped near the ball, my hips were still flying forward, which was the only thing moving, causing the clubface to open a large ammount, causing the shank.

Make sure your club is following through the ball. Dont stop the club at the last minute.
In My Bag

Driver: Sasquatch 460 9.5°
3 Wood: Laser 3 Wood 15°
5 Wood: r7 19° (Stiff)Irons: S58 Irons 4-PW Orange DotWedge: Harmonized 60°Wedge: Z TP 54°Putter: Tiffany 34"Balls: Pro V1 Shoes: Adidas Tour 360 IIThe Meadows Golf Coursewww.themeadowsgc.comAge: 16
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four1seven Established Member

four1seven

...but when I don't shank I'm hitting before the ball and it feels like I'm sliding right underneath it and the ball goes 30 yards shorter than I want it to and there's no divot.

What degree bounce are your wedges, and what type of ground? Soft, hard? Bermuda?

"Everything will be ok in the end. If it's not ok, it's not the end."

Started playing - April 25th, 2008

In my bag: FT-5 Neutral Driver 9° 990B Irons Rifle Flighted Shafts (3-PW) Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Midslant Vokey wedges 252*08,256*12 and 260*04 PROV1xSequoyah National - A Robert Trent...

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glebert Dedicated Member

glebert

For me I have to have the ball back a little, and need to use my hips a bit, gotta hit it with some conviction.. If I go all arms I fluff it.

"You can foment revolution or you can cure your slice - life is too short for both" David Owen

WITB*: 2010 winter edition

Driver: AyrtimeFW/hybrid: Distance Master Pro Steel 5w, 7w, 27* hybridIrons: Powerplay 5000 hybrids (6i-SW)Wedge: SMT Durometer 55 degPutter: Z/I Omega mallet*as soon...

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CG031 Great Member

CG031

Play them more off your back foot. Your probably swinging too shallow.

Driver Ping G10 10.5*
Hybrids Ping G5 (3) 19* Bridgestone J36 (4) 22*
Irons Mizuno MP-57 5-PW
Wedges Srixon WG-504 52.08 Bridgestone WC Copper 56.13
Putter 33" Scotty Cameron Studio Select #2

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pjsnyc Great Member

pjsnyc

I had the exact same problem a few years ago when I was a 30+ HC and because of what I did below, it lowered it down to around 18.5 (its probably closer to a 15 right now since I haven't entered in any of this years or the end of last years scores).

The way I fixed it was to:
  • clean the grooves (it just made me feel better)
  • ball back in stance
  • hands slightly ahead of ball
  • strike down with a very short pitch shot

This should allow you to hit the ball first and the ground second at a steeper than normal swing plane (the shorter shaft naturally makes me do this). If you see your ball check up a bit on the first or second bounce, then you hit it pretty well.

Then try taking longer pitch shots with solid contact and a nice smooth release all the while looking for that nice little hop check.

This basically helped me get a better feel for where the clubhead is throughout the swing. Now try a full swing at 50% (I know, it sounds like an oxymoron) with your wedge and gradually move your way up like I described with the pitch shots above. With wedges, I rarely pull the club back more than 70% compared to my longer irons/woods. I guess cuz its steeper? I'm not sure. I guess I just noticed the pros with their easy-does-it swings for their wedge shots.

Sure - I suffer from the occasional shank or skull like all mid to high handicappers do, but its a great feeling to know that you CAN get up and down when you're 50-100 yds away.

Also, fluffy lies sometimes allow the ball to get struck on the top part of your wedge which leaves it way short, so be sure to adjust accordingly.

:P
In the bag Nike SasQuatch SuMo 10.5* {} Tiger Shark Hammerhead 3w, 5w, 3h {} Nickent 3DX Pro 5i-PW {} Titleist Vokey 250.08* {} Cleveland CG11. 54* {} Callaway X-Tour 58.11* {} Carbite Tour Classic Putter {} Titleist ProV1x

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michaeljames92 Great Member

michaeljames92

sometimes i hit under the ball, instead of hitting down on the ball and using the loft to get the ball in the air. so i would say put it further back in your stance and hit down on it.

Driver: Taylormade R11 set to 8*
3 Wood: R9 15* Motore Stiff
Hybrid: 19° 909 H Voodoo
Irons: 4-PW AP2 Project X 5.5
52*, 60* Vokey SM Chrome

Putter: Odyssey XG #7

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

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jasongst Established Member

jasongst

I've been working hard to fix this and I'm having so much trouble.

What is your right knee doing during the swing? It should be relatively firm. Slightly bent, and firm. I find that if I allow it to buckle even slightly during the swing that I end up with problems similar to yours. (Your problem could be something else entirely, but this is something to watch out for.)

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albatross Great Member

albatross

  • Author
What is your right knee doing during the swing? It should be relatively firm. Slightly bent, and firm. I find that if I allow it to buckle even slightly during the swing that I end up with problems similar to yours. (Your problem could be something else entirely, but this is something to watch out for.)

I think this could be part of the problem actually. I'm a tall player and I have a tendency to "dip" or sway my knees. I'm having a hard time getting rid of this feeling and swining without doing this.
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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

  • Administrator
What is your right knee doing during the swing? It should be relatively firm. Slightly bent, and firm. I find that if I allow it to buckle even slightly during the swing that I end up with problems similar to yours. (Your problem could be something else entirely, but this is something to watch out for.)

The way I fixed it was to:

Stan Utley would disagree with both of you, and I encourage the original poster to pick up his short game book.

My short game has improved dramatically since reading his book, and it wasn't exactly poor to start with. I'm hitting everything a bit long, but he says that's something you have to adjust to, and I'm getting there.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Ogg Well Established Member

Ogg

Just saw this tip the other day and had it here on my desk for people who scoop the ball and get under it. I have the same problem at times.

- Try this drill: Swing an iron with your left arm only. Make a full swing with just your left arm and note how your left wrist stays flat and does not break at impact. Place your right hand on the club aand swing while keeping the feeling of your left wrist in mind. This will ensure that you hit down with a solid left side rather than scooping the ball.

Seems to make sense to me.
In my bag:
Driver : 905R 9.5*
3 Wood: Big Bertha Titanium 15*
5 Wood: Big Bertha Titanium 19*
Irons : 755Wedges: Vokey 50* Wedges: 588 DSG 56* Putter: 2 Ball Lined Blade 35Ball : ProV1
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jasongst Established Member

jasongst

Stan Utley would disagree with both of you, and I encourage the original poster to pick up his short game book.

Stan doesn't dip his right side during the backswing or the transition, which is the problem I'm describing (poorly, perhaps). He merely pulls his knee around during the downswing.

Go to YouTube and search for Stan Utley (apparently this forum blocks YouTube links). The first search result is a video of his pitch.
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pjsnyc Great Member

pjsnyc

Stan Utley would disagree with both of you, and I encourage the original poster to pick up his short game book.

I guess I was just trying to say that full swings with wedges (for me at least) require a '6th sense' of where the clubhead is at all times throughout the swing without really concentrating on it so that you can concentrate on the ball (not that you wouldnt need that sense with your long irons or woods).

That said - if he's trying to make better full swing contact with his wedges, starting off slowly with little pitch shots - then big pitch shots - then little full swings - then medium full swings - etc... will at least give you the type of feel it requires to take a full swing with the same club and produce consistent results. I suppose I should check this book out too! (im always down for a golf book - im in the middle of 'your 15th club' by bob rotella) Is the name of the book just 'short game' by stan utley? Meh - nmind - ill google it!

:P
In the bag Nike SasQuatch SuMo 10.5* {} Tiger Shark Hammerhead 3w, 5w, 3h {} Nickent 3DX Pro 5i-PW {} Titleist Vokey 250.08* {} Cleveland CG11. 54* {} Callaway X-Tour 58.11* {} Carbite Tour Classic Putter {} Titleist ProV1x

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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

  • Administrator
Is the name of the book just 'short game' by stan utley? Meh - nmind - ill google it!

The Art of the Short Game.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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