How to Hit Partial Wedge Shots - Learn your Tweener Yardages

A common question or issue we see golfers posting about on the site is distance control with their wedges. They complain about not having enough "feel" when it comes to figuring out how far to hit a partial wedge shot.

Erik Barzeski ( @iacas ) and Dave Wedzik lay it out perfectly in Lowest Score Wins . The book is the best investment you can make for your entire golf game. (BTW I don't make any money off sales, just a fan of the book ).

Since I don't want to give out too much information from the book, this will be a quick post to give you a general idea.

Distance control comes from good technique ( Quickie Pitching Video - Golf Pitch Shot Technique ), hitting the ball relatively solid and monitoring your backswing length. Touch or "feel" comes from having good mechanics.

Rather than controlling or varying the distance by changing the speed of the downswing, just change the length of the backswing.

Here's three examples of me hitting my 58 degree wedge varying my backswing length. Note how the followthrough lengths are similar.

The mechanics I'm using are a hybrid of pitching and full swing. I feel like I'm just making a longer pitching motion. Basically my stance is narrow, arms are soft, butt of the club is higher at A1 and the pivot is a simple "turn and turn" with my chest. I'm letting the weight of the club head fall as I pivot. There isn't a lot of shaft lean at impact and this helps me shallow the angle of attack and utilize the bounce of the club.

All downswings feel like they are the same speed. A full length, full swing mechanics 58 wedge goes about 85 yards for me. You'll notice how I'm emphasizing "feel" because what may feel like a 1/4 backswing is actually a little longer. The point is to match the feel to hit a certain backswing length so I can vary the distances.

45 yards, feels like a 1/4 backswing.

55 yards, feels like a 1/2 backswing.

65 yards, feels like a 3/4 backswing.

I'm just using a 58 with the swings above but you can hit a 40/50/60 yard pitch with any wedge and with varying amounts of loft. We would recommend you put in some time with all your wedge varying the length of the backswings and track how far each shot lands. Something like this . You can even have the yardages taped on your wedges.

BTW, here are my wedges.

( @newtogolf will note that I have numbered my wedges 1, 2, and 3. Always have. )

I cut those into three strips and tape them beneath my grip on my wedges. To hit a shot, say, 70 yards, I first pick the trajectory I want (as every club can go that far), then based on these, grip down a little and/or make the appropriate length swing.

It's that simple.

Whatever works for you to hit your numbers. My shots might only differ by 10 yards because I'm feeling more a "lazy" pitching motion.

Yep

http://thesandtrap.com/t/27859/is-it-illegal-to-write-yardages-on-your-wedges#post_350196

Most of the courses I play do have short game practice areas. They're just not long enough to play 100 yard shots. [quote name="MrFlipper" url="/t/77861/how-to-hit-partial-wedge-shots-learn-your-tweener-yardages#post_1070391"]Careful. I used to hit balls all the time in parks, figuring that if there is no sign prohibiting it, and no one around, that its okay. Not so. Often there are local ordinances against it, even if there is no one else around and no sign. Sure would hate to have you find that out from some cop having a bad day and looking for someone to ring up.  Fortunately the cop who talked to me was having a good day and just told me to leave and don't do it again :-)   [/quote]I have a feeling that's how it is around here. I tried to look it up on the township's website and couldn't find anything.

I did this late last year after advice from @David in FL in a thread about how many wedges to carry.  I went to 3 wedges, PW, 52 and 58 and worked on the 52 with partial swings.  Then after reading Lowest Score Wins , I re-applied it to the 8 iron all the way to the 58.  The biggest key, IMO is below.  Now I rarely do full swings below 120 yards and get much more accurate approaches.  I've only done 1/2 and 3/4 swings as well because frankly, @mvmac 's 3/4 swing is my FULL swing. I will work on 1/4 swing this winter.

If you haven't already, buy the book Lowest Score Wins .  Great investment.

It's hard to find the right time to go out when there won't be other players around. I'm surprised at the number of people around here that play golf in the middle of the work day. I'm probably going to end up doing this on a course at the crack of dawn or something. Hopefully get out as a single and put a few holes between myself and whoever may be coming up and spend some time on it.

The 3/4 swing is pretty close to my full length swing. Like I said, it feels 3/4