130 yards and in problems

[Uthinkso]

At my range I go to they have a bunker with a flag at 50yd and 125yd. These are great to aim for and I have really only take golf this serious in the last three months. I want to play into the 80's with consistency. I've gotten as close as 91 but have never gotten there yet.

Being able to put it on isn't an issue for me, but I roll the ball 20ft past the landing point leaving myself a huge putt or a solid two putt. I'm working on my follow through to try and control the amount of back spin on the ball.

[jambalaya]

One thing I try to do with the shorter irons and wedges is to have a 3/4 swing. Ok, you sacrifice some distance, but thats not the main objectives with these clubs, you want to hit the green. I find it just gives me more consistency with those clubs. I do know some players find that 3/4 swing messes with their tempo so definitely try it on the range first.

I think this is really good advice for hitting the wedges. You just don't need to be taking a full swing with the wedges. Take a 3/4 swing with weight more on front foot and not much weight shift in the backswing. Make sure you make a good follow through with your chest facing the target at the finish. It makes things easier if you have a full compliment of wedges. At least get a pitching, gap and sand wedge. I only added the gap wedge to my bag in the last year or so and it has made a big difference for me. I am serioualy thinking about a loft wedge now.

[m11]

. You just don't need to be taking a full swing with the wedges. Take a 3/4 swing with weight more on front foot and not much weight shift in the backswing.

I think it's necessary to establish a difference between a distance wedge shot and a pitch. The stroke with a sand wedge on a 30 yard pitch is different than that of a sand wedge on a 75 yard shot is more than just the backswing length.

A pitch with a sand wedge from 30 yards and in would bounce and roll more than that of a distance wedge, as well as have a much lower trajectory. In order to control the ball over that short distance, you would need to take the club back with minimal shoulder turn as well as finish with your hands lower than a full finish. On a distance wedge....personally...my sand wedge (56*) goes about 105 yards. If i needed a 75 yard shot, i'm bring my hands back to 9 oclock on the backswing, and create a full shoulder turn as if i was using a driver, and follow through just like my driver swing. The only thing stopping the ball from going a driver-like distance is the loft of the club and the steeper stroke caused by the shaft length...this steeper stroke also slows down the swing speed. Similarly, i'd like to add, if i were to need 105 yards...i'd take my backswing to about 10:30 (the top of my swing) and go down at hte ball with the same force and energy that i would use with a driver. Again, the loft and shaft length is what gives it the high soft trajectory and 105yard distance. I agree with the idea of it not necessary to be taking a "full swing" in the sense of you dont always need to go all the way to the top. So i'm not disagreeing with the quoted post...i think its just necessary to clarify it. I also think its imperative that you trust that the club will act like it was created to act, and the ball will travel on the necessary trajectory. Everyone has heard this plenty of times...that you need to accelerate through the ball...and one of the only ways of doing this is to understand how the club functions....and that on a distance wedge you must swing hard with your body...full rotation, full release, full finish.... through the ball like you would with any other club. The only thing that should be controlling distance is how far you take back the club. There is different formula for hitting a wedge. The reason your driver swing path flattens is because of the longer shaft...forcing you to stand further from the ball...forcing a flatter swing plane. Because you are holding a short shafted club...your plane would automatically steepen....so you really shouldnt be thinking that you need to actively make a steeper stroke. An issue that usually comes up is that someone tries the advice of taking a full swing at the ball and ends up coming up fat or thin or whatever. Generally this is an issue with the setup or backswing...not so much the theory. The caveat of the whole situation is that your backswing is proper. You must be making a proper shoulder turn and you must be coming in from the inside. If you are certain that you have a proper backswing...and you still are having issues..then youre beyond me...which is of course very possible...and that you should enlist the help of a local pro. In reality, for anyone that has played some golf for a period of time and has the general swing feeling down...the help of a pro right there can cause momentus improvements. And if you arent confident in your backswing...again ask a pro...he'll help you out.

[Bucsfan]

When I start having problems with these feel shots where you aren't taking a full swing it always boils down to 2 of the most simple things.
I always tell myself.....

Don't decelerate.
Keep your eyes on the ball, idiot.