Jump to content
IGNORED

Maintaining the Flying Wedge


Note: This thread is 3120 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

Who's maintaining less than a 90 degree angle? I'm looking for 135 to 150 degrees or so... and for

Now that makes much more sense.

My Clubs
Driver - Nike SUMO 13* R flex
Wood - Cobra 5 wood 18* R flex
3-PW hybrids/irons - Mizuno MX-950 R flex
Wedge - Mizuno MX-950 51* Wedge - Cleveland CG14 56* 14*Putter - RifeBall - Taylormade TP LDP RED

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Who's maintaining less than a 90 degree angle? I'm looking for 135 to 150 degrees or so... and for

At the top of the back swing im at least 90 degree maybe even more like 80. The wedge angle gets smaller as you progress from address to top of the back swing and the opposite is true on the downswing.

just trying to clarify here . Looking to maintain 135 to 150? Don't you mean achieve 135 to 150 AT impact?? Maintaining a 135 to 150 angle throughout the entire swing would be pretty powerless. I'm sure you agree, I'm just checking as you are likely the most knowledgeable instructor on this site. edit: i really like that flying wedge drill btw. I used it today at the range after I hit a fat shot knowing it was due to not getting my hips and weight forward enough. after that i hit about 10 towering nine irons in a row to 15 feet. Love improving at this game!!

Best 9 holes: 35 (Trilogy at Redmond Ridge, 3163y, Par 35/70, 70.0/131)
Best 18: [b]77[b] (Palm Valley CC, 6545y, 71.4/126)
Notable career achievement: I have NEVER four-putt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Administrator
At the top of the back swing im at least 90 degree maybe even more like 80.

Your wrist must be incredibly flexible. Regardless, it shouldn't go to more than about 150 degrees... more below...

just trying to clarify here . Looking to maintain 135 to 150? Don't you mean achieve 135 to 150 AT impact?? Maintaining a 135 to 150 angle throughout the entire swing would be pretty powerless.

I'm saying - once you hit 135 to 150, maintain it. As in if it goes to 90 on the backswing and into the transition, that's fine. It'll go from 90 to 135 or 150 or so around impact, and then maintain it.

edit: i really like that flying wedge drill btw. I used it today at the range after I hit a fat shot knowing it was due to not getting my hips and weight forward enough. after that i hit about 10 towering nine irons in a row to 15 feet. Love improving at this game!!

Good to hear. That drill is two kind of rolled into one - weight forward and "hit fast, stop fast" while maintaining the wedge. In that sense it's almost three drills.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest 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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

so today i went and played in my tuesday scramble, and on my iron shots i'm thinking, ''maintain the wedge.'' and every time i hit a long iron i ended up pushing the ball dead right. very solid shots, just 30 yards right of the hole. i think my hands were too far forward.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


so today i went and played in my tuesday scramble, and on my iron shots i'm thinking, ''maintain the wedge.'' and every time i hit a long iron i ended up pushing the ball dead right. very solid shots, just 30 yards right of the hole. i think my hands were too far forward.

What do you want to hear?

You were doing it wrong. Video? You should be able to do that drill Erik posted (one of my favorite drills) and hit push draws all day.

"The expert golfer has maximum time to make minimal compensations. The poorer player has minimal time to make maximum compensations." - And no, I'm not Mac. Please do not PM me about it. I just think he is a crazy MFer and we could all use a little more crazy sometimes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

What do you want to hear?

didn't have time to make a vid today, but i tried the drill erik posted yesterday as well and i was still throwing them out right as well. what do i want to hear? i wanna hear whatever you can tell me that'll get me to straighten out my long irons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


The flying wedge - you

That's what the TGM imperatives teach. Monitor lag pressure to regulate aggressive rotation.

There is another method called 'containment' where the power package geometry is maintained from transition down to club parallel. By leading the downswing with the right shoulder contained by an expanded right side. Feels like OTT, but it isn't because the clubhead stays back.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


so today i went and played in my tuesday scramble, and on my iron shots i'm thinking, ''maintain the wedge.'' and every time i hit a long iron i ended up pushing the ball dead right. very solid shots, just 30 yards right of the hole. i think my hands were too far forward.

It's possible your swing was, say, 10* in to out and your clubface was also 10* open, which would cause a straight push. Going my that logic ****slightly**** closing the face should produce a push draw. But I'm just guessing, I have no way of knowing what your swing actually was.

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
didn't have time to make a vid today, but i tried the drill erik posted yesterday as well and i was still throwing them out right as well. what do i want to hear? i wanna hear whatever you can tell me that'll get me to straighten out my long irons.

You probably over-rotated on the takeaway and then didn't rotate on the downswing. The idea would be to not rotate (or flip) in either situation. If you were hitting pushes, your clubface was far too open for the swing path.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest 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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

What is the difference between the Flying Wedge and lag ?

Do the wrists bend different ways? I'm a bit confused here, since you say we can maintain the flying wedge, but not lag. Exactly what are these positions? Illustrations or video would help.

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
What is the difference between the

I'll give you the quick answer since I think that's all you'll need... They're related but different.

Your left wrist cocks and your right wrist hinges. Lag is much more about the left wrist cock than the right wrist hinge. I can cock my left wrist without changing the flying wedge at all. You can too - your right elbow might bend a little (since your right hand is down on the shaft and cocking the left wrist will bring the right hand closer to your body) - and that's the difference.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest 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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Think I got it now! Knowing the terminology and what really to do helps.

This looks correct?

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • 3 weeks later...
Is it OK to have some shaft lean at address and maintain that wrist angle/wedge on the backswing or is it better to create the wedge on the downswing?

R9 9.5*
MP630 3 Wood
MP630 CLK Hybrid 17*
MP-32 3-pw Rifle Project X 6.0
56*10 satin & 60*10 oil can Method #1

Link to comment
Share on other sites


You'll want to set that at address ( especially if you are shaping shots ) and maintain the angle of the wedge through the swing. The left wrist hinge should build during the backswing, unload into impact and re hine on follow through.

In my bag:

Nike SQ DYMO 10.5
Big Bertha 3 Wood
Big Bertha 3-10 IADAMS Tom Watson Classic 54,58 and 64 Wedges Nike Oz 5 Putter/Wilson Staff ( not sure model, bought it in second hand store ) Ball: Bridgestone E6

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • 1 month later...
  • Administrator
This looks correct?

Technically that left wrist isn't uncocked there. It's just at its normal position. Uncocked would have the arm position the same with the shaft level or even downward a bit.

But aside from that little niggle, yeah, it's correct.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest 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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Erik, I know the side angle in the right wrist should be maintained through impact, but what happens to it after that? S&T; uses the term "rehinging" after impact, but I've never been quite clear what that means, exactly. At which point after impact are the wrists fully unhinged and what is the full finish position supposed to be?

Stretch.

"In the process of trial and error, our failed attempts are meant to destroy arrogance and provoke humility." -- Master Jin Kwon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
Erik, I know the side angle in the right wrist should be maintained through impact, but what happens to it after that? S&T; uses the term "rehinging" after impact, but I've never been quite clear what that means, exactly. At which point after impact are the wrists fully unhinged and what is the full finish position supposed to be?

The flying wedge is ideally maintained through to the finish. You just re-cock the club, basically.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest 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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Note: This thread is 3120 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...