Wedges, how do you use bounce?

[TheShark]

I know that you are supposed to have 6-8 degrees of bounce for tight fairways, 10-12 for normal and 13 plus for lusher lies. But how do you use this bounce? A good playing friend of mine says when you set your wedge to the ball, the back of the sole is lower than the front edge and this angle should be used to stop the leading edge cutting into the ground.

Is that right and is there a better definition or explanation?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by TheShark

I know that you are supposed to have 6-8 degrees of bounce for tight fairways, 10-12 for normal and 13 plus for lusher lies. But how do you use this bounce? A good playing friend of mine says when you set your wedge to the ball, the back of the sole is lower than the front edge and this angle should be used to stop the leading edge cutting into the ground.

Is that right and is there a better definition or explanation?

That's a pretty good definition.

Here's another: bounce is useful at helping the club "get out of the ground" on full swing shots.

I don't necessarily agree with the amounts you specified (I have a wedge coming with 22 degrees of bounce on the lob wedge, and I'll hit it from hardpan just fine).

I'll let others answer, but it'd be helpful if you could narrow it down: do you mean for full-swing shots or short game shots (pitches, chips)? The bounce functions differently in each case. On full swings it helps get the club out of the dirt. On shorter shots it helps the club never get into the dirt to begin with.

[TheShark]

Originally Posted by iacas

That's a pretty good definition.

Here's another: bounce is useful at helping the club "get out of the ground" on full swing shots.

I don't necessarily agree with the amounts you specified (I have a wedge coming with 22 degrees of bounce on the lob wedge, and I'll hit it from hardpan just fine).

I'll let others answer, but it'd be helpful if you could narrow it down: do you mean for full-swing shots or short game shots (pitches, chips)? The bounce functions differently in each case. On full swings it helps get the club out of the dirt. On shorter shots it helps the club never get into the dirt to begin with.

Thanks.

No I was talking about shorter shots, controlled pitches. I personally don't like anything less than 11 degrees but I have never heard of 22. I think I would like that. With shorter swings, do you try to land the sole more on the back edge?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by TheShark

No I was talking about shorter shots, controlled pitches. I personally don't like anything less than 11 degrees but I have never heard of 22. I think I would like that. With shorter swings, do you try to land the sole more on the back edge?

Definitely.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

[TheShark]

Originally Posted by iacas

Definitely.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

Good video and I more or less do this except for the exaggerated pivot. I block my finish and hold the face open thru impact with a flat left wrist. I also try to keep the club head in front of my body. This gets the ball to land softer IMO. One question, at the end of the video you have a very detailed and very good explanation of the shot but then you talk about chipping, "Pitching and chipping are essentially the same motion."  I use putting fundamentals for chipping, no wrist movement and little to no weight transfer, especially with less dynamic chips.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by TheShark

Good video and I more or less do this except for the exaggerated pivot. I block my finish and hold the face open thru impact with a flat left wrist. I also try to keep the club head in front of my body. This gets the ball to land softer IMO. One question, at the end of the video you have a very detailed and very good explanation of the shot but then you talk about chipping, "Pitching and chipping are essentially the same motion."  I use putting fundamentals for chipping, no wrist movement and little to no weight transfer, especially with less dynamic chips.

We'll agree to disagree on the "softness" with which the ball lands. Minimal shaft lean has the clubhead passing the hands and not maintaining a flat left wrist very long after impact, which keeps loft on the face at impact which increases height which increases softness (and backspin).

The bit on chipping is a bit confusing. I currently define true chipping as "using the leading edge" and there are a lot of ways to do it. Your way is a good one. I just about pitch everything around the greens.