Problem hitting Sand Wedge from fairway

[RightEdge]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anybody could give any advice on an issue I am having.  I played this past weekend at a beautiful golf course and hit good drives and pretty good second shots for the most part.  However my kryptonite reared its ugly head again. Every single time I was left with any shots between say 50 and 70-80 yards to the green I tried to hit a sand wedge in and to date I hit some of the most horrible shots ever seen on a golf course. Skulls, tops, 10 yard chunks etc..  On one hole I hit a good drive on a par 5 and then hit a 3 hybrid to 55 yards short of the green and ended up with an 8 on the hole. That is ridiculous and I seem to just keep doing it over and over and over. I was out driving my friend and playing partner with my 3 hybrid and he used driver and he STILL beat me by 12 strokes! Just plain embarrasing...

I use pretty much the same swing for all irons so why can't I hit the sand wedge from the fairway? I line up the face angle the same and I take the same swing so why are the mishits so bad with the sand wedge?  Do I actually need to make a different swing with a sand wedge? I hit my pitching wedge and gap wedge just fine with that same swing. Is it the bounce? Is it the leading edge? I'm baffled.

Note:  I am playing Taylormade Burner 2.0 Irons so my pitching and gap wedge's design is much different from the above mentioned Cleveland sand wedge if that matters.

Here is the wedge I'm using.

http://www.amazon.com/Cleveland-Golf-Cavity-Black-degree/dp/B0093YZ6CG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid;=1394553687&sr;=8-2&keywords;=cleveland+sand+wedge

I'm actually having a lesson today specifically on that but I was just wondering if anybody had any advice.

[Golfingdad]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anybody could give any advice on an issue I am having.  I played this past weekend at a beautiful golf course and hit good drives and pretty good second shots for the most part.  However my kryptonite reared its ugly head again. Every single time I was left with any shots between say 50 and 70-80 yards to the green I tried to hit a sand wedge in and to date I hit some of the most horrible shots ever seen on a golf course. Skulls, tops, 10 yard chunks etc..  On one hole I hit a good drive on a par 5 and then hit a 3 hybrid to 55 yards short of the green and ended up with an 8 on the hole. That is ridiculous and I seem to just keep doing it over and over and over. I was out driving my friend and playing partner with my 3 hybrid and he used driver and he STILL beat me by 12 strokes! Just plain embarrasing...

I use pretty much the same swing for all irons so why can't I hit the sand wedge from the fairway? I line up the face angle the same and I take the same swing so why are the mishits so bad with the sand wedge?  Do I actually need to make a different swing with a sand wedge? I hit my pitching wedge and gap wedge just fine with that same swing. Is it the bounce? Is it the leading edge? I'm baffled.

Note:  I am playing Taylormade Burner 2.0 Irons so my pitching and gap wedge's design is much different from the above mentioned Cleveland sand wedge if that matters.

Here is the wedge I'm using.

http://www.amazon.com/Cleveland-Golf-Cavity-Black-degree/dp/B0093YZ6CG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid;=1394553687&sr;=8-2&keywords;=cleveland+sand+wedge

I'm actually having a lesson today specifically on that but I was just wondering if anybody had any advice.

Considering that good iron shots are produced by you hitting the ball before you hit the ground, it's a safe bet that it's not the leading edge or the bounce or anything else to do with the clubhead.  You are making poor contact, which means it's in the swing somewhere.

Without seeing or knowing anything about your swing (and without being an instructor, so I'm just guessing here, take this with a grain of salt), I can offer one piece of advice that is at least worth exploring:  Adjust your ball position.

I have similar problems to what you are describing sometimes, and when that happens, its often because my ball position has crept back .  So I'd suggest moving your ball forward in your stance at the driving range and seeing how that plays out.

Good luck.

[RightEdge]

Considering that good iron shots are produced by you hitting the ball before you hit the ground, it's a safe bet that it's not the leading edge or the bounce or anything else to do with the clubhead.  You are making poor contact, which means it's in the swing somewhere.

Without seeing or knowing anything about your swing (and without being an instructor, so I'm just guessing here, take this with a grain of salt), I can offer one piece of advice that is at least worth exploring:  Adjust your ball position.

I have similar problems to what you are describing sometimes, and when that happens, its often because my ball position has crept back.  So I'd suggest moving your ball forward in your stance at the driving range and seeing how that plays out.

Good luck.

Ok thanks.  I'll try that before my lesson today.

[Golfingdad]

Ok thanks.  I'll try that before my lesson today.

Oops ... I actually didn't read the last sentence in your first post. Go ahead and try it, but certainly your instructor is going to be able to better diagnose you in person than me online.  :)

[midwestswing]

Let me ask you this. What is your full swing distance with your wedges? If you are trying to hit half and three quarter shots, this could be a big part of your problem. I would suggest laying up to full swing yardages. You will save yourself ALOT of headaches.

[LuciusWooding]

Let me ask you this. What is your full swing distance with your wedges? If you are trying to hit half and three quarter shots, this could be a big part of your problem. I would suggest laying up to full swing yardages. You will save yourself ALOT of headaches.

So, if you hit your sand wedge 100 yards, and you hit your tee shot to 80 yards, you'd walk it back to 100 yards? Assuming you could do so without penalty, of course.

[midwestswing]

So, if you hit your sand wedge 100 yards, and you hit your tee shot to 80 yards, you'd walk it back to 100 yards? Assuming you could do so without penalty, of course.

Nope. I would take less club off the tee to ensure a full swing approach.

[midwestswing]

So, if you hit your sand wedge 100 yards, and you hit your tee shot to 80 yards, you'd walk it back to 100 yards? Assuming you could do so without penalty, of course.

Wait. I didn't read your post correctly. If I had a choice, absolutely I would walk it back to a full swing.

[Phil McGleno]

Thats dumb.-Everyone hits it closer to the hole when they start from closer to the hole. This is like saying you hate five foot putts so youre gonna move your ball back to seven feet every time.[quote name="midwestswing" url="/t/73143/problem-hitting-sand-wedge-from-fairway#post_961605"]Wait. I didn't read your post correctly. If I had a choice, absolutely I would walk it back to a full swing. [/quote]

[iacas]

Thats dumb.-Everyone hits it closer to the hole when they start from closer to the hole.

This is like saying you hate five foot putts so youre gonna move your ball back to seven feet every time.

Without calling you dumb, @midwestswing , I'd tend to agree with the rest of what @Phil McGleno said.

On average (and that's important), you hit it closer to the hole when you start from closer to the hole. Period. Regardless of the shot.

However, if you have a mental block, a bizarre gap in your wedges, etc. that lets you not hit shots very well from 75-85 yards or something, I think the smarter play is to address that, because the odds are in your favor: the closer you are to the hole from a similar lie, the lower your score will be.

[LuciusWooding]

Everyone hits it closer to the hole when they start from closer to the hole.

This is like saying you hate five foot putts so youre gonna move your ball back to seven feet every time.

I agree with this logic, though I can see the use of taking less club off the tee to hit the fairway or avoid a hazard. But if you don't have trouble hitting the fairway, I'd take the extra 20 yards even if it meant a partial shot. Plus you might end up in the rough either way 1/3 of the time or more, and in that case it's certainly better to only have 80 yards.

I think the reason people struggle with these shots is that they don't have the long swing that gives them time to make compensations. If you're on plane and make a proper weight shift, you'll usually hit them well.

[midwestswing]

Thats dumb.-Everyone hits it closer to the hole when they start from closer to the hole.

This is like saying you hate five foot putts so youre gonna move your ball back to seven feet every time.

It is absolutely NOTHING like that at all. Horrible comparison.

[iacas]

I agree with this logic, though I can see the use of taking less club off the tee to hit the fairway or avoid a hazard.

Right, I don't think we're talking about that though, are we?

I think the reason people struggle with these shots is that they don't have the long swing that gives them time to make compensations. If you're on plane and make a proper weight shift, you'll usually hit them well.

@midwestswing is a 2.1, so I don't know if that excuse works for him. :)

It is absolutely NOTHING like that at all. Horrible comparison.

Please explain, because statistically, it's pretty valid.

[Dave2512]

When I see golfers struggle from inside full swing range it's because they over-complicate the shot by trying to finesse it attempting anything but a stock pitch.

[iacas]

When I see golfers struggle from inside full swing range it's because they over-complicate the shot by trying to finesse it attempting anything but a stock pitch.

It's a bit funny because I'm writing this section of LSW as we type this… :P

[midwestswing]

Please explain, because statistically, it's pretty valid.

While I agree that statistically that you will make more five footers than seven, there is no way I would agree that a partial swing is as accurate distance wise as a full swing. This is proven every day on tour that pros don't lay up to awkward yardages. If the theory that the closer you are, the closer you hit it were true, no pro would ever lay up on a par five, EVER.

[Dave2512]

It's a bit funny because I'm writing this section of LSW as we type this… :P

Please rush an advanced a copy to me, I need serious help.

[midwestswing]

When I see golfers struggle from inside full swing range it's because they over-complicate the shot by trying to finesse it attempting anything but a stock pitch.

When I see golfers struggle from inside full swing range it's because they are GUESSING what size of swing will produce the correct distance.