How to Hit Partial Wedge Shots - Learn your Tweener Yardages

[mvmac]

Two wedge shots from today with my 52 degree wedge. First swing carried 65 yards, felt like 1/2 backswing, using the hybrid pitchy/full swing mechanics I described in the OP. Second swing was a 3/4 backswing, full swing mechanics, carried 95 yards.

[Golfingdad]

Two wedge shots from today with my 52 degree wedge. First swing carried 65 yards, felt like 1/2 backswing, using the hybrid pitchy/full swing mechanics I described in the OP. Second swing was a 3/4 backswing, full swing mechanics, carried 95 yards.

You guys are great.  I hit a few of these yesterday.  Two in particular I'm pretty proud of:

From 55 yards, which I determined awhile back is basically my max distance using the pitching technique with my sand wedge, over a bunker to about 2' for a tap in birdie.

And from 95 yards.  I used to try and hit "full" shots with all my clubs until I got to a distance lower than the lowest full swing distance.  This would mean that I'd have to try and kill a LW, and hope it doesn't spin back off the green.  Lately, I've been trying smoother swings with these clubs, ball further forward in stance, feeling a little bit of the pitch technique, and just hitting it "easy."  Put one from 95 yards to about 9'.

Later on, did the same thing with a 50* wedge.  120 downwind (normally my "125 club" when I swing hard), smooth easy, "pitchy" swing, 10' birdie putt.

Really liking how my wedge game is coming along the last several months.  Thanks!

[Crapula]

I read the book and on this last Saturday I spent a couple hours on trackman so I could get my carry/ total of each club and worked on partial wedges. I wish I could have spent 8 hours but I don't have $800 for that!

I used 3 checkpoints for my partial wedges. I chose something I can see out of my peripheral vision, makes it easier for me to take practice swings before the shot.

1/4: left hand in line with right knee

1/2: left elbow in line with right knee

3/4: left elbow just past right knee

This is what I came up with. first number is carry and second number is total if rolling.

58* full is 85-90

1/4: 30 40

1/2: 40 50

3/5: 60 70

52* full is 105-110

1/4: 40 50

1/2: 50 60

3/4: 70 80

I have a cheat sheet in my pocket with all clubs full shot carry and total range (and partial wedges) based off of 8 shots out of 10 (I dropped the lowest and highest with each club). I would just pick the range that puts me where I want to be.

Was so simple and really took guessing out of it. I can't wait to keep putting work in.

[mvmac]

Partial wedge shot from Tiger today, shallow angle of attack. Hybrid pitchy/full swing mechanics.

[vangator]

This technique can be applied to other irons than wedges. On most approaches I'll opt for the longer iron and make that 3/4 7/8 swing rather than the full swing. I usually only do a full swing when I need the extra height from the shorter iron to get over a trap etc. It's amazing how much straighter you can hit an iron with a less than full swing. Make sure you complete the swing to get a little spin on the ball.

[chgogolfcoach]

Monitoring the cocking of left wrist ( radial deviation ) in backswing helps also, ala Steve Stricker.

[Phil McGleno]

Pretty sure Mike and Erik and Dave would disagree that you want to have the lack of wrist cocking that Steve Stricker has.-Works well for Steve but they seem to prefer more wrist cock//hinge in backswing.[quote name="chgogolfcoach" url="/t/77861/how-to-hit-partial-wedge-shots-learn-your-tweener-yardages/18#post_1081028"]Monitoring the cocking of left wrist (radial deviation) in backswing helps also, ala Steve Stricker. [/quote]

[chgogolfcoach]

Maybe but looks like Mike does it. Always whatever works. Just another technique to add to the bag

[Phil McGleno]

@mvmac cocks his wrists quite a bit faster than Steve.-Not really on topic anyway Lloyd.

[mvmac]

Yes I would say Stricker is pretty extreme with how little he hinges his wrists.

Not the best camera angle but we can still see how much wider Stricker is, gotta use a lot more body to hit the ball the same distance. I wouldn't advise anyone going wider than the left pic.

Stricker's wrist hinge on the right.

[chgogolfcoach]

The thread I thought was on how to hit partial wedge shots. I was pointing out a way to do that along with what Mike talked about.

Since wrist hinging or radial deviation is part of lag, it obviously can increase clubhead speed. So let’s start by removing the full wrist hinging. This is where many golfers have difficulty. They tend to use a full wrist cock with only a half swing. If you’re going to have a full backswing, you can have a full wrist hinge. But if you’ve got a half swing, use half the amount of wrist hinging. If you’re going to use a three-quarter swing, then use three-quarters of wrist hinging and so on

Like I said just another thing that may help

[iacas]

The thread I thought was on how to hit partial wedge shots. I was pointing out a way to do that along with what Mike talked about.

Since wrist hinging or radial deviation is part of lag, it obviously can increase clubhead speed. So let’s start by removing the full wrist hinging. This is where many golfers have difficulty. They tend to use a full wrist cock with only a half swing. If you’re going to have a full backswing, you can have a full wrist hinge. But if you’ve got a half swing, use half the amount of wrist hinging. If you’re going to use a three-quarter swing, then use three-quarters of wrist hinging and so on

Like I said just another thing that may help

While "half wrist hinge for a half backswing" sounds good in theory, this thread is mostly about varying your backswing lengths and seeing how far the ball flies. In other words, it's mostly about using your full-swing mechanics. It's not about learning a different motion, so if a golfer's swing is already like Steve Stricker's, great. If it's not, they should probably use that. In other words, I'd prefer that golfers simply use whatever their full-swing mechanics are to hit these partial wedge shots; map them out, see how far each goes, and play golf using the same swing - just shorter versions of it with different wedges - to fill in the partial distance wedge shots.

[chgogolfcoach]

ok

[Mac62]

They will, but one will have more spin and not roll out as much.  1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 wedge shots come in very handy and are easy to practice and also a very reliable shot.  Given 100 yards, I would rather hit a 3/4 PW than a full gap wedge.  My 3/4 shot is much more accurate.  80 yards, 3/4 Gap wedge...

Personal preference definitely comes into play on this, but I'm with you.  A friend and I were talking about it earlier today - he's deadly with his 64 degree wedge from about 80 yards, but gets uncomfortable when he gets into partial swing range.  He'd rather choke down on the 64 and make a full swing rather than go to a partial swing with a less lofted club.  I, on the other hand, am very uncomfortable with full wedge shots - I'd much rather hit a partial PW than a full sand/gap/lob wedge.  I feel I'm able to make much more consistent contact with the partial swing and it also greatly reduces the chance of thinning it and getting myself into trouble.  If I were to map my Shot Zones for a full swing lob wedge and a half-swing PW, I'm very confident that the oval would be a lot smaller with the latter, with significantly fewer outliers as well.  I'm also pretty confident that my friend's results would be the exact opposite - he kills it with that 64!

[slightlymad]

Would the same be true then for a partial 7 and a full 9 for example? I'm not totally convinced on that. Not talking about usefulness on the course but just theoretically. I believe a partial will always have a better direction control, but I'm not so sure about distance control.

[boogielicious]

Would the same be true then for a partial 7 and a full 9 for example? I'm not totally convinced on that.

Not talking about usefulness on the course but just theoretically. I believe a partial will always have a better direction control, but I'm not so sure about distance control.

@slightlymad

Are you asking about the pitch technique versus partial wedge with full swing technique?

[slightlymad]

No, I see a lot of people saying it's better for them to use a 3/4 pw instead of a full wedge. Following that same logic you would use a 3/4 7 iron instead of a full 9i. (Hypothetically of course, imagine a 100 yard long green for example) no? I'm not sure if i truly believe this.. Maybe a bit of a derail :)

[saevel25]

No, I see a lot of people saying it's better for them to use a 3/4 pw instead of a full wedge.

Following that same logic you would use a 3/4 7 iron instead of a full 9i. (Hypothetically of course, imagine a 100 yard long green for example) no?

I'm not sure if i truly believe this.. Maybe a bit of a derail :)

I will make a full swing with a 7 iron, but make the speed slower for accuracy.

As for wedges, I hardly ever hit a full wedge shot. Unless I need to get some serious height fast, like going over a tree .