Wedge Play - What works for you?

[JP golf]

So last year I was playing some best ball tournaments and we were consistently 60-100 yards out and I realized I didn't have my distances dialed in...

I went to a 3/4 type swing, lead arm parallel with the ground on back swing with the club perpendicular to ground and mirror that on the follow through...  I don't swing hard but just as hard as it takes to finish in that same spot of my follow through.

P - 85 yards

50* - 65 yards

56* - 40 yards

(I've added the same approach with my 9 and dialed that to 120 yards)

To make small adjustments on yardages I take my normal 3/4 type swing (to play to the listed yardage above) and either add a little to the swing or take a little off.  Another method I use is to open the face a little using the same swing - If I open the face where it aims 8-10 yards right of the flag, I take approximately that much off my distance using the same swing as listed above (obviously I adjust my alignment a little)....

Many of us use different methods and something that works for one person may not work for the next...    so....  I'm just curious, what other methods are you using to dial in your wedge distances...

[JazzFatCat]

I use the Dave Pelz 7:30/9/full method (10:30 is a full swing for me). He advocates always making a full follow through.

[JP golf]

I use the Dave Pelz 7:30/9/full method (10:30 is a full swing for me). He advocates always making a full follow through.

Yea, I think I've been working on grooving a 9:00 swing according to this.  Now when I say I finish my follow through about the same, I'm careful not to decelerate.  I do accelerate through the ball but I don't like to consider it a full follow through because it's not (compared to a full swing), I guess it's a complete follow through relative to my backswing.  This is one of my 5 minute practices that I can do each day, just grooving that swing feel of the 9:00 swing so that I can repeat it and get consistent yardages...  I'll probably start working on a 7:30 swing soon too.

Great video thanks for posting it!

[mvmac]

Many of us use different methods and something that works for one person may not work for the next...    so....  I'm just curious, what other methods are you using to dial in your wedge distances...

I just vary my backswing length.

[WUTiger]

I use a modified Pelz method.

It includes a yardage matrix card of average distances for quarter, half and 3/4 swings with the different wedges. (Which I haven't redone in 14 months).

One thing to remember: When you're getting your yardstick, use the balls you play on the course. If you set it up using common range balls, you'll be long on your shots with livelier game balls.

[tefunk]

I struggled in this area of the game (60-90 yards) quite a bit until last year. Something that has worked for me is choking up. For instance my normal SW is about 105 yards... If I choke up to the middle of the grip it's about 90-95 and if I choke up all the way it's around 75-80. As far as 40-70 yards, I've really just worked on getting a good feel of how hard I'm swinging. Still not 100%, but playing a lot better in this range than before.... Now if I can just figure things out with the driver!!!

[SAGolfLuvr]

JP I am happy to add my opinion at this stage of the thread. So far, ALL of the replies you have received have worked for me. BTW when MVMAC speaks, you should listen. Combine MVMACs technique with the Phil Mickelson "secrets of the short game" videos (he is a Pelz student) and you are well on your way. Don't forget to choke up when in between clubs or distances as suggested previously by TEFUNK. I have been using all of these methods to keep me in the single digit handicap. The only tip I will add is from Rory McIllroy. He uses his body turn to keep from hitting his sand wedge between 90-130 yards (unpredictable yardages) . Rory has a consistent body turn speed combined with a consistent width (let's say a 3/4 swing) and now he knows within 5 yards what his sand wedge yardage is. Again, ALL of the tips in this thread before my response has helped me to dial in my short game and approach yardages and improve to a single digit handicap. Good Luck.

[JP golf]

I think I'll move to the 7:30 swing next and try to dial that in with my wedges...  I don't spend as much time zoning these in as I should and generally learn more on a slow day on the golf course by dropping a few extra balls at yardages during a practice round...

The aspect I love is the yardage chart on my wedges...  Thanks guys.  All great feedback   -  PS - page 37-40 I must need to re-read lol

@mvmac - Good thread link!  Thanks!

[twkca]

At 100yds 3/4 9 iron

At   75yds 3/4 PW

Use PW for everything closer than 75yds

KISS

To hit a chip I just play it off my right foot

I never hit a full PW

My 9 iron I hit 120yds

[Shindig]

A full SW gets me 85 or so yards. For everything inside that, I have a plan. Except inside 20 yards, where if I can't putt, I'm improvising with a SW. I still haven't learned to hit the 3/4 shot, but I will practice that at some point -- I missed the link +mvmac posted above at some point, I think, or at least I need to review it. Inside 20 yards, it's something of a feel shot. I wish I could describe it, or come up with something mechanical for it. 20 yards, SW addressed comfortably, back to A2 and forward the equivalent amount (I forget what that position is called). 30 yards, GW, same shot. 40 yards, PW. 45 yards, GW to A3 and through. 55, PW. 65, 9I. 75, 8I. I've also hit as much as a 4-Iron just going back to A3 and through an equivalent amount, although not around the green. Also I get some curve when I do that, so I use it for low curving shots. I've improved on these shots significantly since the December TST So Cal outing, when Mike showed me what I was doing wrong for these shots.

[joekelly]

The most important thing Pelz did not say was: whatever your technique DO NOT decelerate through the ball.  He did say that deceleration is bad in all wedge play.  So don't do it.

[MrDC]

I pretty always use the same stroke- parallel arms to ground going back to full finish with hands high, early wrist cock, and then just vary the stance, for short shots legs almost together, open them for more distance, gripping up and down is good as well, experience points really come into play with these shots.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I have two swings for pitching -- left arm goes back to parallel with the ground, and left arms goes back to about half that (I get to this position more by feel).

Then I went to the range with a laser rangefinder. I parked myself in front of a pole about 65 yards from the mats. I hit shots with my 56* wedge using the parallel swing, and kept changing mats until I got to the one where the balls flew right to the pole. Then I got out my rangefinder and measured that distance. Now I know exactly how far I hit my 56* wedge with the parallel stroke.

I did that experiment over again with the shorter stroke, then did it all over again with my 60*, 52*, and PW. Now I have eight calibrated pitching distances.

The distribution of distances I get with these club-stroke combinations are at close enough intervals that I can easily fill the gap, if one comes up in play, by taking a combination that is a bit short and hitting the ball a little harder.

[mdl]

I use basically the technique @mvmac linked to.  I keep the "float-load" and generally softer/quieter body and arms feel of a pitch shot but lengthen out the back swing as required.  Like in the demo at the link, I can take it very close to full swing angle back (so definitely past A3, arm parallel to ground on backswing), but with that feel/style hit it significantly shorter than a regular mechanics full swing.

For instance, my stock 60˚ with a full swing carries 85-90 yards, but for my only "full length" par 4 eagle ever I had ~65 yards left after my (awesome!) drive.  I hit what I think of as 3/4 pitch feel swing, which has a back swing length similar to the demo in @mvmac 's link, which isn't much shorter than my full swing, but it flew ~57 yards, hopped, slowed, and walked in at perfect putting speed.

So my point is, I think of it as 3/4-ish, my backswing length is probably 80-90% of full swing, but I'm taking that swing expecting it to carry more like 65-70% of full swing distance.

If I need 80-90% of full swing distance I just take a swing with full swing mechanics feel and try to hit it soft while choking up, still with my 60˚.  I should probably dial in the distances for that pitch/float-load feel swing with my 54˚ and PW as well – I'm more accurate with that than with a full swing, especially an altered, soft and choked up, version – but have never had time.

[JP golf]

I use basically the technique @mvmac linked to.

It's funny, What we call the swing is really irrelevant as long as we can identify those three varied swing lengths that give us 3 different yardages.  3/4 swing or 10:30; 1/2 or 9:00; 1/4 or 7:30 swing...  I think the clock system will personally work better for me to help me feel and visualize a consistent swing length to give me consistent results.

I've got to chart it though and tape to the underside of the shaft on my wedge...  That's so simply genius - It's little tips like that that serve as hidden gems within LSW's...