Wedge Advice (How Do You Hit Em )

[Strat-Pack Rick]

I need some advice on my wedges.

9i 130 avg

PW 110-118

50* AW 100-110

54* SW 70-80 max

58* LW 0-60 max

When i try to use my 54* and 58* anywhere other than directly around the green, im not confident. I dont even attempt a full swing. 3/4 swing is what i consider my full swing with these clubs. I feel I should be able to hit my SW wedge a little farther than 75 yds. Im not so concerned with the 58 but the 54 is not being utilized properly and I have a gap. Is there a way to get distance out of this club ? Sometimes I can feel it run up the face and It balloons on me. When i try to get my hands out front a bit more I struggle with good crisp contact. If anyone has made it through similar issues, please help me. I feel as though one of my important tools are arent being used. I cant break 80 if i cant stick it close with my 54 , right? I can use it in the bunker well. No problems there . Its just my full swing shot. Thanks yall. Hit Em Good !!

[Hatchman]

I understand.  Wedges are my favorite clubs now.  They weren't.  Took a lot of practice at the pitching and chipping areas for me instead of the range.

[allenc]

31 minutes ago, Strat-Pack Rick said:

I need some advice on my wedges.

9i 130 avg

PW 110-118

50* AW 100-110

54* SW 70-80 max

58* LW 0-60 max

When i try to use my 54* and 58* anywhere other than directly around the green, im not confident. I dont even attempt a full swing. 3/4 swing is what i consider my full swing with these clubs. I feel I should be able to hit my SW wedge a little farther than 75 yds. Im not so concerned with the 58 but the 54 is not being utilized properly and I have a gap. Is there a way to get distance out of this club ? Sometimes I can feel it run up the face and It balloons on me. When i try to get my hands out front a bit more I struggle with good crisp contact. If anyone has made it through similar issues, please help me. I feel as though one of my important tools are arent being used. I cant break 80 if i cant stick it close with my 54 , right? I can use it in the bunker well. No problems there . Its just my full swing shot. Thanks yall. Hit Em Good !!

Yep, with those yardages I'd think your 54 should be about 10 yards short of your 50.  If you have a cut/slice kind swing your more lifted clubs tend to go more "up" than "out".  Maybe that's your problem.

Or more loft may make you want to swing differently.  When I look down i'd say about 7 or 8 iron loft gives me the most confidence I'll make good contact. The lofted clubs look kind of bladey.

Have you tried just using your 50 with a 3/4 swing to take off 10 yards?  That might be the ticket for you.

[Patch]

I was told once that a chip is just a shorter pitch, and a pitch is just a shorter 150 yard approach shot. The difference being the length of the back swing, and the follow through after impact. Obviously that's not 100% accurate, but it could be considered mentally soothing to some. 

Ironically your distances are not much different than mine. Maybe a little longer. I can still break 80 more than a few times during the year.

What I have done is accept the distances I have, and go with what I got. I made this decision based on my age, and physical health. 

One of my iron practice regimines is hitting balls off of thin lies, while focusing on keeping my hands a little ahead of the club face at impact. The old "thin to win" scenario. I usually start with chips, then pitches, and finally full swings with the same club(s). Obviously there are stance adjustments in those three shots, but the focus is still all about contacting the ball correctly with the club face.

Something I never do very often is practice my sand game at the same time as my grass game. No real reason, other than I don't feel comfortable doing both at the same practice session. Truth is I don't practice getting out of bunkers as it is. 

I might also ask how are you at hitting flop shots? Perhaps adding that shot to your bag might be something worth while for your game. 

[The Recreational Golfer]

If your swing is the same, but your distances vary, it could be that you're striking the ball on different parts of the clubface vertically. If you take two practice swings and in the first you brush the grass with the sole of the club, and in the second you thump the ground with the sole, that's two different swings that will hit the ball different distances. To hit your wedges consistent distances, the sole of the club must slide across the grass the same way every time, all other things being equal.

That, and making sure your hands always pass the ball before the clubhead does at impact, should set you straight.

 

 

[Piz]

I use my 50 for everything inside 120 unless there is a very good reason not to.  I'll second @allenc and suggest that you give that a try.  A gap wedge usually has little bounce and works well square, a little open, or a lot open.  

[Strat-Pack Rick]

1 hour ago, allenc said:

Yep, with those yardages I'd think your 54 should be about 10 yards short of your 50.  If you have a cut/slice kind swing your more lifted clubs tend to go more "up" than "out".  Maybe that's your problem.

Or more loft may make you want to swing differently.  When I look down i'd say about 7 or 8 iron loft gives me the most confidence I'll make good contact. The lofted clubs look kind of bladey.

Have you tried just using your 50 with a 3/4 swing to take off 10 yards?  That might be the ticket for you.

Yes i have. Thats what i kinda have to do. I need to get that 54 working. It really bugs me that i cant hit that club properly. My 50 wedge is my money club but i want my 54 to be more of an approach club too. Very frustrating. Such is golf, haha. On T.V. it looks like the pros hit there wedges real high and far. Im hearing though,that they really dont hit em high as much as they flight them lower with a ton of spin. I will just keep at it and hopefully i just get better. Im hoping someone comes in and says "DO THIS" and "DO THAT", i know its a technique problem. I need a light bulb going off moment.

[mvmac]

2 hours ago, Strat-Pack Rick said:

Im not so concerned with the 58 but the 54 is not being utilized properly and I have a gap. Is there a way to get distance out of this club ? Sometimes I can feel it run up the face and It balloons on me. When i try to get my hands out front a bit more I struggle with good crisp contact. If anyone has made it through similar issues, please help me. I

Based on what you're saying and your handicap there is a good chance you're adding loft dynamically around impact, otherwise known as "flipping it". I'd recommend this thread,

Starting a swing thread and/or check out this thread for Keys 1 and 2 info.

 

[dchoye]

I have trouble in between 50 to about 80 yards but the best club that can get me close is my 54 wedge

However I have be creative and play different wedge shots as the type of shot is very dependent on lie/stance, elevation green or not , pin location back or front , etc 

I try to avoid that distance if I can as there is more to consider than hitting a 3/4 -full wedge from say 110 yards out in which it's mostly all carry . Less fuss to consider.  

[Strat-Pack Rick]

9 hours ago, mvmac said:

Based on what you're saying and your handicap there is a good chance you're adding loft dynamically around impact, otherwise known as "flipping it". I'd recommend this thread,

Starting a swing thread and/or check out this thread for Keys 1 and 2 info.

 

@mvmac Thank you very much ! Just what I was looking for. Perfect. And thanks everyone for helping me. Apparently this is a step you have to go through and everyone has made it through. Gives me hope that i can do the same. Hit Em Good Yall !!

[DaveP043]

58 minutes ago, Strat-Pack Rick said:

 Apparently this is a step you have to go through and everyone has made it through. Gives me hope that i can do the same. Hit Em Good Yall !!

I wouldn't say that we've all made it through this step, or any other step.  We're all working to get better, hopefully learning all the time.  Its a never-ending process, but that's a big part of the fun.  

[Strat-Pack Rick]

1 minute ago, DaveP043 said:

I wouldn't say that we've all made it through this step, or any other step.  We're all working to get better, hopefully learning all the time.  Its a never-ending process, but that's a big part of the fun.  

Gotcha ! I guess I was referring more to acknowledging the step, haha. I was just leaving the 54 in the bag and accepting defeat but now its out and gonna get the grooves worked off of it. You are right, learning and improving is the most fun you can have. Nothing is more rewarding than hitting a shot really good that had you beat yesterday. Thanks for keeping me straight.

[RH31]

I would go to the range and hit that AW the preferred distance and trajectory. Take note of how long your swing is, ball position, shaft lean, tempo. Then try to copy that with the sand wedge. You are doing something slightly different with the SW compared to the AW.

I know I can't swing longer or harder and get any more distance from my wedges. Higher yes, longer no. My full wedge, distance wise, is a smoooooth 3/4 swing.

[Blackjack Don]

I'm a devotee of Bobby Clampett's method. I hit pretty good putts, chips and wedges because they are basically the same swing. Straight back and straight through. Once I got that down, I'm pretty good up to a 5i. It's off the tee where I'm having trouble, but that's what I'm asking, not you. I went to the park and set up paper plates at ten, twenty and thirty yards, and practiced pitching to those targets. Then I went to the range and tried to hit the same shot up to a hundred yards. Once you have to get past 3/4 swings, the game changes. Seems like you've done okay with that part. Try the Clampett method and see if it works as well for you.

Best wishes.

[dave s]

I'm a pretty short hitter and have the exact same wedge complement as you. 

PW - 45* and goes 110 when flushed

GW - 50* and maybe 100 on a good strike

54* good for 90 yards

58* will go 80 yards

Those numbers are based on me hitting the wedges at around 75-80% in terms of a less-than-perfect strike each time.  When I really get down and through them with a good ball-first strike, they'll go farther than claimed yardages ... and sometimes do!

What I TRY to do is use the same swing with all 4 wedges and rely on the increased loft to lessen distance.