Help with hitting my wedge shots?

[Walster]

Hello everyone. I am new to these forums but I joined because I have a question concerning my wedge shot.

I am using a 60 degree wedge, and my problem is I just can not hit my shots. They will roll or slice or be hit fat. Pretty much everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Than every once in a while it is a decent shot. However I can take my Pitching wedge which I am not positive what degree it is(I think maybe 45) and hit a crisp 90 yard shot straight and narrow.

So I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas what I am doing wrong.

Thanks everyone!

 

[boogielicious]

11 hours ago, Walster said:

Hello everyone. I am new to these forums but I joined because I have a question concerning my wedge shot.

I am using a 60 degree wedge, and my problem is I just can not hit my shots. They will roll or slice or be hit fat. Pretty much everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Than every once in a while it is a decent shot. However I can take my Pitching wedge which I am not positive what degree it is(I think maybe 45) and hit a crisp 90 yard shot straight and narrow.

So I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas what I am doing wrong.

Thanks everyone!

 

Welcome to The Sand Trap! Check out this thread.

 

[dennyjones]

Welcome from Michigan.   This is a great forum with a lot of valuable information.   Read the "How to" section, post a swing video if so inclined and be an active member.      

[Walster]

Thanks for the welcomes guys!

And thank you for the thread boogielicious, I will defiantly read that and let you know how it goes.

Edited May 7, 2017 by Walster

[span3636]

Hello Walster,

I have found that this may be a combination of a few things.  The first is a possible issue with your equipment.  You may not have the right bounce on the bottom of your wedge.  The next thing I would check is your set up.  I like to play the ball no more forward than the center of my stance.  I have also had great success leaning my hands forward a little bit.  you want to flight the ball down.  Hopefully these things are helpful.

[JGus]

I will add something as I was reminded this weekend after a few duff's within 75 yards with my wedges (thanks @DaveP043), make sure you are turning your hips.  It's easy to forget that this is important to make clean contact, especially with 1/2 or 3/4 swings.  If your hips aren't turning you will hit it fat or come across and hit it right off of the toe.

[onkey]

7 minutes ago, JGus said:

I will add something as I was reminded this weekend after a few duff's within 75 yards with my wedges (thanks @DaveP043), make sure you are turning your hips.  It's easy to forget that this is important to make clean contact, especially with 1/2 or 3/4 swings.  If your hips aren't turning you will hit it fat or come across and hit it right off of the toe.

Another way to look at this is to ensure your weight is coming forward.  When you are taking a partial swing, it's real easy to leave that part of the swing out.

[DaveP043]

22 minutes ago, JGus said:

I will add something as I was reminded this weekend after a few duff's within 75 yards with my wedges (thanks @DaveP043), make sure you are turning your hips.  It's easy to forget that this is important to make clean contact, especially with 1/2 or 3/4 swings.  If your hips aren't turning you will hit it fat or come across and hit it right off of the toe.

I remember, and we both hit nice partial wedges on the last hole. I was happy with mine, maybe 15 feet, and @JGus was well inside me.   It's tempting to leave out the body rotation when making a half swing, but it sure works better when you turn like a regular swing, just a bit shorter going back and through.

[TN94z]

A good swing thought for me in the past on partial wedges is chest turn. It has helped me get everything turning accordingly. 

[Hategolf]

Without knowing your handicap is hard to say.

The 60 is a pretty specialized wedge. I don't think is designed for longer approach shots so if you try to squeeze the most distance a lot of things can go wrong. I don't think you can trap the ball with a 60 like you might be able to do with your PW. 

I struggled with a 60 for a long time..when I was on, I loved it, when I was off, I added at least 10 strokes to my score. 

I had two faults with it: casting a little and I would blade it, and trying to de-loft it added more complexity than reward.

I moved to a 58 and worked on the faults and I'm very happy with the change.

Edited May 8, 2017 by Hategolf

[Fairway_CY]

I had horrible issues with my wedges at times last year.  Someone told me to take 10 practice swings without a ball and focus ONLY on turning my belt buckle to the target.  I did that... put a ball back down in front of me... kept that swing thought in mind... and began hitting the ball as I envisioned it.  

Being able to hit my wedges inside of 100 yards with some level of consistency has cut 2-3 strokes from my index since early last year.  

I agree with others who have said that hitting a 'full' wedge is not the way to go.  If I go 95% with my 58 degree wedge, it's about an 85 yard club for me.  I don't like to hit it if I have over 70 yards.  I like to go about 80% with my swing with my wedges.  Same with my 54 degree wedge.  A 95% swing would be about 95 yards or so.  I rarely do that.  I like to hit that club from about 75 - 85 yards... and I'll hit it from shorter distances if I'm into the wind or I need to fly it in a little lower.

Try the belt buckle thing... and then figure out what swing speed you're comfortable going at the ball with when you have those clubs in your hands.

CY

[Walster]

Thanks for the help everyone! I will try those idea's and see if they work.

[Walster]

Ok everyone Update report. I tried the idea's everyone game me(turning belt buckle to the target, weight forward, etc..) however it still was not working. Then as I was taking the club inside the house thoroughly exhausted and frustrated I noticed something. And that something was this, I noticed that the shaft on my 60 degree wedge which is the one I am having so much trouble with is bent. I had just purchased the wedge used from a thrift shop, and did not notice it until today. So my question is, do you all think this is what the problem is? The bend is quite noticeable when you put the club against a flat surface.   

[onkey]

I think you need to replace the shaft regardless.  If the problem persists, you know it wasn't the shaft's fault.

[TN94z]

11 minutes ago, Walster said:

Ok everyone Update report. I tried the idea's everyone game me(turning belt buckle to the target, weight forward, etc..) however it still was not working. Then as I was taking the club inside the house thoroughly exhausted and frustrated I noticed something. And that something was this, I noticed that the shaft on my 60 degree wedge which is the one I am having so much trouble with is bent. I had just purchased the wedge used from a thrift shop, and did not notice it until today. So my question is, do you all think this is what the problem is? The bend is quite noticeable when you put the club against a flat surface.   

Replace the shaft and hit some balls. That's the easiest way to find out because the shaft needs to go anyway

Edited May 10, 2017 by TN94z

[XVGolf]

Did you try the "dead-hand" wedge swing? Jason Day and some other tour players use this technique.

 

[grubby98]

it was mentioned earlier about bounce, but also check lie angle.  my wedges are 3 degree flat.  also wedge shafts are different than your PW.  You might change shafts and see if that helps.

[boogielicious]

6 hours ago, XVGolf said:

Did you try the "dead-hand" wedge swing? Jason Day and some other tour players use this technique.

 

That is a pitch shot, which is an excellent shot to have in the bag (see the thread below). But I think the OP was talking about partial wedge full swing shots from further out where you need all carry. You can still do the pitch technique from further out too. I've routinely do 50 - 60 yards out with a PW or as high as an 8 iron.