The first step in developing great wedge play is to build a solid technique that enables you to strike the ball consistently well while controlling distance, spin and trajectory.
The technique presented here is probably very different to what you’ve been taught before. Where most tuition focusses on “not duffing it”, we’re going to teach you how to be great! Rather than just trying to avoid trouble, this technique will turn your wedges into powerful weapons that you can use to dismantle a golf course, attacking the pins that terrify other golfers, aggressively seeking birdies rather than hoping to escape with par.
This technique is simple yet highly effective, and it’s very easy to learn. What’s more, it’s Tour proven, the same technique is used by many of the world’s greatest wedge players.
This is the best way to play wedge shots from about 120 to 35 yards from the pin. It will create a penetrating ball flight that will “one hop and stop” when it hits the green, giving you precise control over trajectory, spin and distance.
Trajectory control will enable you to attack difficult pins, and with precise spin control you will be able to stop the ball quickly near the pin without worrying about how it will roll, or being afraid of sucking it back off the green.
Using this technique you will learn to finesse your approach shots, giving you options and enabling you to choose the correct spin and trajectory to make the shot that you feel is best for a given pin location, taking trouble out of play, and reducing the variables created by the weather and course topography.
Your playing partners will be amazed as your ball fizzes to a stop near the pin time after time!
In the coming articles of this series, we’re going to teach you how to precisely dial in your distances, correct common faults, and give you a training plan to develop your skills to the highest levels. But first, let’s look at the basic wedge play swing.
Wedge Play Technique
The wedge swing is, fundamentally, just a mini full swing, with a few important differences.
The kinematic sequence is broadly the same as we describe for the full swing, the downswing starting from the ground up, using your lower body to drive rotation and generate power, and creating the optimal impact conditions for a clean and efficient strike with controlled flight and spin.
Unlike the full swing, however, with wedge play we place a far greater emphasis on precise distance control. Whereas with a full swing we want to hit the ball as far as possible while maintaining control and accuracy, with a wedge we don’t much care how far we can hit the ball, as long as we can hit it the same distance every time.
Also, with these smaller swings, controlling the club face through impact is much easier. With a full swing, getting into a powerful and effective impact position and squaring the club face through impact requires a precisely timed swing sequence. With a wedge in your hand, and a fundamentally sound swing, shot direction shouldn’t be a real issue, so our main concern is distance control.
So, with a wedge, we are willing to sacrifice maximum distance in return for greater distance control. In order to do that, we make the following key changes…
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…The Score like a Champion System will give you a comprehensive set of drills and a detailed game improvement plan that will enable you to quickly master this wedge technique.You’ll learn how to eradicate common faults, refine your control, and develop your touch and feel to finesse your approach shots and attack even the most difficult pin positions.
Next up: Golf Wedge Play 102. Technique: Distance Control.
This article is part of the Golf Loopy Score like a Champion series, the sensational new wedge play game improvement system that will help you to attack the pin from 120 yards and in. The improvements to your scores will be dramatic, and they will be permanent.
