1/2 to 3/4 Wedge shot

[Pepperturbo]

IMO, some people get overly anal regarding gapping.  If you adjust mechanics and skill, and choose the right club, three to six degrees of gap or loft should easily be covered by you being creative with your clubs.

 

I carry 3 wedges, PW, SW, and LW, but may use 8i-LW to cover partial distances.  A Partial wedge shot starts with vision and head, then simple execution.  By today's iron and wedge standards, I am an ole school feel player that uses 8i-LW to execute partial shots. 

 

I visualize the shot and feel the shot before picking the club.  My setup is similar to the image @mark m posted.  My weight is on the balls of my feet, (not flatfoot), and my knees slightly bent placed directly over the balls of my feet for balance.  Seventy percent (70%) of my weight on left instep, puts my hands ahead of the ball, right foot slightly back, near shoulder width.  Foot width varies depending on how far I want to hit the ball.   Then choosing the right loft (8i-LW) to cover the distance allows my swing length to stay within 3-9 o'clock range.

 

A few common mistakes I see: transitions are exaggerated so much it affects the golfer's ability to maintain his hands in the right position, and properly impact and control the ball.  The other mistake people reach for the same club all the time, yet they lack the ability to make that one club cover all distances; hence shot is chunked or thinned, comes up way short or too long.  Use the loft that allows an effortless ball strike to cover the distance without happy feet or losing your balance.

[nitram]

3 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

 Use the loft that allows an effortless ball strike to cover the distance without happy feet or losing your balance.

 

Listen to what he's typing here folks . . .

Edited August 10, 2023 by nitram

[BHA17]

On 8/3/2023 at 6:36 PM, DaveGoodrich said:

Ugh.  Another thread where folks are recommending "laying up to a preferred distance."  The data says otherwise.   Everyone thinks they are "special," most people aren't.  The data really does apply to you. So even if you think you suck from 50 yards, you are almost certainly closer from there, on average, than you are from 100.  It just feels worse to hit it to 20 feet from 50 than it does to hit it to 30 feet from 100.  Practice those short shots, and you will be way closer.  As mark m said above, much of your practice time should be spent on partial wedges.  Those shots are scoring opportunities, and that kind of practice spills over into all ball striking, as it is focused primarily on making consistent, solid contact.

 

I recommend Monte's original "Use the Bounce" video.  Ball forward, square to very slightly open face and stance, shallow swing, near vertical shaft at impact - let the weight of the club head control the release.  Although mostly intended for shorter shots around the green, I think that technique works well out to 60 yards or so, and even farther depending on green speed, pin position, etc.  Very simple and forgiving, IMO.  For me, a kind of Stricker-esque, less wrist-hinge swing also helps improve my consistency of low-point on these shorter wedge shots.  

 

Also, if you are swinging a high lofted wedge hard, that is your first mistake.   Its a lot harder to skull it over the green when you are using less loft, and swinging less hard.  Skull an easy 56 and it might roll to the back of the green, skull a hard 60, and...(you know).  

Just want to thank you for an extremely insightful, helpful post. Had not seen that video before, but it seems like a revelation.

[jefecoon]

I've experienced many struggles with consistency in < 150 yd approach game.  I *highly* recommend watching Gareth Raflewski TXG video on building partial wedge matrix:

 

His approach is basically:
-- build one solid half swing [ mine is back to club parallel, finish at waist to shoulders ]
-- build one solid 3/4 swing [ back to arms parallel, finish at shoulders ]
-- keep using your 80% swing [ back to arms just past parallel / hands shoulder height, finish at shoulders ]

Then, map out the *matrix* of your average distances with each of these shots for your short irons.

Practice / range session time on short irons for me is now working on consistently hitting my mapped yardages and target line, and i'm slowly working on adjustments & refinements to these 'core' shots.

 

On the course it's translated into me reaching for 8i-Gw a **lot** more, when in the past I almost always defaulted to Lob or Sand wedge < 100.  As I've practiced, I've found I'm making solid improvements in proximity / distance / target line accuracy.

 

Sure, my playing partners snicker when I pull out my matrix almost every hole...  But I sure love watching a half Pw carry 70, hop, and check up at 75 < 10' from a pin... and, honestly, I love those partners saying "you hit that with PW, from 70?  really???"

 

For me, personally, it's simply worked out much better than trying to "feel" my way around distance...

My matrix, fwiw: