Distance Wedges and Scoring
How close you get the ball to the hole on your approach shots to the green is referred to as Proximity to the Hole. The closer your Proximity to the Hole, the better chance you have at lowering your scores. Let’s say, for instance, that you average 28 feet from the hole on your approach shots from 60 yards out. If you were to improve that proximity to the hole to 22 feet, would your scores change? Probably not. Even though you have become 12% better from 60 yards out, the chances of making a putt from 22 feet are not that much greater than a putt from 28 feet. Both are essentially a two putt.
The goal is to develop the skills needed to control distance so that there is a good chance of making the putt. A great way to quantify this during practice is to think of it this way – if a shot ends up within 2 paces of the pin, it can be considered a birdie, within 3 to 10 paces would be considered a par, and ten or more steps would be considered a bogey. This might seem like a lot to ask of the average player, but it is the reality of the game. The closer your proximity to the hole on the shots from 120 yards and in, the better your scores will become.
Having a System that Works for You
At a young age, I was taught the importance of the “clock system” which was subsequently introduced to the masses in Dave Pelz’ best selling short game books. It is simply a method to help control the distance of wedge shots and is determined by backswing and rotation of the rib cage. By using the visual of a round faced clock, most people can relate but if the visual of a clock doesn’t work for you, there are endless ways to visualize such as “belt-high”, “chest-high”, etc. For our purposes, we will use the clock system.
When a golfer has a wedge in their hands, it is more common to miss their target short or long than it is to miss left or right and that simply has to do with the loft on a wedge. I know, I know – we’ve all hit shots sideways with a wedge at some point (and some more so than others), but in general, wedges fly straighter than long irons. To be a short game master, you must have a simple and repeatable system that allows you to confidently step up to the ball and execute. I have found that many people will tell me that this doesn’t work and that they are more of a “feel player” which tends to just be code for “that sounds way too complicated, and I don’t have time for complicated, so I’ll just keep shooting the same scores I always have”.
We all play by feel, but some of us are just far more tuned into the
precise feels needed to hit the ball within those two paces away from the pin. The goal is to have a system that compliments
your feel.
The Matrix (No not that Matrix)
I’ve never actually seen the film, simply because of an annoying person in my life at that time who insisted daily that “
you have to see it dude – it’ll blow you mind.” For that reason, I swore never to watch, but I digress.
In your set of clubs, you might consider carrying upwards of 4 wedges. This may include a Pitching Wedge, a Gap Wedge, a Sand Wedge, and a Lob Wedge. As I stated earlier, the top end of your wedges should be the full swing
carry distance of your Pitching Wedge and as such, your other 3 wedges will also have full swing yardages. Why carry distance? You need to be precise with these shots and simply knowing the total distance isn’t always the best option.
Now that we know the four distances of our full swing wedges, it is time to learn how to gain 9 more distances inside of 120 yards by learning two new swings simply by shortening your backswing. To do so, envision a clock where your head is at 12:00 o’clock and the ball is sitting at 6:00 o’clock. The next two times to visualize are 7:30 and 9:00 o’clock as seen in the images on the wedge matrix below. The times are represented by what your lead arm is doing (left arm for a right-handed player) during your backswing. It’s important to note that these swings must be made rhythmically and should be the same rhythm regardless of the wedge you are using. I like to use the song “Hey Jude” when teaching this to my players as it is relatable to every generation. Little Johnny can’t relate to Arlo Guthrie and Mrs. Havercamp can’t relate to the Arcade Fire, so the Beatles it is. Besides, 74 beats per minute seems like a perfect tempo for Distance wedges.
In your backswing sing “Hey” and at impact say “Jude”. Getting back to the ball for “Jude” is the key whether you are taking a 9:00 o’clock swing or a full swing, since it’s all about the tempo. The next key is to ensure you are not just throwing your arms to 7:30 or 9:00 o’clock, but rather controlling this motion through the rotation of your rib cage around your spine while remaining centred over top of the ball (no shifting and swaying). The rotation will get your arms into the position, rather than just reaching back. If you know that you generally rotate your ribcage in your full swing so that your back is facing the target at the top, you can start to understand what these abbreviated backswings will look like.
The Difference Between Distance Wedges and the Full Swing
We already established that these are controlled full swings, but to say that they are full swings by any sense of the word is a misnomer. There are three fundamental differences that you should be aware of:
- Narrow Stance – Your feet should be square to your target as you would in a full swing, however your stance should be no more than 12 inches apart. Imagine that the outside of your shoes are shoulder width apart for a visual reference
- Weight at Address Should Favour the Lead Leg – Establishing a little more weight on the lead leg (left leg for a right-handed golfer) at address will help manage the low point of the swing (arc) to ensure that you are hitting down on your wedges. The caveat here is that you don’t want to be hitting too down on your wedges either. Ultimately your low point should be roughly 3 to 4 inches in front of the ball with an attack angle of 3 to 4 to impart that sexy one-hop-stop spin on the green on receptive greens.
- Centred Pivot (Rotation) – In the full swing, many players will shift their weight to the trail leg/foot (right leg for a right-handed golfer) while getting their upper body and head slightly behind the golf ball due to a larger upper body rotation. With finesse wedges, it is more advantageous to remain stable, from toes to nose, and ensure you do not shift or sway. Too much shift in the backswing could lead to fat and thin shots, while too much sway in the downswing could lead to a steep angle of attack and a clubhead that digs into the turf too much and “laying sod” over the golf ball.
Control the swing and use your body to do so. The common error is to take too much of a backswing and slow down or stop through impact which causes poor contact and fat or thin shots. You want the club to be 15 degrees delofted.
In the coming weeks, I will be addressing ways to work on your distance wedges as well as the most common faults that I witness on a daily basis. If you prefer to get going on improving your short game straight away, please contact me via email at
[email protected] or book a private lesson
HERE.
Thank you for reading and all the best on the golf course,