Distance Wedges

Do you struggle controlling your wedge carry distances?

Golf Scoring Game, Short Game, Wedges.

Many people carry at least 3 wedges in their bags these days but how well do they know their equipment? I hope most people have a good idea of how far a stock wedge will fly under normal conditions. But on the golf course we constantly face a yardage number that requires some sort of adjustment as to how far the intended club will carry.

For example (based of the above chart), you have a carry distance of 67 yards into a slightly elevated green. Your educated guess assumes the shot requires a 75 yard carry. So, any stock shot would be too much carry distance. How do you adjust? Looking at our chart, the 9 o’clock swing with a 48 degree seems closest. So now you have a base on which to work off.

From here, you still need to access your feel and creativity by saying to yourself “my (clear) intention is to hit a 9 o’clock 48 wedge while taking 4 yards off. Rehearse your swing and commit. How did you do?

I can already hear you saying “Agh but I don’t have the technique & thats for pro’s and scratch golfers”! I would argue not at all for two main reasons:

1. How many times (a round!) have you stood over a ball with lack of clarity and doubt about what the shot requires. Do I have the right club? Is it a half swing or three quarter swing? Should I open the face a little to take off some distance? Maybe if I lean the shaft a little I can get an extra few yards etc…..? Having doubt and no clear image is the problem not the swing you end up producing. Is it fair to expect your body to respond when you don’t give it a clear signal!?

2. This leads to my second point. If you send your brain a clear image of what your intention is, you are already more than half way to hitting a great shot. In the above example, your internal monologue may should like this: “Okay, its playing 75 yards. I’m going to take 4 yards off my 9 o’clock swing with the 48” (Clear intention). Second is to feel the motion you believe the shot requires. Take two practice swings looking at the target. Third, commit and accept the outcome. I guarantee the results will be far more “consistent” if you can remove doubt and/or hesitation.

Another scenario to think about. Again based on our chart above, lets say you have a 90 yard shot into a green that slopes significantly from back to front. Do you just hit your full 58 degree wedge? I’m guessing yes! Even if you hit the perfect shot the chances are you will be left with a 25 foot uphill putt or even worse, a chip from the front of the green.

The club-head speed for a full swing will create more backspin and therefore losing ball control due to this unpredictable spin. What if there was another way? Looking above, we can see the 9 o’clock swing with a PW goes about the same distance. Less clubhead speed = less spin. Hitting a controlled PW into this green has much more chance of getting close to the hole (and staying there). This is not elite ball striking but it is elite mental game.

Developing your personal chart will improve touch, feel and judgement and give you a template to work off and develop those skills that you didn’t know you had. Use whatever feels that work for you (some clients use the “ab high” or ‘chest high” visual to control their swing length).

If you would like to explore more of this or anything related please feel free to reach out with questions or comments. Happy Golfing.