Top 10 Wedge tips guaranteed to improve Handicap Scores
David Pritchard
The following tips have been written with the novice in mind, obviously if you are a pro I doubt you would be reading this anyway. Ive compiled this list of top 10 wedge tips to try and help the novice from falling into bad habits and to try and help them to play these types of wedge shots from the outset. Hopefully preventing any bad habits forming. Also if you have played these wedge shots but want a reminder or you have actually no idea and have been playing wedge shots with no prior knowledge, ten these tips will certainly improve your handicap Score.
1) Wedges are designed and used as precision scoring clubs, when playing a wedge shot you should only swing with the maximum of 70% effort.
2) Keep your arms free, soft and relaxed. Keep your chest turned away from the target during the swing and allow your arms to flow through the shot. Your shoulder will automatically line up with the target and your arms will follow your shoulder line to the target.
3) Playing green side bunker shots, open the clubface and imagine a line through the sand with your left arm, all the way to the pin, hit the sand an inch behind the ball and the ball will float out of the bunker, that's all you have to do. It's the arm swing that does it, slow and easy, same tempo back and same tempo down following the shot all the way through.
4) On all wedge shots you should use a soft slightly lose grip and just let the club flow all the way through the shot, you don't have to try and guide it, it will just happen all on it's own.
5) When playing from the rough, the deeper the rough the tighter the grip needed. If the rough is 1 inch high then play the ball back in your stance, if the rough is 1-2 inches then play the ball in a more normal position, if the rough is 2-3 inches high play the ball 2-3 inches back from your normal position.
6) Make sure you have aligned your shoulders with the slope of every shot.
7) If the ball is sitting up by 1/2 inch play the ball 1/2 - 1 inch back in your stance. When the ball is sitting up it will increase the loft of the wedge, if the ball is sitting up by 1 inch then play the ball back in your stance 1 inch.
8) Playing a tight lie or playing from a divot, play the ball 2-3 inches back towards the right foot from normal. This will allow a deeper down swing and compress the ball that bit quicker.
9) The softer your arms are in the wedge swing, the more you will "spank" the ball and become a better wedge player.
10) At all times keep your right foor firmly planted on the ground when playing a wedge shot. Only after you have hit the ball does your right foot want to come up slightly. The wedge swing is an arm and upper body movement only. You should never feel the need to force the swing, just let the arms flow soflty and you will get the right result.
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