my wedge game stinks

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Bonesy

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6 doubles on the card today and all from bad wedges 50yds and in. Had a few holes where I was paces off the green after decent drive and approach shots (my home course is hilly with plateau greens; lots of tough bounces) that ended terribly because I just can't get up and down. I have limited practice time (none actually) due to a 20mo old and 3mo old boys at home. I get to play once a week (sometimes twice if I can get out on the aupices of work). I can't get out of the low 90s.

Any thoughts? looking for a simple plan to follow for the rest of the season. misses include low blades and short. nothing ever "checks". I seem to never get the same lie twice so it feels like I'm reinventing the wheel every time I get a wedge in my hand. Hell, I even lay up to 120ish on par 5s so I can have a full PW in my hands for the final approach.

Any good books? or routines? sand game blows too; I should probably revisit over and out.

Driving well, hitting irons and hybrids well. I'm a streaky putter, but not terrible.
 
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Bonesy

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well, i think about it alot. and i can swing in my living room at night when the boys go to sleep. this methodology has worked for the full swing.
 
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Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
The full swing works like that better because it's usually a one speed swing. Wedge play is so much more precise plus requires a totally different contact. I just don't want anyone kidding themselves thinking something this difficult can be improved much without some serious time to put into it. I devoted so much time to improving wedge play and it was very worth it. That said, if your situation is that bad, a change in thought process and technique I suppose would at least be an upgrade.

Tempo, hand path and use of the bounce
 
ZAP

ZAP

New
Even with my transition to getting better at using the bounce going well I find I still need to put in the time to gain any confidence. When you are standing over a shot on the golf course in a live situation you need to have some reps to back up what you are trying to do. Believe it or not one thing that helped me most is holding the club more securely/tighter to have better control over what the clubhead was doing.
 
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lookingtolearn

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Something you could do in your living room would be to get a lie board and practice making swings where you make a mark on the middle of the sole. It will help with learning how to use the bounce.
 
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art

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Bonesy said:
6 doubles on the card today and all from bad wedges 50yds and in. Had a few holes where I was paces off the green after decent drive and approach shots (my home course is hilly with plateau greens; lots of tough bounces) that ended terribly because I just can't get up and down. I have limited practice time (none actually) due to a 20mo old and 3mo old boys at home. I get to play once a week (sometimes twice if I can get out on the aupices of work). I can't get out of the low 90s.

Any thoughts? looking for a simple plan to follow for the rest of the season. misses include low blades and short. nothing ever "checks". I seem to never get the same lie twice so it feels like I'm reinventing the wheel every time I get a wedge in my hand. Hell, I even lay up to 120ish on par 5s so I can have a full PW in my hands for the final approach.

Any good books? or routines? sand game blows too; I should probably revisit over and out.

Driving well, hitting irons and hybrids well. I'm a streaky putter, but not terrible.
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Dear Bonsey,

Don't despair, from the science and statistics side YOU ARE IN GOOD COMPANY, these short shots are TWICE as inaccurate for both amateurs and touring professionals. The predominant reason is the lesser energy required, and the degree of back swing used results in very difficult-to-repeat timing issues.

Dr. Robert Grober's analytical efforts on the full swing and putter allowed me to study the in-between- energy shots from the analytic's he already documented, and IMO, a simple science based change of TEMPO from a 'full swing' 4 count, to a 'half swing' 3 count may be all you need for significant improvement, and certainly worth a try.

I loaned my "Tour Tempo" book (Sr. and Jr. John Novosel) to a teaching pro friend, and have a vague memory that they may have also described this 4:1, and 3: 1 characteristic from OBSERVATIONS, as opposed to Dr. Robert Grobers' analytical efforts.

Regards,
art
 
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Bonesy

New
thanks all -- going to some serious bounce research + carve out some time to practice. will also dig out tour tempo, i certainly struggle w/ the in-between nature of these shots.
 
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Bonesy

New
I fight an in to out path in my long game. I employ the "Fall 2011" release. No tug, back to the target, torque. I can't tell the difference between that and a flip.
 
J

Jim Kobylinski

Super Moderator
Too rightward of a path makes wedge play very difficult because it messes with attack angle and how much you deloft the club not to mention wreak havoc with ball position.

Try "cheating" a bit by hitting wedges from, what feels to you, like a very open stance. Do that, report back with what happens.
 
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Billy McKinney

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Try this: with ball placement middle forward and hands slightly higher at address and a bit farther away from the ball than usual, TAKE THE CLUB BACK LOWER ALONG THE GROUND THAN USUAL. Go through with the same idea...along the ground with a shallow divot if any. AND don't let your target knee (left for righties) sag...get it straightening a bit while going through it. I've helped many decent players clean their wedges up with this move.
 
V

Vintner

New
art said:
Dr. Robert Grober's analytical efforts on the full swing and putter allowed me to study the in-between- energy shots from the analytic's he already documented, and IMO, a simple science based change of TEMPO from a 'full swing' 4 count, to a 'half swing' 3 count may be all you need for significant improvement, and certainly worth a try.
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Art - Is there statistical data to indicate that when hitting "in between energy" shots, changing the tempo while keeping the length constant is more effective than changing the length and maintaining the tempo (i.e. clock backswing visual, 9 oclock, 10 oclock, etc.)?
 
hp12c

hp12c

New
I had the same problem bladed shots, short, not checking up. Tried open stance closed stance, outside take away, inside takeaway, bounce, no bounce. Ok dont laugh oh hell laugh I dont mind, what I did is started chipping a baseball, yup just a regular old baseball, why you ask chip a baseball. Good glad u asked, form me those less than full wedge shot were so unpredictable cause I just couldnt see just how much power I needed to get it there and I would like get a short circuit in my swing,yeah swing yips ugh! So by chipping a baseball with my SW I had to put a little more pop in my little swing to get that baseball to go like 5yds, 10yds and once I did the same little swing with a golf ball it was like a 10yd. baseball chip was a 20yd golf ball chip, more or less. So when I get a 40yd to the flag I remember what baseball chip swing I use to get that golf ball to get there. The baseball is kinda like an impact bag that actually goes to the target and not juts sit there. Hope it help u as much as it helped me.:cool:
 
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spmurph

New
Have you ever seen Brian's short shot pivot video? It's on the front page. It helped my short game tremendously.
 
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art

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Vintner said:
Art - Is there statistical data to indicate that when hitting "in between energy" shots, changing the tempo while keeping the length constant is more effective than changing the length and maintaining the tempo (i.e. clock backswing visual, 9 oclock, 10 oclock, etc.)?
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Dear Vintner,

Sorry, no, I have not ever seen statistical data of this type, but it would not be hard for you to create some, and I would be glad to help you interpret the results. All you would need is access to a Trackman or FlightScope launch monitor.

Of GREAT interest to me using FlightScope would be the 'dispersion' comparison after hitting 10 shots, a reliable number to give confidence to which style is better for you.

Regarding Trackman, they have a 'built in program' I think is known as 'Approach Shot Test' which would be appropriate too.

Sincerely,
art
 
J

Joe Duffer

New
Billy McKinney said:
Try this: with ball placement middle forward and hands slightly higher at address and a bit farther away from the ball than usual, TAKE THE CLUB BACK LOWER ALONG THE GROUND THAN USUAL. Go through with the same idea...along the ground with a shallow divot if any. AND don't let your target knee (left for righties) sag...get it straightening a bit while going through it. I've helped many decent players clean their wedges up with this move.
Click to expand...

Billy, would this motion kinda be like the motion you would use to putt the ball 30-40 yards across the fairway?

Steve Stricker?

 
J

Joe Duffer

New
Anyway, that's the feeling I want to achieve. This coming from a person who formally used way too much wrist-cock on these short, in-between wedge shots.
 
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