Gale Peterson
Breaking 100/90/80 – Control Your Wedges
There’s truth to the old saying that if you’re not making putts, hit it closer. That means playing better wedge shots. First, make sure you have at least three wedges – pitching, gap and sand – with equal gaps in loft among them. Then, work on the three key elements of wedge play: distance, trajectory and roll. For the 100 shooter, let’s focus on distance control; for the 90s shooter, trajectory control; for the 80s shooter, the roll of the ball. Follow this progression and you’ll start hitting it closer. The rest is up to your putter.
Control distance for basic shots
Distance control is the most important skill in wedge play. It comes from making solid contact and matching your swing length to the distance you need to cover. Start with club selection and a set-up that makes it easy to execute big or small swings.
For a basic pitch shot, set more weight on your left foot and centre the ball. This encourages a downward blow that squeezes the ball off the turf. Allow your wrists to hinge back and through, and make your finish a mirror image of your backswing (left).
Use the clock formula to develop three distances with each wedge: Swing back to 9 o’clock and through to 3 o’clock for a short wedge; 10 to 2 for a medium shot; and 11 to 1 for a full wedge.
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