Still losing shots when you pitch a ball onto the green? Those 20-40 yard shots can wreck a scorecard. It’s time to pay attention to your SET UP, your CLUBFACE, and your FINISH. Stop thinking these are mini full swings! It’s about accuracy, not distance. There’s no need for ANY weight transfer back to your trail side. You’ll still feel rotation in your chest, but it is from a stable stance. And you’ll need new attention on the CLUBFACE…specifically the grooves of your Sand Wedge.
Here is your new CHECKLIST for LOWER SCORES:
SET UP and FINISH: Feet will be closer to each other than your full swing. Weight favors your target side leg. If you’re right-handed, that means having 60-70% of your weight on your left leg at address…and here’s the important key… staying there as you make a back swing. A centered shoulder turn is all you need as your engine. Maintaining weight on your target side leg in your backswing will produce cleaner contact, because the club’s low point becomes more predictable. Lastly, allow 100% of your weight to finish on your front leg. Short swing, short finish…chest toward the target. Consider an open stance, with your front left leg pulled back slightly off the line of your right foot, if you have trouble “seeing” the target line. This will be similar to how you would stand to hand toss a ball onto the green.
SHOULDERS: Keep your shoulders more LEVEL. Watch out for the tendency to place the right shoulder significantly lower than the left. That will lead to the club bottoming out before the ball= FAT.
BALL POSITION: With your feet closer together than normal, pick a forward ball position to minimize the ball rolling out. If there’s plenty of room for roll to the flag, move the ball to the center.
CLUBFACE CONTROL: Your most important focus…specifically, the grooves! They’re not just there for decoration. Clean them. Aim them. Be in charge of the GROOVES on your Sand Wedge for these under 40-yard pitches! That will be a new feeling in your trail right hand and wrist. STOP releasing the clubhead and the grooves past the handle on these shots! Keep that right wrist BENT back and keep those grooves facing the sky at the finish. Slightly open face for high, soft landing shot. Square face for a lower, longer release.
 |
 |
LANDING SPOT: Remember, you must intentionally pick a landing spot. But first you must measure how far your favorite wedges run out after the ball lands. Hit shots to an open green and walk off how many paces your ball rolls out from where it first drops on the green, now that you are using grooves for spin!
With your new stable base and your “groovy” attention, you’ll be the coolest golfer in your group!
