Measure your wedges for more consistency
In all my years teaching I have seen many golfers improve their ball striking and consistency off the tee
and in the fairway. In most cases however, they haven’t been able to substantially decrease their handicap
due to inconsistency from within 100 yards. Since we are only required to hit 36 shots in one round of
golf, over 90% of the shots taken over 36 occur within 100 yards of the green. Here are some techniques
that have helped many of my students in the past few years become better and more consistent around the
green.
First we have to learn how to make three different length golf swings with each wedge. These
swings are simply described as the ½, ¾, and full swing. Naturally the ½ half swing should feel as if you
have only rotated half way back and through the ball. To check your positions, ensure that the left arm
stops when it reaches a position parallel to the ground in the back swing and the right arm parallel to the
ground at the end of your follow through. The three quarter swing should feel about 75 percent of the
length of your full swing. Picturing a clock, your left arm would rotate back to point at 10 o’clock to
complete your back swing. The follow through for this swing stops when your right arm would point to 2
o’clock. Naturally your full swing feels as if you complete the rotation back and through as if you were
hitting a mid iron. Please keep in mind the ½ and ¾ are simply “feel” swings, therefore your follow
through doesn’t have to be as measured and abrupt to stop in a particular position. On the downswing or
follow through, it is always best to let the momentum of the club continue until it naturally runs out of
energy.
Now that we have defined each swing, it is time to head to the range with each wedge and master
the rhythm of making the ½ and ¾ swings. Since the majority of swings we make are full, it will take
some time to develop consistency in ball striking with these shorter swings. This consistency occurs when
you feel solid contact with the golf ball every time and similar carry distance for each swing. After you
are confident with your ability to execute each swing successfully, head out to the course and measure the
distance of each swing. By using the yardage markers on sprinkler heads, you can determine how far each
swing travels in the air. By the time you are done with this exercise you will have a particular wedge and
swing for every yardage you are faced with on the course within 100yards.
After you have measured all your wedges in your bag you may uncover some gaps in yardages
with your wedges. To properly complete your set, follow the same strategy I did to insert the correct
wedges in my golf bag. A full swing with my pitching wedge travels 140 yards, ¾ swing travels 130
yards and ½ swing travels 120 yards. The next club in my bag should be one that will make the ball travel
115-120 with a full swing. This club for me is a 52-degree Titleist Vokey Gap Wedge. With this gap
wedge a full swing travels 115-120 yards, ¾ swing 110-115 yards and a ½ swing 100-110 yards. For
everything under 100 yards, I have a 58-degree Titleist Vokey Lob Wedge. A full swing with this club
only travels 100 yards; therefore every distance within 140 yards is covered in my bag.
To achieve consistency and dramatically lower those scores around the green, first learn three
different swings with each wedge. After mastering these swings, head out to the course and learn the
yardage each swing produces for every wedge in your bag. Finally if you notice any gaps determine the
loft and wedge to fill in the gap so you have every shot covered. If you experience difficulty executing the
swings or determining the distances, gaps or wedges for your bag, please send me an email or call me at
772-1038. A short discussion will get you going in the right direction.
By:
Val D’Souza
PGA Professional
General Manager
Butterfield Trail Golf Club