Wedge Setup and Swing Thoughts

[virge666]

I love wedge setup and belive it is the best part of the game . . bashing balls on a range is pretty boring – but a couple of hours hitting flop shots, spin shots, making it spin left or spin right after bouncing is a lot of fun. But you are right you need a good wedge setup for it. Here are some ideas.

1. You need a Gap Wedge, a Sand Wedge and a Low Wedge.
a. GW = 49-53
b. SW = 54-57
c. LW = 58-64

2. If you want just two wedges. Go for 53/54 and 58/60, make sure you don’t have a 44 degree PW or you will have too much of a distance between the clubs. Try to keep a constant gap to you SW. Don’t worry about a big gap to you LW as you don’t usually use it for full shots like the others. For example: 48, 54 & 64 is better than 48,56 and 60.

3. Keep the same brand in your wedges. Everything from PW up should be the same brand to promote similar feel. (My opinion only – not a rule) same bounce and grind angles make things just that little bit easier

4. You need a high bounce model and a low bounce model. So if you are carrying 52, 56 and 60 – make the 56 high bounce and the 60 low bounce. Leave the 52 at low bounce... it is a fairway wedge or bump and runner.

5. With Shafts go softer in you SW and LW- You get more spin... I use REG shafts in my wedges ... you just get better feel as you are not usually hitting full shots with it. This is what Rifle did with their “Spinner” series of shafts.

6. Don’t add weight to your wedge unless you know what you are doing... most of them are already D5-D8. Ie: Bloody heavy

7. With Bunker shots . . . High Bounce for soft sand, Low Bounce for Hard sand. Low Bounce digs – High Bounce skids... have a guess what you are going to use in the rough . . .

8. As you get better – try grind the bounce completely off your LW – especially on the heel. It will either take your wedge game to a new level or butcher your wedge to a point where you cannot use it...

Lastly – go and practice – and if I can offer one little bit of advice with wedges... BE AGGRESSIVE, Your backswing should NEVER, EVER, EVER be longer than your follow through.

Learn to hit your LW low with spin from about 30 yards... if you can do this - you can do anything !

Play the ball off the centre of your stance for a shot that you want to spin.
Play the ball off the back of your stance for a shot you wish to bump and run.
Play the ball slightly forward of centre for a shot with a lot of spin.

Enjoy... it is the best part of the game.

[benstone]

Virge, the low 30 yard spinner is a shot I would love to have "in the bag". I have experimented with it with mixed results. Can you give an idiot's guide to playing it ?

[Scottt]

While we're aggregating stuff on wedge play, here is something I posted over at ISG before the revolution:

Introduction:
Pitching and chipping is where wholesale shots can be saved in a round of golf. For most golfers, it's a common occurance to find yourself between 40 and 70 metres out from the green needing an up and down to save par (or even bogey).
On longer par fours and par fives, this is where the better players distance themselves from the field.
My method uses repetition and an easy to remember mental image to set in your mind what swing is required from what distance.

Set up:
Picture yourself standing on a clockface hitting towards the number three. This method involves classing different swings according to where on the clockface your clubhead reaches on the backswing.
To make this as reliable and "repeatable" as possible - because a couple of metres is significant at this range - the swing is extremely 'quiet' (ie. as few moving parts as possible).
Your feet will be slightly (read: SLIGHTLY) open at address to allow you body to clear through the shot, and you will employ next to no shoulder turn. Likewise, it's not a wristy shot, although a bit of a punch of the wrists at impact helps to maintain speed through impact, because when you start hitting this shot, it can be easy to decelerate.
You'll note I have suggested a slight opening of the stance, a slight shoulder turn and a slight 'punch' of the wrist. I cannot stress enough the importance of that word 'slight'.


Execution:
With about 10 or so balls, stand 40 metres from the green with a sand wedge (56 degree) and start by hitting shots with a swing that stops on the backswing at 9 o'clock, that is, parrallel to the ground.
The aim is to have a dispersion area no bigger than a circle 15 feet in diameter. For low markers it's probably closer to 8-10 feet, and for the 20-odd handicappers, 20 feet is probably a good goal.
When you can routinely land the ball inside your goal range, work out your distance.
Now advance to a swing that takes the club to about 10.30 (half way between parallel to the ground and pointing to the sky) and repeat the process. For me this is a distance of 60 metres.
Finally, do the same with a swing that goes back to 12 o'clock or perpandicular (pointing to the sky). This is where you have to keep your body quiet and let your arms swing the club, because any sway or body movement will affect the impact.
You're aiming at all times to clip the ball from the ground, taking only a very very small divot at the most.
The result will be a highish shot that bounces once, and depending on the ball you use, it should (for me with a Srixon ZUR or a Pro V1x) release three or four feet before stopping on the 40m shot, two feet or so on the 60m and land and stick on the 70m shot.

Conclusion:
Try this for yourself and get comfortable.
It's impossible to overstate the confidence of knowing you have a shot in your arsenal for those three key distances. Because you don't have to manufacture a swing to suit the distance, you can hit a relaxed pitch that you know is custome made for a particular distance.
Try the same with your gap wedge and pitching wedge to give you a range of options from 100m in.
The next challenge? Make yourself a dynamo on those 6-10 foot putts, and start planning how you'll spend your mates' money!!

EDIT - I now realise that these keys are extremely similar/identical to the Pelz techniques. At the time it was just some random thoughts I had been playing with for a few years. Feel free to add to/critique what I have posted.

[3oneday]

Any shorter versions ? Us with a short concentration span are suffering

[addamsmith]

Hi Virge
Fantastic Wedge setup ideas there mate,
There is always so much thought into other aspects of club setup But never enough in the Wedge setup.
I have always been a big believer of the right wedge setup and a Dave Pelz Short Game Bible go hand in Hand.

[Toolish]

8. As you get better – try grind the bounce completely off your LW – especially on the heel. It will either take your wedge game to a new level or butcher your wedge to a point where you cannot use it...

care to expand on that a bit?

[henno]

He means quite literally take to your LW with a grinder. Take the curve off the bottom, effectively leaving you without any bounce...

... or resale value.

[Toolish]

I know what he means...not sure why though. If I was to do that would I then have to stamp the wedge NWRNTY?

[Scottt]

My grandad has a sandwedge that Roger Davis advised him to grind the bounce off when he caddied for him at Riverside Oaks in the late 80s or early 90s.

It's amazing off tight lies.

[virge666]

Hi Virge
Fantastic Wedge setup ideas there mate,
There is always so much thought into other aspects of club setup But never enough in the Wedge setup.
I have always been a big believer of the right wedge setup and a Dave Pelz Short Game Bible go hand in Hand.

Right with you mate . . . as I said best part of the game and probably the reason I like Links golf compared to US Parkland golf. You get to bring your brain to the course - not just your execution.

I am more Tom Watson than Pelz . . . more feel and less mechanical.

[virge666]

Virge, the low 30 yard spinner is a shot I would love to have "in the bag". I have experimented with it with mixed results. Can you give an idiot's guide to playing it ?

Ben - I would LOVE to - In fact I have 4 videos on the actual process, but I sound like more of a pratt than usual, so I have never posted them.

It comes down to impact alignments and a proper aggresive release action keeping the clubface open.

It is like how everyone's tip is to hit the flop shot... you can teach this easily as it is basically a wedge shot with a huge flip. The low skidder MUST not be flipped and the clubface has to be held open to keep it low.

But some thoughts for those who want to try the low skidder ... Rarely will this work out of the rough...

1. Open clubface a touch, ball just in front of centre.
2. Weight 60-70 on the front foot. get your upper body mass towards the target - not just your hips.
3. Open Stance - much as you like depends on the shot... play with this.
4. Aggressive arms and passive hands, slight cutting action accross the ball.
5. Deloft the clubface whilst keeping it OPEN.
6. Keep the follow-through LOW
7. Be aggressive, more agression = more spin.
8. don't flip...

As I said it is a bloody hard shot and an advanced shot... hence the reason it is very hard to explain it without being technical.

Have fuin with this one.

[virge666]

care to expand on that a bit?

The boys are both right... most tour lads grind the bounce off the LW.. I have had some come to me and get them to even SHARPEN the leading edge for the rough...

When you lose the bounce you can open the wedge more without raising the leading edge. More loft - more aggression - more spin.

If you ever play in the champs or in Sydney - I can show you my 60 degree. I dead set butchered it... and it is awesome, especially off tight lies..

[Jarro]

Pics ??

[virge666]

Pics ??

Yeah I could do that.... I am just selling some stuff for a mate out of QLD, will post that soon.

Will get to it after that !

[markTHEblake]

The Pro at Horton Park (Robbo) was amazing with the low pitches with the sand irons. He could make that thing sing, say a 30m pitch just 2-3m high that would stop dead on the 2nd bounce. Yeah it was balata balls but on flat qld couch greens is still impressive.

[goughy]

I remember watching Jaster in his matchplay championship semi final a few years ago. On the 16th hole (with a 2 shot lead) and playing a 1 marker he hit an approach shot from about 60 or 70mtrs with his 60* that barely got past head height. It hit like 3ft from the flag and stopped 1ft from the flag. The 1 marker lost and had to drag his jaw along the ground after that shot. All the way back to the clubhouse Jaster explained how to do that shot to me and his competitor. I didn't have a hope and the other guy just couldn't do it quite right either. It was and still is one of the best shots I've ever seen. This 7 holes after hitting a perfect backspin into the hole hole-in-one.

[markTHEblake]

Yep thats the shot - me and another kid used to try hitting that shot for hours and could never figure it out. The harder we tried the higher it would go.

[Jarro]

The Pro at Horton Park (Robbo) was amazing with the low pitches with the sand irons. He could make that thing sing, say a 30m pitch just 2-3m high that would stop dead on the 2nd bounce. Yeah it was balata balls but on flat qld couch greens is still impressive.

Gaz used to do this all the time when he was using the Hogan Reds

[Scottt]

I went and did some testing with my new setup at the practice range at Bardwell Valley this morning.

Hitting 12 balls per set, I was able to work out that for a 7.30, 9.00. 10.30 (based on left arm position) and flop shot, I hit
Shot--: 730-900-1030-flop
47 deg: 40m, 60m, 70m, n/a
56 deg: 30m, 50m, 60m, 40m
60 deg: 20m, 40m, 50m, 30m

Will see what sort of extra confidence that gives me when I play tomorrow.

[Grunt]

Where's the Practice range @ Bardwell valley?

[3oneday]

Where's the Practice range @ Bardwell valley?

isn't it in that little triangle between 16 and 17 ?

[Grunt]

Oh that bit, I forgot about that. Is there enough room for a full wedge? I remember it having a hole in there a few years ago.

[markTHEblake]

But some thoughts for those who want to try the low skidder ...

I tried this today, worked right out of the box - instantly, first try, not even a practice swing . Cant believe i never worked this out sooner - it is so easy*. I must have hit 30 chips pitches and the worst thing i did was hit it too high sometimes.

For chips that are carrying like 5-10 metres, i can get em to go 2-3 feet high, and with the range ball stripes you can see its spinning like crazy (or is that my spinny wedge) and checks up even on that firm hard green

It seems that there is a distance limit for the shot if you really need force it, you get a high shot and prone to more errors, so perhaps limit with a sand iron is maybe 30m (for me). I hit some pretty good 9 irons today that went 90m roughly.

* However taking it to the golf course is different, I guess i shouldn't have tried for the first time on a 50m pitch across a lake. Bladed it way through the green, did it again later in the day. However that was more due to the thinking that i had to force the shot to get it over, If i had dropped a club (or two) it would be fine.

I feel very comfortable making the same swing, and just changing clubs to get further distance, i estimate 8 iron for 100m with zero effort.

Thanks for the lesson. albeit 25 years too late.

[virge666]

Thanks for the lesson. albeit 25 years too late.

Any time... Glad it helped someone.

[talbo]

The boys are both right... most tour lads grind the bounce off the LW.. I have had some come to me and get them to even SHARPEN the leading edge for the rough...

When you lose the bounce you can open the wedge more without raising the leading edge. More loft - more aggression - more spin.

If you ever play in the champs or in Sydney - I can show you my 60 degree. I dead set butchered it... and it is awesome, especially off tight lies..

I too did this years ago with a 60 deg Cleveland 588 Tour Action wedge, literally jammed it into a grinder wheel. Very nice club from tight lies but ****ed the weight of it right up. If I can find it I'll post pics...

I have another one of these which I still use but haven't grinded, don't really like it at all and it's going to make way for a Vokey SM 60.04 sometime soon.