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Hitting a "burning wedge" - question for the forum

ATLGolfer

ATLGolfer

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I've always wanted to hit a "burning wedge" shot -- the low trajectory, high spin pitch that takes a bounce or two and stops. I've seen a lot of tips on how to hit it, but they never seem to work for me.

Here's what I tried last weekend:

I used my 58*. Set up was back in my stance (almost at my right foot). I choked down on the club and had the face slightly closed. I took an abbreviated swing and bowed my left wrist at impact and kept the club low after contact. I was trying to "pinch" the ball into the turf.

Each time I tried the shot, the ball would fly low and sound like it had some spin. But, it would release every time it hit the green. I tried the shot from 20-30 yards and 30-40 yards with the same results, i.e., low-trajectory shot that ultimately released on the green.

Any suggestions?
 
Copied this from the Ask the Pro forum to Swing Tips.
 
This is a shot that I wish I had so anxiously waiting for some answers

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
 
Very interested as well. I try to hit that shot the exact same way as you and it always releases. How much does the ball you use factor into this shot?
 
One tip i have- don't know if it will totally fix your problem, but I make sure whenever i hit this shot to (or attempt to) ;) I always have most of my weight on my front foot to ensure "pinching" the ball
 
Love this shot but it can bite you is if you miss. Less loft, ball a little up in the stance and holding off on the finish works for me.

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Tapatalk2
 
Forward in the stance SW? Interesting as I would have thought back. Maybe this is why I can't hit the shot lol
 
Chunkylover77 said:
Forward in the stance SW? Interesting as I would have thought back. Maybe this is why I can't hit the shot lol
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For me it works better that way. Back around my right foot tends to cause the ball to jump because I get steep. I go about center for the low shot.

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Tapatalk2
 
Takes a pretty sharp clip of the ball to make a low 20-30 yard shot skip and stop in my opinion. I use this shot more from 60-90 yards. Usually with a gap wedge. That skips and stops. Back in the stance, hands forward, low follow through. I'm more apt to flip a little 56* wedge in from 20-30 yards.

Kevin
 
WHen I hit this shot I notice that I usually stop my swing after I hit down on the ball. Would following through create more backspin to help the ball check up?
 
My dad pretty much only chips with this shot. I can't figure it out!
 
When I play this shot it's usually from 50 yards or more....GW....ball back near right toes...shaft leaning forward...weight forward with a low follow through...ball usually hits bounces twice and grabs pretty quickly
 
There is one key - the clubhead must be descending when it contacts the ball - and the ball probably needs to be a pro-line soft cover ball.

EDIT: Oh, yeah - I need to add - the hands MUST lead the clubhead.
 
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I love this shot, I just can't do it, lol. Does the club have to be forged?
 
Think "Hinge and hold". Hinge and hold works from 5 feet or 60 yards and with a 60* or a 44*. That's my approach anyway.
 
Closed face? Why may i ask? If I want my pitches to release,thats when i close it.Closing the face produces a draw spin which rolls out,Thats how i was taught.
 
BigLeftyinAZ said:
Closed face? Why may i ask? If I want my pitches to release,thats when i close it.Closing the face produces a draw spin which rolls out,Thats how i was taught.
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The drill that I reviewed said to have the club face slightly closed because you press the shaft so far forward at impact. Pressing the shaft forward (and bowing the left wrist) opens the club face, so closing it at address makes the face square at impact.

I tried to start with a squared club face at address, but I felt like I was going to blade the shot at impact. Most times, I would hit a shot to the right that was too high.

I've seen a few people mention that the club should be slightly open at address but that you should aim a little to the left. I'll try that next time that I am out. I really would like to figure out how to hit the shot.

Thanks everybody for the tips. I have some more things to work on this weekend.
 
ATLGolfer said:
The drill that I reviewed said to have the club face slightly closed because you press the shaft so far forward at impact. Pressing the shaft forward (and bowing the left wrist) opens the club face, so closing it at address makes the face square at impact.

I tried to start with a squared club face at address, but I felt like I was going to blade the shot at impact. Most times, I would hit a shot to the right that was too high.

I've seen a few people mention that the club should be slightly open at address but that you should aim a little to the left. I'll try that next time that I am out. I really would like to figure out how to hit the shot.

Thanks everybody for the tips. I have some more things to work on this weekend.
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I do not have enough golf experience or skill to properly resond to this but this is my thought: pressing the shaft lower seems like it would close the club face a bit.. but than again I guess that also depends on how the grip is whether or not its promoting an open or closed club face.
 
ATLGolfer said:
The drill that I reviewed said to have the club face slightly closed because you press the shaft so far forward at impact. Pressing the shaft forward (and bowing the left wrist) opens the club face, so closing it at address makes the face square at impact.

I tried to start with a squared club face at address, but I felt like I was going to blade the shot at impact. Most times, I would hit a shot to the right that was too high.

I've seen a few people mention that the club should be slightly open at address but that you should aim a little to the left. I'll try that next time that I am out. I really would like to figure out how to hit the shot.

Thanks everybody for the tips. I have some more things to work on this weekend.
Click to expand...

Ok,I understand now.
 
Forward press, ball back etc is all quite counterproductive. Yes, you get a lower trajectory and you might get the spin but it also makes the shot less predictable. In general, you do not want to take a divot. You just want to sweep/brush the ball off the ground, which is also why this is easiest to do from a tight, firm lie where the club just bounces off the ground and you make the pure, tight contact. Swing plane and bounce are also key in order to pull it off.
 
This has become my go to shot for longer shots into the green (60 to 100 yards), where forward shaft lean while taking a divot creates a lower trajectory with a lot of spin. From 60 yards its a hop and stop. From 100 yards, the ball will generally hop, and then back up about 10 feet or so. I don't move the ball any further back in my stance than a normal wedge shot though.

From 20-30 yards, it is not as easy to generate enough spin to make this type of shot work (for me). I need to hit this shot with my lob wedge from that close to generate near enough spin. When that close, swinging hard enough to get it to hop and stop brings a lot of risk into play (slightly thinned will go 20 yards long). But if I'm short sided and need to hit this type of shot, I try and keep the face open with an abbreviated follow through to allow the ball to stay on the face of the club as long as possible to increase spin. And as thePete has said above, for these shorter shots, I don't take much, if any, divot.
 
I might be crazy, but I usually open my club face a little bit and put the ball right off my back foot. Then I hold off on my finish making sure I don't release my wrists. I play this shot from 30-40 yards and it comes off like a line-drive and bites like crazy.
 
Although everyone else got here first, here's my two cents (and I am usually a pretty high-spin wedge players):

1. Play the ball off your back toe
2. Lean the shaft forward, so you hands are at the center of your stance
3. Take a steeper backswing than usual
4. Shift your weight extremely far forward on the downswing
5. Try to get the bottom of your divot at the center of your stance (don't try to "pinch" the ball; instead, hit down on it naturally)
6. Start breaking your wrists through impact (hits down a little harder)
6. DO NOT keep your hands low. Keep them going with a regular follow-through
 
That shot is pretty difficult from only 20 yards. I usually won't even consider that shot unless it is 50 or more yards.

Also... only try if from the fairway or really short grass. You won't be happy with the result from the rough.
 
I dont know if its technically correct, but for these shots, what works for me is to really concentrate on keeping more weight on my front, and keeping that quiet. I play the ball back about a ball's width. I never take more than a 3/4 swing. Concentrating on keeping my weight forward, for me, lends itself to more downward striking. That way im not thinking about doing multiple things, im thinking about doing one thing. Just my .02, but its always worked for me.
 
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