Coming from the inside with a wedge - Less than full swing

[Molten]

I've been working to improve my short game and have received some conflicting information. I want to know what the community thinks and see what you all think is the best way to eliminate some terrible shots. My biggest fear is that I might start trying to shape my wedge shots and adding more variables to my short game.

With a full wedge swing, I still try to come from the inside and treat it like a normal swing, but on less than a full swing I try to swing for a truly straight shot or off to the left of the target. I've heard that this cuts down on my spin numbers and makes the overall yardage lower but increases the effective loft on the club, although I'm not sure how true all of this is. Worst of all, this approach tends to lead to some fat shots (or the dreaded chili-dip).

How do you approach a wedge shot that is less than a full swing? Are you trying to hit it straight? Trying to get a high spin rate?

If you post nothing else, give me one wedge tip that helps you score.

 

[SquirrelyDave]

For me wedges are not a shaped shot, or,more accurately, they're shaped the same way as the rest of my shots ( a slight fade) I'm pretty much finding a target on the green and trying to hit short of that, and planning for a little roll out.

 

[emart2173]

If less than full swing I open up stance a little and try to make ball first contact and keep the swing moving all the way thru the shot

 

[Molten]

Thanks you two - Perhaps I worded it a bit incorrectly to really hit the nail on the head. On a less than full wedge, do you all still swing out to 2 o'clock or do you approach a it by swinging to noon or maybe 10 o'clock? Perhaps more importantly, why?

 

[cyoung2ty]

For less than full shots, or more specifically, shots inside 50 yards... I move the ball forward in my stance a bit... open the face some and try to nip the ball off the turf with an outside-to-in swing.

I find that this generates more spin, which allows me to try (key word being try) to fly my ball just shy of the pin, bounce once and stop.

Now... I'm a 17.4 handicap so... I'm just as likely to either blade it or hit it fat as I am to catch it cleanly and have it do what I'm hoping for... but when it does happen, it's really satisfying.

Also... I have a natural over-the-top swing which means an outside-in swing, so... I just find that path with the wedge to be practical.

Sent From My Samsung Note 4 Using Tapatalk

 

[ohio_striker]

this is more technical than i normally get. the way i look at it is there are 2 ways to hit a wedge either high or low. if you hit it high the trajectory will help stop the ball as it will have less spin. if you hit it low it will have more spin inherently. the best wedge players i have seen hit the ball low with lots of spin. its less effected by the wind and will have enough zing to stop on hard fast greens.

 

[The Milk Man]

I play the ball off my back foot open stance and swing out to 10 o'clock (I am left handed for a righty it would be 2 o'clock). This produces low flighted drawing wedge shots with a ton of spin. Shallow divot as well.

 

[emart2173]

Thanks you two - Perhaps I worded it a bit incorrectly to really hit the nail on the head. On a less than full wedge, do you all still swing out to 2 o'clock or do you approach a it by swinging to noon or maybe 10 o'clock? Perhaps more importantly, why?

Not something I think about...i take my swing and let the arms get to whatever position I feel for the shot I'm hitting. Example if I'm hitting a 60 yard shot with my 54* I will swing until my arms get to about 9. For lomg or shorter distances the arms get to a higher or a lower position.

 

[Den60]

Well, if it is a longer wedge shot I just shorten the backswing some and use my normal swing. If I'm in between clubs I generally club up and shorten the swing. For pitches and chips I use an open stance with a lower case "y" wrist/arm position for chips and a "V" wrist/arm position for pitches, both with the weight starting forward and choking down on the club (more for chips than pitches). I used to use a 10 finger grip for chips and pitches but I am now finding that my usual interlocking grip works better for me.

 

[-CRW-]

I use a square to slightly closed stance and attempt to do what Andrew Rice recommends in this video:

 

[theoverswinger]

The wedge shot is a less rounder swing because it's a short club. It's almost straight back and through. Let the body turn take care of the roundness of the swing.

And like some have said here, I try to focus on good ball contact, which is harder than it sounds.

I have partial swings for 2, 3 and 4 o'clock for my wedges. I admit the Vokeys are not easy, but they're spectacular when I get it right.

The stance depends on the terrain and the lie. I just let the body adjust to the terrain and it can be either open or closed, but nothing too far away from my standard full swing stance.

 

[garethw]

I use a square to slightly closed stance and attempt to do what Andrew Rice recommends in this video:

I watched that one yesterday and thought of it when I read the original OP. This is something I am trying to work on now.