The Situation
A medium-length pitch of 50 yards from a tight, slightly downhill fairway lie. You must carry a large greenside bunker about 30 yards in front of you. Any ball long is dead.
The Usual Mistake
Flipping the clubhead underneath the ball in an attempt to create more loft. The result is often a thin, bladed shot or a chili-dip.
The Fix
Lead with the handle of the club, not the head, keeping it low and tight to your body as you rotate through the shot [above, left]. The closer the handle is to your body, the easier it is to hold your wrist angles through impact, which prevents the clubhead from passing the hands in a classic flip move.
The key to avoiding the flip is to use the opposite end of the club than what seems natural, that is, the grip instead of the clubhead. By pulling the butt of the handle in and up to your left, you will turn to square the clubface and drop the clubhead down to the ball. Turn your body — not your hands — and just let the ball get in the way of your rotation.
Knuckles to ground
As you swing through, you should feel as if you're trying to scrape your knuckles along the ground.
This sensation will lower the shaft and bring your hands inside, making it nearly impossible to scoop. You can practice this by hitting half shots, starting with your hands at thigh-height. Think about maintaining the relationship between your hands and the clubhead as you swing forward, keeping your hands as close to the ground as you can [left]. Pull — don't push — and you'll hit the ball solidly every time.
5 MORE KEYS TO SOLID WEDGE PLAY
1. Narrow your stance from your normal iron setup so your feet are slightly less than shoulder-width apart.
2. Play the ball in the center of your stance. Move it slightly forward of center for a high, soft-landing shot and back for a lower shot.
3. Allow the length of the shot to dictate the length of your swing. The longer the shot, the longer your arms should swing back and through.
4. Feel like the clubface is sliding across the inside of the ball, not hitting the back of it. An inside approach will keep your right palm facing out to the right, adding loft.
5. Don't limit your follow-through. The length of your swing is not as important as its speed. Let your finish be dictated by the rate of acceleration: the faster your swing, the longer your finish.
Rick McCord is director of the McCord Golf Academy at Orange lake in Kissimmee, Fla.
