How to Practice Wedge Shots

hWhile a lot of golfers spend lots of time working on their irons, it’s crucial not to forget how having a strong wedge game can literally make or break your round. According to an article on Golf.com, even the average five handicapper will only hit around eight greens in regulation, meaning that being able to use your wedges effectively from around 100 yards and in can work wonders on you shooting a low score. Although different golfers have different wedge setups, a recommended setup would to keep your wedges around 4 degrees apart. So, at the loftiest end you’d have a 60-degree lob wedge, then a 56 degree sand wedge, a 52 degree gap wedge and of course your pitching wedge which would be around 48 degrees typically. Then, you need to note your distances for each wedge so you can maximize accuracy when attacking the green. From a 50 yards in perspective, it’s equally important to practice different shot types as you will likely need more loft for shots over bunkers and less loft for more bump and run style shots.

Again, drills are the best way to refine your wedge game:

The Clock Drill

This is a great drill which helps with distance control when you don’t require a full swing into the green. By stopping your back swing at different points you can get a feel for how far a particular “take back” will go in terms of distance. For example, with a 56 degree wedge, a quarter swing may go 25 yards, a half swing 50 yards and 75 yards for a three quarter swing. By getting the “feel” right, you can really dial in your shots and reduce your putting distances.

The Bump and Run Drill

This is a great drill to help you find how much “air time” your different wedges have depending on the loft. You can then establish where you need to land your shots based on loft and expected roll distances. For this one, simply take a bucket of balls to a short game practice area and hit different wedges from the same distance to see the flight and roll differences.