The Easiest Way to Control Your Wedge Distances
Distance control, particularly with wedges, is a skill that can only be honed through intentional practice. All of those spectacular shots you see on TV are the result of 100s of hours of practice.
Distance control, particularly with wedges, is a skill that can only be honed through intentional practice. All of those spectacular shots you see on TV are the result of 100s of hours of practice. However, you are not a professional golfer and do not have hours per day to work on these shots.
Instead, what you should try to do is have a basic understanding of how to manipulate your backswing and follow through to control distance. You will not be perfect by any means, no one is, but you can improve greatly by working on basic technique. And most importantly, controlling the tempo of your swing.
Controlling your wedge distance through proper technique and swing tempo is critical. Especially for those awkward distance wedge shots where you need a half or three-quarter swing. These types of shots are often a struggle with recreational golfers. And because they struggle with half or three-quarter wedge shots, they tend to want to be in full-swing yardages.
Many people even believe that having a full shot will make it easier to shoot a lower score. (Spoiler: they do not.)
The reality is that it is always better to be closer to the hole. You will score better, on average, from 50 yards than you will from 100 yards. The data from places like Arrccos and Shot Scope make this abundantly clear.
Knowing that you will score better from 50 yards than 100 yards is all the more reason to practice these shots. And why you should never lay back to any specific distance just to have a full shot into a green. You simply will not score better from further away from the hole.
The best part is that the technique is so simple. What exactly is this technique I am rambling on about?
It’s the Clock Technique.
The clock technique is what I have been using for years. And it’s the main reason why I am so confident when it comes to these awkward yardages.
How to Practice the Clock Technique
I for one do not like hitting any of my wedges as hard as I can. A full wedge, for me at least, often leads to a more inconsistent ball strike. Therefore, I focus on practicing different lengths of backswing and follow through depending on how far I am trying to hit the ball.
A good way to think about this is by getting your arms to a specific time on the clock. For example, if I want to hit a 50-yard pitch shot, I will use a 56-degree and feel as if my arms get to 9 o’clock on the backswing and then my follow through to 3 o’clock. This swing will almost certainly get my ball to travel somewhere between 45 and 55 yards depending on the quality of the strike.
This method is very simple for anyone to follow as long as you know what the face of an analog clock looks like.
You should practice this drill with every one of your wedges. This is likely a 60, 56, 52, and PW or some other similar setup that you use in your bag. With each club practice getting your arms to the following positions:
9 o’clock to 3 o’clock
10 o’clock to 2 o’clock
11 o’clock to 1 o’clock
At each position on the clock and with each wedge, you will likely land the ball within a 5 to 10-yard range. Just like in my example above. I know I will carry my 56-degree wedge between 45 and 55 yards. If I hit a 9 to 3 o’clock with a 52 it will be closer to 50 to 60 yards.
How can you be sure that you know your carry distances with each wedge? There are 2 simple ways to do so.
Use a simulator. This is my preferred way especially now as we get into the winter months. You will get pretty accurate information that you can take to the course with confidence.
Use a bucket or rings or anything else of your choosing on the driving range. Place a bucket 30, 40, or 50 yards away, and then practice with each wedge to see how close you can land a ball to the bucket. (You can also use a rangefinder to laser different flags/areas of the driving range and then practice shots to that point.)
Either one of these options is a simple way for you to effectively practice these wedge shots. The main thing you are trying to accomplish is understanding how each one of these positions on the clock feels to you. It may not look exactly right if you record yourself, but that doesn’t matter because you need the feeling that you can take to the course.
In order to develop the feeling of the clock technique you need to practice these shots frequently. My recommendation to you would be to hit 3 to 5 shots at each position on the clock with each wedge every time you use a simulator or go to the range.
Additionally, when you practice these shots, be sure you pay attention to the trajectory with each wedge. Because at some point you will need to hit a higher softer shot over a bunker or hit a lower running shot underneath a tree limb. Knowing your trajectory will help you make smart choices when in a situation like that.
Once you dial in your distance and know your trajectories, you will be able to confidently walk up to any short-distance wedge shot with confidence. So while all your buddies will be laying up making bogey you can be confident in your wedge game and make par.