Short Game – Short Game – Short Game!

Every few weeks there is a post on the AGCP forum that just seems to get lots of attention and responses.

The latest one relates to wedge bounce and wedge sole width – how important are they to wedge play, how does one do correct wedge fittings? So far over 25 responses to the initial question on this one, and a lot of good ideas on how to do wedge fitting. Mostly I am talking about sand wedge fitting.

For me the key lessons learned from the posts are…..

1. Getting good at wedge play is well worth the effort. If you can find a good teaching pro who can teach you good wedge technique and particularly sand play technique, you can overcome many of the missed shots that are part of a normal round of golf.

2. There is no one wedge that is good for all conditions of play. Some will play well in soft sand, some in harder sand. Some in soft fairways, some in tight fairways. And some can help you if you tend to “pick” the ball, where some others can help you if you tend to hit your wedge shots fat.

3. If you can find a fitter who has a variety of wedges with different bounces and sole widths, you should consider hitting shots will these different types of wedges and see what works best for you. Experiment………….see what wedge type can work well for you and your game and course conditions.

4. Finally…………and this was not in the post but is my personal view…………most players are better off not attempting to use a lob wedge. You might consider, in fact, carrying two sand wedges – one with a “normal” amount of bounce and sole width, and one with a wide sole design. Then you will have the tools to hit shots from a wide variety of lies and sand types.

Tony