Pitching Technique vs Distance Wedges

[fishstix94]

I would like to know if anyone else is handling these shot like I am. 

 

I have spent a lot of time refining my wedge distances and I feel like I have a very strong game from 50-125 yards. I am playing these shots slightly forward of center with 75% of my weight on my front foot. I try to feel like I am hitting these shots with my body/turn with minimal wrist set (think stricker). For the first time in my career, I am able to really flight my wedges and generate a lot of spin. 

 

On my pitch shots, I prescribe to Monty's method of using the bounce. When I get to 40-50yd shots, I feel like I am caught in between techniques. How have others handled the merging of techniques? Is it strange to have different philosophies for these two shots? 

[Shilgy]

S as with most things in this game…it depends. How much green do you have to work with? Where’s the pin? Front? Back?

i had a playing lesson the other day and on a large green with the pin on the top back shelf I hit little 3/4 gap wedges to spin and stop and then hit pitching wedges to release back to the pin.

 For me the answer would change if it was a front pin for example.

 

 Technique wise I play the L wedge more like a long chip shot from 50-60 yards. Flights it a bit lower with lots of spin.

[Dewdman42]

1 hour ago, fishstix94 said:

I have spent a lot of time refining my wedge distances and I feel like I have a very strong game from 50-125 yards. I am playing these shots slightly forward of center with 75% of my weight on my front foot. I try to feel like I am hitting these shots with my body/turn with minimal wrist set (think stricker). For the first time in my career, I am able to really flight my wedges and generate a lot of spin. 

 

On my pitch shots, I prescribe to Monty's method of using the bounce. When I get to 40-50yd shots, I feel like I am caught in between techniques. How have others handled the merging of techniques? Is it strange to have different philosophies for these two shots? 

 

you said you are caught between two techniques, but I only understood you to describe one technique above...  I don't see any reason why you can't use your pitching technique down to 40 yards, even 30.  For me it switches over to more like chipping perhaps around 20 yards or less.  but you are refereeing some specific "Monte method" which i am not familiar with either.

 

Maybe describe a little more wha you mean by caught between two techniques and what are the specific things that are happening to you to give you this grief.

[fishstix94]

10 minutes ago, Dewdman42 said:

 

you said you are caught between two techniques, but I only understood you to describe one technique above...  I don't see any reason why you can't use your pitching technique down to 40 yards, even 30.  For me it switches over to more like chipping perhaps around 20 yards or less.  but you are refereeing some specific "Monte method" which i am not familiar with either.

 

Maybe describe a little more wha you mean by caught between two techniques and what are the specific things that are happening to you to give you this grief.

 

Sorry, so my distance wedge method i am hitting down on the ball, weight forward, minimal wrist set. 

 

Pitching method I am using the bounce, shallow motion, more of a defined wrist set in the back swing. 

[SNIPERBBB]

You have to look at each shot and determine which shot technique would be the easiest to execute for you that would give an acceptable result.  The more debateable part is what is an acceptable result. If you just want to get on the green, UTB is where I would lean. When you got a green light shot, where you go can at the flag, the more aggressive shot might be the play.

[Dewdman42]

11 minutes ago, fishstix94 said:

 

Sorry, so my distance wedge method i am hitting down on the ball, weight forward, minimal wrist set. 

 

when you say minimal wrist set, do you mean you have no shaft lean at impact?  I assume you are attempting to flight the ball by NOT flipping the club or releasing it through impact, but in order to flight it lower there would need to be some shaft lean at impact.

 

 

11 minutes ago, fishstix94 said:

 

Pitching method I am using the bounce, shallow motion, more of a defined wrist set in the back swing. 

 

using the bounce means what exactly?  What are you doing that causes the bounce to be used more?  Are you saying your hinge your wrist in the backswing and then release it through impact? (ie, a bit more flippy)?

 

Next question..are you using always the same backswing length or do you vary your backswing according to the needed distance or how do you go about accomplishing different distances, especially inside 60 yards?

 

Edited June 24, 2024 by Dewdman42

[fishstix94]

9 minutes ago, Dewdman42 said:

 

when you say minimal wrist set, do you mean you have no shaft lean at impact?  I assume you are attempting to flight the ball by NOT flipping the club or releasing it through impact, but in order to flight it lower there would need to be some shaft lean at impact.

 

 

 

using the bounce means what exactly?  What are you doing that causes the bounce to be used more?  Are you saying your hinge your wrist in the backswing and then release it through impact? (ie, a bit more flippy)?

 

Next question..are you using always the same backswing length or do you vary your backswing according to the needed distance or how do you go about accomplishing different distances, especially inside 60 yards?

 

 

I am creating shaft lean through my setup. Weight forward and it stays there. 

 

I am just engaging the bounce on my pitch shot. I have a much shallower AoA on this motion. You could say I am "flipping" more, but that isn't really what I am doing, although I use that feel. 

 

I use a bit of a clock method from 50-125

[Dewdman42]

why do you feel you need to release the clubhead through the ball more with the shorter pitch shots compared to the distance oriented flighted shots?

[Cwebb]

Does your distance wedge technique suddenly stop working well from a shorter distance?  If not, maybe just stick with that one method for all pitch shots

[Pepperturbo]

IMO Because it's visualization and feel, if a person is caught between techniques he/she hasn't practiced shorter yardages enough.

 

All depends on green conditions, pin position and how the ball lies.  Using any wedge, I seldom position the ball forward of center.  Generally, the ball is in the middle or slightly back of center, hands forward, weight on open stance, inner left foot and knees over the balls of my feet.  Spin is controlled by how hard I impact the ball and how much if any wrist is used at impact.  Sometimes, for more spin I will get wristy and flip at impact.  Whether bounce is used depends on the lie and intended shot, and how far I throw the ball is tied to my forward finish.  Most of the time, if using "T58" the face is opened various degrees.  If more bounce is needed I use F52.12 and open the face.

 

The other day, I hit a low PW to the middle of the green, knowing the ball would release towards the back and up the elevated portion of the green ending close to the pin, about 4'.  A few holes later, used 52' to the front of the green, release to middle pin position, about 3'.   Another time, using T58.4, opened the face 50%, flopped the ball on the front edge of the green, ball stopped pin high, 2' for tap in.  When I have a wedge in hand, it's THE best, most enjoyable part of golf for me because it requires imagination and execution.

Edited June 24, 2024 by Pepperturbo

[Haroputt]

Inside 50 yards  I using more chipping / soft  flop techniques > my visualizing is rolling ball into the cup

beyond 50 yards I more focus on the pin location and different set of principles I would call as pitch and run or very spiny cut pitch to stop the ball

 

[Obee]

4 hours ago, fishstix94 said:

I would like to know if anyone else is handling these shot like I am. 

 

I have spent a lot of time refining my wedge distances and I feel like I have a very strong game from 50-125 yards. I am playing these shots slightly forward of center with 75% of my weight on my front foot. I try to feel like I am hitting these shots with my body/turn with minimal wrist set (think stricker). For the first time in my career, I am able to really flight my wedges and generate a lot of spin. 

 

On my pitch shots, I prescribe to Monty's method of using the bounce. When I get to 40-50yd shots, I feel like I am caught in between techniques. How have others handled the merging of techniques? Is it strange to have different philosophies for these two shots? 

Totally. Depending on how supple/flexible you are and how much clubhead speed you can generate on the "use the bounce" pitche shots, we all have a point at which we need to transition to a different move -- if we have to carry the ball any appreciable distance.

If you have green to work with, then you'd be surprised just how far you can hit those "use the bounce" shots with, say, a PW vs a LW or SW.

Frequently, though, when around the green, we need to stop the ball relatively quickly, so PW or even GW is not really the right club very often.

Edited June 24, 2024 by Obee

[naj959]

I use a finesse sequence out to 40 yards. Past that I'm hitting a partial wedge. At 40 yards I can hit an open face finesse GW or a 1/4 swing LW. All dependent on what kind of spin and trajectory I want and how receptive the green is. My finesse swing and partial wedge swing have very different feels. OP, I see nothing wrong with doing what you're doing.