Hitting Clean Wedge Shots: Some Pointers

High-quality golf wedges, like Vokey wedges, are optimized for your short game. With the right form, a wedge with the proper loft and bounce can get you out of a bunker, hit a perfect chip shot, or an ideal pitch, landing the ball just where you want it, to get you out of trouble, or right on the green.

Wedges, like Vokey wedges, (and like irons) tend to have high loft and bounce. They’re designed to send the ball on a high arc so it doesn’t roll out too much when it comes down. Unlike a driver, which is designed to send the ball as far as possible, wedges are designed to let you hit the ball with great accuracy and control over shorter distances, for precise placement.

That being said, it takes a great deal of skill to execute on your short game, and wedges require some specific training to become effective with them. At the same time, you can’t master the sport by driving or putting alone; you also need to learn how and when to use a club like a wedge effectively.

So, with that in mind, here are some suggestions for how to hit clean shots with your golf wedges.

Choose the Right Wedge

Vokey wedges, for instance, all have different sole grinds that produce different bounce characteristics. Some bite fairly deep, others tend to skip off the surface. Some are designed for optimal performance on sand, others for use on soft earth and grass. For more information, see our previous posts, Vokey Wedges: Key Terms Explained, and Vokey SM8 Wedge Grinds Explained.

Master PGA

That’s not “Professional Golfers’ Association,” at least not in this context. It’s Posture, Grip, Alignment. You must master these fundamentals to become proficient with a golf wedge in your hand.

Normally you hear “shoulder width” but with a wedge, it’s actually better to have your feet a little narrower, within an inch of shoulder width, if not even more. As with other shots, keep your weight on the balls of your feet, more to your lead side (left foot if you’re right-handed), and your knees should be flexed slightly.

Use moderate grip pressure, and make sure that the V’s you create with your thumb and index finger on both hands should be pointed towards your trail shoulder (right if you’re right-handed).

As for alignment, make sure your target line is perfect with where you want the ball to go.

Master Low Point Control

You need to be able to maintain good club head speed through the point of impact, not just at it. Doing so requires good low point control, because if you can’t control the low point, the club will bite deeper into the ground and lose a lot of speed, and thereby power.

You also need to be able to apply pressure at the right point during the downswing to build speed as the clubhead approaches the ball. This comes at the point when the club is about 50% of the way down towards the ball - here is where you will want to put muscle into your swing.

Additionally, your hands should lead the clubhead ever so slightly, and should be right over the ball right only right before the club gets there. Full release should come after the wedge has contacted the ball, about 30° to 40° after.

For many golfers, they swing too hard, too soon, and worse yet, their full release comes way too early. When that happens, you don’t get good energy transfer. Both shot distance and placement can suffer.

Stop Trying to Hit Farther

Shots with a wedge should never be about distance. These are not clubs designed to do that; they are designed for placement. Yes, it is impressive to see how far some pros can hit with their wedges, but it’s important to remember how much training this takes, not to mention that even for them what’s more important is that they hit their target, not just that they get to it.

Master form, low point control, select a wedge based on its bounce, and then practice, practice, practice until you can predict where the ball will land and how it will roll with a given wedge and distance.

Train, Rinse and Repeat

You won’t get better at your short game by reading about it. These tips can help but the most fundamental aspect of practice is just that - practice. Now that you know what you need to know, get out there and practice your short shots with wedges.

Like putting, hitting clean and accurate shots with a wedge requires an immense deal of precise control that can only come with dedication to practicing. Carve out the time and get out there.

Here to Learn More About Vokey Wedges?

If you’re here because you’re interested in replacing some of your current wedges with highly coveted models like Vokey wedges, get in touch with our fitters if you have any questions, they will be more than happy to help you out.