How to Hit a Low Spinning Wedge Shot

One of the best shots to watch a Professional play is the wedge shot from between 40m – 70m.  The ball has quite a low flight, hits the green, bounces once or twice and stops dead.  I’m sure you have thought, how do they do that?  Well, it’s not magic.  It’s not related to strength, and it’s not that they are using a club or ball that amateur players cannot buy.  It’s simply understanding the type of impact required.  If you learn the technique to create this impact, you too can hit the low spinning wedge shot!

Equipment

If you have prefect technique for this shot, but your equipment is not correct, you will not get the same result as you see with the pros.  If you practice a lot, replace your wedge when the groves start to wear out; keep the groves clean, and use a premium golf ball.

Understand Impact Terms

Angle of attack – This describes the angle your club approaches the ball on.  (E.g. how much you hit up or down on the ball)

Loft – This is the loft of your golf club at impact.  (This might be different to what it was at address)

The difference between angle of attack and loft gives us a number which is called spin loft.

Impact Spot – Where you made contact on the clubface.

Impact Conditions required

To hit the low spinning wedge shot, there are certain conditions that you must meet with these 3 key areas. This would be a typical example of the impact conditions of a Professional.

Angle of attack – Maximum – 5 degrees downward (this would equal almost no divot on a firm fairway)

Loft – About 40 degrees.  Your hands will be forward at impact, reducing the loft of the club.

This angle of attack, and loft will create a Spin Loft of about 45 degrees which is optimum for a 50m approach shot.  It will change a little for longer and shorter shots but it’s too complicated to think about, target 45.

Impact Spot – The contact should be quite low on the clubface.  It might even feel a little thin.  This impact spot will create the maximum fiction between ball and clubface, making a lot of spin.  Also, you might be thinking that it is very difficult to deloft your sand to 40 degrees at impact, but striking the ball a little low on the clubface will help reduce the loft of the club.  As you can see in the picture, it will deflect the clubface downward, delofting the club.

Technique

Set-up

• Place your hands in front of the golf ball, reducing the loft of the club.
• Ball position in the center of your stance

This set up will give you the best chance of reducing the loft of the club at impact.

Backswing

• There is no need to cock your wrist much in the backswing

By not cockimg your wrist much, it will help to hit the ball clean off the ground.  Most player’s angle of attack is too much down.  Remember we want no divot for this shot.

Downswing

• Swinging from in to out can help keep the contact clean.
• Keep your hands forward through impact.

As I said, most players hit too much down at impact; by swinging in-to-out, it will help the angle of attack be about 5 degrees down, which is a clean contact. Many top players hit a small draw with this shot.

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Drill

To gain the feeling through impact, try this simple drill.  It will help gain the feel of keeping your hands in front of the clubhead as well as make clean contact.

• With any club, take your address, placing the head on the ground outside your right foot.
• Keeping your hands in front of the clubhead, dragging the clubhead through impact, you will feel your hands going up as you do this.
• Repeat the same feeling as you hit regular shots. This feeling will create the impact conditions you need to hit that low spinning wedge shot.