Seventy percent of all shots are played from within one hundred yards of the green. That’s a startling but accurate statistic. Needless to say, one of the keys to lowering a golf handicap is accurate pitching, and one of the keys to accurate pitching is club selection.
Now, some people use a pitching wedge, some the sand wedge and others the lob wedge. Hands down, the best one to use though is the sand wedge. Why? Well, it has an advantage over the pitching wedge because it generates more loft than the latter, giving the ball more height in flight and more backspin. Thus, you can hit a fuller shot with the sand wedge than the pitching wedge from the same spot. The pitching wedge does not have enough loft and the lob wedge in many cases has too much.
So, here are the keys to pitching with the sand wedge: Adopt a normal address as if you were hitting a drive. Keep the grip and posture the same as well, then do the following:
The emphasis of the swing is on your hands and arms, not your body. Moving your front foot back (away from the ball) opens your stance slightly, allowing the club to clear your hips. Keep the shoulders lined up with the intended target line, however. Also, keep your wrists flexed in the backswing, ensuring that the club remains in the slanted position—as it was at the beginning of the swing—when it strikes the ball. The steeper swing creates a deeper divot.
Some golfers shy away from using a sand wedge unless they’re in a bunker. That’s because of the club’s sole, which differs substantially from the pitching wedge’s. Placing the hands in front of the ball, however, neutralizes the difference in the soles, enabling you to capitalize on the sand wedge’s advantages.
So, next time you’re 100 yards and in and especially for the “half shots” like 50 yards, try using the sand wedge. You may just be surprised at the results.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80…And Shoot Like The Pros!. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that was able to figure out the secrets of shooting in the 70’s on a consistent basis without quitting your day job. Jack has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.