Pitching Wedge Help

Relatively new poster so first of all, Hello!

As my handicap suggests I stand to improve my game in all areas but something I consistently struggle with is using my pitching wedge from between 70-100 yards. I'm pretty decent with a 7/8 iron in hand, or from within 50 yards, but mid range approaches with the PW continue to annoy me. I typically catch then very thin and often pull them to the left aswell.

Anyone got any "secrets" they'd like to share. Obviously it's a pretty important shot....

Probably the easiest club in the bag to hit, try keeping your head still and watch the clubhead onto the ball.

Ivan, my max for the PW is about 100yards, but as you say, we only had PW's and SW's and learned how to play the many different shots one can with these two clubs.

I have never adopted the half and three quarter swing approach, as I can hit the ball just as far with a quarter backswing as I can with a full swing I have always played all my iron shots with differing degrees of weight (feel) and trajectories. The modern game geared to the one swing one ball flight approach has no attractions for me, so I will remain forever in my own little cocoon.

Jack,  I tend to thin a wedge when I try and hit it hard. I now lean towards taking more club an less of a swing. 

What I have also found is that cavity back wedge can "bounce" off firm ground, whereas a blade cuts through the turf, however, I find the blade "bogs down" in soft ground whereas the cavity back does not.  I tend to carry one of each in the car and decide which to use on arrival.

The real key is, of course, practice.  I get odd looks at the driving range when I get a bucket 50 balls and do not hit any further than 90 yards, and most less than 50 !  This investment in time as radically improved my short game.  If you consider how many chips and pitches you have to play in a game you are likely to get a better return (with regard to score)  than smashing balls with a wood.

You have the right approach, James, in my opinion. I don't have blade clubs anymore so I find that I have to use the SW with bounce and I now can play this very successfully, although a precise strike is necessary.

If I ever go to a range then I do exactly the same as you, I hit fifty balls with my PW.

I do try and use most clubs in my bag whenever I go the range and hit 100, perhaps as you say it is a question of concentrating solely on the PW next time I go down (although I did hit about 10 last time i went and they came off the club quite nicely). Practice makes perfect is probably never truer than with this game!

Very valid point about the club bouncing off harder ground, I've always preferred a lie with a bit of grass underneath the ball. Maybe it will get easier when the fairways aren't as bare as they are at the moment.

Taking half/three quarter swings is something i am just beginning to get into. Hit half a 7 iron yesterday instead of taking 8/9 when laying up yesterday and it was probably the cleanest strike of my round.

Thanks for the replies

I know what you meant, Ivan, I was just attempting to make my point to others regarding how I adjust my swing tempo.

Beginning to wonder how valuable the range is for wedges as always seems so much easier on the mats than grass. Or maybe at the range you are just aiming at a post and don't really see the ball land (hopefullly) on the green and see what it does then.

BTW do people generally tee the ball on short par 3s or do you prefer to play it off the turf?

I always tee up when I'm on a tee. I think it was Jack Nicklaus who said you should always tee up when you can... he should have a rough idea of what to do.

I find that whenever I catch shots thin or pull them to the left it is down to the overuse of the arms in the swing. It is natural as this type of shot is a 'feel' shot an anxiety to get the shot right takes over. Having recently been on a short game clinic, what I found was useful in improving the consistency of these type of shots was to keep the weight on the left side. Address the ball with your hands ahead of the club face and set your wrists to this position throughout the swing i.e. don't flex the wrists. Distance is controlled by how far you swing back and the pace of the strike is purely controlled by rotation of your body and should be fairly constant. Don't hit at the ball with your arms, let the rotation of the body do it for you naturally. The follow through should be along the target line and low. You'll find you be hitting down on the ball and the benefit of this is check spin. http://www.golfshake.com/scripts/ckeditor/plugins/smiley/images/regular_smile.gif" title="smiley" />

Hope that helps.