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This is what I consider to be the most important shot in the short game, not because you have it all the time but because the technique involved in executing it correctly can be modified into just about every other short shot you need to have a high level short game. The key is the ability to contact the ball the same way every time, and I strongly urge my students to disregard any previous instruction suggesting that they “use the bounce” of the wedge when they impact the ball. Instead, I believe that consistent, quality contact is achieved by forward leaning the shaft at impact and hitting the ball with the leading edge hitting the ground after the ball has already been struck. This downward, “trapping” blow allows the player to strike the ball solidly off of any kind of lie, and is especially effective in “tight” lie situations where it looks to the eye like you “can’t get under it”. Well, the point is that you don’t want to get under it, you want to squeeze the ball into the ground and let the loft of the club make it go up, not by flipping your hands. The 30 yard shot can turn into a 40,50, and 60 yard shot simply by extending both sides of the swing. It can gear down to 20 and 10 yards by shortening both sides. It can add height by modifying the setup and clubface angle, and you will lower the height by changing to a lower lofted wedge.
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