Perfect Pitching

 

Few stats are more telling that the one PGA Tour player Steve Stricker has dominated over the last five or six years. In the category of nearest the pin from 50-125 yards, Stricker has ranked No.1 in three of the last five seasons and currently tops the table with an average of 12’ 9” from the pin. Mind boggling when you stop and think about it – just imagine the effect on scoring if you could even get close to matching this consistency? Clearly, Stricker’s wedge technique is one worth exploring. So let me share with you some thoughts on how to control your spin, distance and trajectory in the wedge game, based on a U-shaped swing that produces pin-point accuracy from this critical

ELIMINATE WRIST HINGE AND CREATE UNIT OF LEFT ARM & CLUB

 

The secret to controlling the spin, trajectory and landing distance of your wedge shots lies in your ability to govern the angle and the speed of the delivery of the clubhead through the ball. And as Steve Stricker proves so conclusively, this is achieved most consistently with a technique that eliminates wrist action and places the emphasis for control on the bigger muscles in the body – i.e. the torso and the shoulders as you rotate away from and then toward the target.
 

 

When you work on the drill illustrated on this page, effectively denying the left hand its ability to hinge, you will find that you develop the sensation of the left arm and the club working as one unit in the swing. And that’s exactly the feeling you want to cultivate to play these precision shots from within 125 yards or so. Generating maximum speed is not the issue here – we are looking for a technique that enables us to control and repeat a consistent speed with a swing that produces predictable results. A wide, U-shaped swing returns the natural loft to the ball – and that’s your first goal in the quest to becoming a master of the wedge game.

 

CLUB, ARMS AND BODY ‘MATCH UP’ IN A SWING MADE IN AN EVEN TEMPO

 

 

Key to the technique Steve Stricker uses so effectively is the ‘quiet’ nature of the wrist action; the swing is controlled by the rotational speed of the body. To get this feeling, take the grip of your wedge in your left hand, snug with the base of your thumb, and then close the fingers to secure it. Doing this denies the left wrist the freedom to hinge and so makes for a terrific practice routine that will encouraged you to make a wide, U-shaped swing that is paced and controlled by the rotation of the body

One of the most striking characteristics of all great wedge players is the rhythm and tempo of the motion – nothing is ever hurried and the quality of the strike is consistent, shot after shot. When you practice, picture the moves of a Steve Stricker in your mind; pace your swing evenly on both sides of the ball. Luke Donald is another player who displays the same metronome-like quality. And this must be your sphere of focus as you look to develop your skills in this vital area of the game. Work on making half- and three-quarter length swings and simply adjust the beat of your tempo to vary the distance you fly the ball. As per my example above, try making a half-swing at a regular pace with your Gap wedge (and laser the distance you land the ball). Then repeat that same length swing but with a slightly more up-beat tempo, and again measure the results.

In a short space of time you can produce a matrix of different shots with your scoring clubs, fine-tuning your distances with, say, two distinct speeds which you can then replicate out on the course. So, you have a half- and three-quarter swing with your Wedge, your Gap wedge and Sand Iron, and two exact landing distances with each of them, according to your tempo.
 

FEEL AND MAINTAIN RADIUS IN A CONTROLLED SWING

 

Key to this drill is adjusting the flexi cord so that it is taut at the set-up, creating this relationship between your sternum and the clubshaft. The challenge then is to maintain that as you groove your moves, creating a shall U-shape swing

 

Maintaining this relationship between club and torso all the way to the finish is vital. Note also the role of the legs in the swing – there is no driving through impact. The lower body is supportive but passive

Another exercise that continues the theme: using this flexi-cord, which is designed to attach to a golf club, we can create a practice routine that quickly reinforces the sensations we are looking for in this technique – specifically creating and maintaining width both on the way back and again on the way through to a finish.

Ultimately, it boils down to practice! Nothing is more valuable to your game than the time you can devote to improving your wedge play. Ideally, get yourself a measuring device so that you can identify your exact landing distances with each of your scoring clubs

GROOVE RHYTHM AND ‘CONNECTION’ WITH THE TOWEL

A trusted favourite – but a drill that you need to understand before you go out and make the mistake that I have seen many amateur golfers make, believing it to be applicable to the full swing. Which it is not. The towel drill is specifically designed to help keep all of the components of the swing moving at the same even pace up to this half-way back and halfway through position. In other words, it is perfect to synchronise the movement of the club, your arms and body in the process of developing the heart of your basic pitching technique. But under no circumstances should you go out and train your full swing – any attempt to keep the towel in place beyond this halfway position will result in the movement of the arms being severely restricted and you will fail to enjoy the freedom they need to complete a full swing.