How to use the sole of your club for better wedge shots

Fault Fixer: Four step guide to using the sole of your club for cleaner wedge strikes…

One of the quickest ways to make your short game more consistent and reliable is to make full use of the forgiveness your wedges offer. Their angled soles, the trail edge lower than the leading edge, allow the club to skid along the turf, meaning you can in fact strike the ground several inches behind the ball and still get decent results.

There is just one proviso to this; you must have a shallow angle of attack. Here’s a drill that will help you learn to feel, trust and use sole forgiveness.

#1: Set Up For A Deliberate Duff

Take your regular, narrow pitching stance. Position the clubhead as for your usual, central ball position, but play the ball off your lead toe cap. Keep the shaft vertical, the butt pointing towards the middle of your body.

#2: Strike The Ground First

There are no technical thoughts for this drill; your mission is simply to strike the ground before the ball intentionally. Aim for the sole to impact the turf close to its address position, midway between your feet.

#3: Bounce Exposed 

By deliberately applying the clubhead to the turf before the ball, you will develop the ideal shallow attack angle that exposes the sole’s curve, or bounce, to the ground. You also ensure the sharper leading edge doesn’t dig, the cause of most duffed chips.

#4: Margin For Error

As you get more adept with the intentional duff, you will start to see how the sliding nature of this ground contact allows the club to strike the ball reasonably well. Your strike does not have to be perfect! In time return the ball to its regular, central position, but keep the same shallow delivery you have trained.