Titleist Tips: Partial Wedge Off A Tight Lie

In the short game, sometimes the most challenging shots are “tweeners” – shorter than your full wedge distance, but longer than a comfortable greenside pitch. Without proper technique, it’s easy to make a mess of these shots, either hitting them thin and blading the ball over the green or catching them fat, digging into the turf behind the ball instead of making ball-then-turf contact.

In this video, Titleist staff member Trillium Rose faces a very uncomfortable shot. She’s got 40 yards to an elevated green and her ball is lying on a tight lie. She’s also playing in the early morning, so the turf is soggy with dew. A lot could go wrong on this shot, but Trillium has a few keys that you can follow to take the fear factor out of these intimidating partial wedges.

1. Set up to the ball with long, relaxed arms and think “Quiet Hands”.
2. Engage your abdominal muscles and rotate your torso to power a short, controlled swing (the opposite of hitting at it with your arms and hands).
3. Take multiple practice swings to the side of your ball to get a feel for where the sole of your wedge is contacting the ground and rehearse the amount of speed you’ll need to carry the ball the appropriate distance.
4. Stay relaxed and rotate, accelerating all the way through the shot to a comfortable finish position.

Give Trillium’s keys a try the next time you’re facing an awkward, in-between distance near the green.

For more tips and drills from Trillium and other Titleist Staff Members, visit Titleist Instruction: https://bit.ly/2W4QkIR