Short Game Clubs

IMPORTANCE OF THE SHORT GAME. About 2/3 of the shots in a typical round of golf are played from within 100 yards of the hole, and 2/3 of those shots are putts. A short chip, like a 3-foot putt, counts the same as a monster drive or a long fairway approach shot. From this perspective, it’s easy to understand the importance of the short game, but most golfers spend more time and money on getting a new driver than on a complete set of short game clubs. We think the priorities should be recosidered in favor of properly fit wedges and puutter. Not convinced? Then just ask yourself, how important is 2/3 of the game? It’s the essential key to lower scores.

WEDGE CONSIDERATIONS. Most wedge shots are made with partial swings that depend on feel and require finesse; with backspin being essential for holding longer shots on firm fast greens. Distance and trajectory control for most golfers will improve in response to subtle changes in length, weight, shaft flex, and sole design. If there’s more than a 6 degree gap between clubs, reconsider your short game set makeup. To improve feel, change to a shaft that matches your tempo. The wedges you select should match the playing conditions of your course. Custom grinds enhance control of your wedges to match any turf condition and overcome the limitations of off-the-rack stock clubs. 

CHIP SHOTS. The greenside chip shot is not the same as the short pitch shot and both are different than the medium to full wedge shot -- different swing techniques, different kinematic sequences. This part of the short game is where most golfers run into trouble. We think it's because they are being taught outdated swing techniques that just don't work well with today's turf conditions, groove rules, and ball technology. And golfers usually buy wedge brands, not wedge performance.

But most importantly, golfers don't practice with their wedges -- we don't consider banging away in the short game practice area with a small bucket of balls to be practice. There's a skill to effective short game practice that's every bit as important to learn as getting fit for the right wedges for your game. We recommend a dedicated wedge game fitting that includes learning effective stroke techniques to form the basis of getting the best wedge for your game. Learning how to practice will help too.

PUTTING. It's worth a few blog posts on its own. But we mention here for one basic reason. The quality of your wedge game has a huge influence on your putting. It's obvious when we write about it, but it helps to consider that if you can't chip the ball into the hole, then you need to get the ball one-putt close. 

BUYING WEDGES AND PUTTERS. It's the area of club purchasing that generally gets the least attention. Here is how we look at it. Putting is about 40 % and wedge shots are about 25 % of our game. Anyone can become great in these parts of the game with the right equipment, good technique, and effective practice. Anyone. Talent is learned. We can make up for drives and fairway shots that didn't live up to expectations by pitching or chipping the ball close to the hole and sinking it with one putt. Great wedges and a great putter will feel like they are an extension of your hands and forearms. They will fit perfectly because you had professional clubfitting, not because they were mass assembled and stacked in a big box rack. Let us know how we can help you.