I’m someone who reallystruggles in the short game, with my golf wedges often refusing to do what they’re supposed to do anytime I’m near the green.
Trust me, though, it’s more user error than anything else — which is why I go overkill on short-game tips from bunkers and greenside rough.
Most amateurs spend so much time trying to master longer tee shots or better iron shots that they never really focus on maximizing their golf wedges.
For instance, do you know which club is the safest option depending on the situation you’re in? Most amateur golfers have no idea, and just yank out the wedge they see a pro golfer like Justin Thomas use.
Here’s a reality check: Neither you nor I are Justin Thomas, so it’s important to simplify the short game in order to have more success.
How to Pick the Perfect Club for Your Short-Game Shot
To help see more success in the short game, the Rainmakers Golf crew tapped top-ranked golf instructor Kevin Sprecher for some tips.
In the video above, Sprecher walks through two common questions he often receives from his students.
“Common questions I get when people are chipping [are] ‘what club should I use, and how do I decide what club to use,’” Sprecher says. “My initial answer is to make sure you use the least amount of loft as possible for the situation that you’re in.”
Sprecher then walks through his decision-making process on a variety of short-game shots, with distances ranging from about 15 yards to 35 yards.
“If we’re going to this front flag [which is about 15 yards], I’m very close to the green, but there’s not a lot of green to work with,” Sprecher explains.
This is where choosing a landing area comes into play, with Sprecher taking a few steps onto the putting surface to show his ideal land spot is — which, on this 15-yard shot, is about two-thirds in the air towards the flagstick.
“I want to land it [within a landing area] and then let it release [and roll],” Sprecher says. “It’s going to be difficult to control that type of shot with a less-lofted club like a pitching wedge, so I’d use either my 54-degree or 60-degree wedge on this shot.”
Sprecher then walks back to a middle flag, which is about 12 yards further than the near-sided pin — which allows him more green to work with.
“If I were in the same situation going for the middle flag, since I have much more green to work with, I’d probably [aim for a landing area] that’s 40-to-50 percent of the way there,” he explains. “This means I’ll use a much lower-lofted club, because if I used a 60-degree, I’d have to make a bigger swing — and making bigger swings to a close target is uncomfortable for a lot of golfers.”
Finally, Sprecher talks through his approach when hitting to the longest flagstick, saying he’d ditch using a golf wedge altogether and opt for something with even less loft.
“If I were to go way out to the far flag [which is about a 35-yard shot], I could hit my 8- or 9-iron to chip it and let it run back there — which is a much easier shot for [most golfers].”
While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to hitting short-game shots, there are some general rules that Sprecher thinks every golfer must subscribe to.
“Evaluate what the lie is, determine how much airtime you need to get the ball to land [in your desired landing zone], and then choose your club accordingly,” Sprecher adds. “I think it’s important to pick landing spots, so when I’m playing golf, I like to walk up to the green and take a look at what I’m dealing with.
“Is it hard or soft? Where can I land the ball to get it to go? Then I can visualize the shot I want to hit, which helps me choose the club to execute that shot.”
By going through Sprecher’s suggested steps, you can confidently choose a club that allows you to hit the shot you envision for the current situation.
“Choose the club that gives you the most consistent shot and the one you’re most comfortable with,” Sprecher tells golfers.
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