Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you play smarter and better golf.
As a high schooler, I didn’t have regular access to a driving range, but I did have access to a short game area and putting equipment. That was a big reason I became a pretty great player inside 100 yards.
Now, as an adult living in New York City, the opposite is true. I can go balls bang in the simulator as many times as I want, but I don’t have access to any practical environment for short games. As such, my ball striking has improved at the cost of my wedge game.
Funny how it works.
However, at the beginning of each season, I make an effort to map my wedge distances to a launch monitor, which always gives me a boost on the course. And it’s something all recreational players should do if they want to participate in their scoring clubs.
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How to plot your wedge distances
When you pull a wedge from the bag on the course, do you know how far the ball will fly? Most of the swings with these clubs will not be full, so it is essential that you know how far these partial swings go.
Most recreational players have no idea what their numbers are on these partial swings. They may know their full numbers, but for anything less, they rely entirely on gut feeling.
I too have been guilty of this in the past. And when I get on the course, it always costs me. This is why every season I make an effort to determine my distances with my wedges.
You can be as detailed as you want with your map, but for me, I go to the simulator and get numbers for three different swings (what looks like a full swing, three-quarter swing, and half swing) with each wedge. I hit five balls with each swing, which gave me a good idea of ​​my carry count for each variation. You can see my results below.
| Full motion | 3/4 swing | 1/2 swing | |
| Pitching wedge | 114 meters | 102 meters | 83 meters |
| 50 degree wedge | 98 meters | 85 meters | 65 meters |
| 55 degree wedge | 89 meters | 76 meters | 52 meters |
| 60 degree wedge | 78 meters | 64 meters | 42 meters |
My method is far from scientific, but it provides me with a nice baseline for any type of wedge and swing. And now that I’m on the course, I have a much better understanding of how far my ball is going to fly for each shot.
If you have trouble controlling your wedge distances on the course, I would recommend doing something similar with your wedges. Once you dial these numbers, it becomes much easier to lock it down on the course—and save strokes in the process.
