How To Master Those Inbetween WEDGE SHOTS
How To Master Those Inbetween WEDGE SHOTS
I was standing in the middle of the fairway, about 55 yards from the pin. It was the perfect "in-between" distance—too short for a full pitching wedge, but too long for a simple chip. I stood over the ball, feeling a wave of indecision. I tried to make a three-quarter swing with my pitching wedge, hoping to take something off it, but the shot came out thin and low, scuttling into a greenside bunker. My next attempt with a sand wedge was a big, slow swing that felt clumsy and produced a heavy, fat shot that barely reached the green. The frustration of these "in-between" shots had plagued my game for years. I could hit a full shot with my wedge, and I could chip, but that vast gray area in between was a mystery to me.
I realized that my problem was rooted in a lack of a clear plan. I was relying on feel, trying to "manufacture" a shot without a reliable method. I was trying to make my full swing shorter, which is a recipe for disaster and leads to a wide variety of outcomes. I saw other players who seemed to have a simple, repeatable motion for these shots, and I knew I needed to find my own. I was looking for a way to carry hazards like bunkers and stop the ball on the green, and I was convinced there had to be a more effective way to play these shots than just hoping for the best.
After a lot of trial and error, and with the help of some great instruction, I've developed a simple system for these shots. It's a method that is built on establishing a reliable reference point in my swing, and it has completely changed my game. I now stand over these shots with a clear plan and a high degree of confidence. This isn't about trying to make a perfect, full swing smaller; it's about building a specific, repeatable half-swing that I can rely on. This approach has allowed me to hit those tricky "in-between" shots with a purpose, and it has transformed my scores.
The Problem with the In-Between Shot: Indecision and Poor Contact
Why are these "in-between" shots so difficult for so many golfers? The answer, I believe, lies in indecision. When you're standing over a shot that is not a full swing or a chip, you have to make a choice. Do you take more club and swing easier, or less club and swing harder? Most amateur golfers, myself included, often opt for a big swing and then try to slow down, which is a fundamental mistake. The golf swing is a dynamic motion that relies on rhythm and tempo. When you try to intentionally slow it down, you disrupt that rhythm, which often leads to a poor strike.
This indecision manifests itself in a few ways:
Lack of a Clear Plan: You stand over the ball without a clear idea of what you're trying to do. You're hoping for a good outcome instead of executing a plan. This leads to a tentative swing and poor contact.
Bad Ball Striking: When you try to take something off a full swing, you often end up trying to "steer" the ball, which disrupts the natural flow of your swing. This can lead to fat shots, where the club digs into the ground behind the ball, or thin shots, where the club blades the ball across the green.
Loss of Distance Control: Without a repeatable swing, your distance control is nonexistent. A half-swing on one shot might go 50 yards, while a half-swing on the next might go 70. This makes it impossible to know how hard to swing to hit a specific target.
The key to solving this problem is to stop thinking about a "modified" full swing and start thinking about a different swing altogether. My solution is to create a "level one" technique with a specific reference point that I can rely on every time.
The Solution: Building a Reliable Half-Swing
The goal of this technique is not to hit a specific distance, but to develop a specific feeling in your body and a specific position in your swing that produces a repeatable result. The beauty of this approach is that it is entirely personal to you. My half-swing might not be the same as yours, but the process of finding it is what matters.
Step 1: Choose Your Club
I recommend starting with a sand wedge (around 56 degrees). The sand wedge has a lot of loft and bounce, which provides a larger margin for error. It’s a great club to learn on because it is forgiving and helps you get the ball in the air with a good amount of spin. [01:07]
Step 2: Calibrate Your Full Swing
Before we can find our half-swing, we need to know what our full swing feels like. I'll hit a few full shots with my sand wedge to establish my 100% distance. It doesn't matter what this distance is—whether it’s 70 yards or 100 yards—it's just a reference point for me to work from. [01:46] This gives me a baseline to compare my half-swing to.
Step 3: Find Your Half-Swing Feel
This is the most important step. I focus on my body turn, not just my arms or the club. [02:34] I'm trying to find what feels like half of my full body turn. For me, this is when my arm is about level with the ground, a position I call "9 o'clock." This is my physical reference point. I'll take a few practice swings to get the feel of this body position.
Step 4: Execute the Shot with Body Rotation
This is the most crucial part of the process. I don't just stop my swing at 9 o'clock. I maintain my body rotation through the shot, turning my hips and finishing with my weight on my front foot, facing the target. [03:00] This is a full body motion, even though the swing itself is shorter. The key is to avoid trying to lift the ball in the air; I simply focus on striking the back of the ball. The loft of the club will do the work.
Step 5: Calibrate, Don't Aim
When I first practice this half-swing, I don't try to hit a specific distance. Instead, I execute what feels like a half-swing and observe how far the ball goes. This helps me calibrate my personal half-swing distance. I might hit a few balls that go 55 yards, and a few that go 60. Over time, I'll find my average distance for this specific swing. [04:09] I'll hit multiple shots with this half-swing feel to find my average distance.
The Fundamentals of a Great Half-Swing
While the focus of this technique is on finding a feeling, a few fundamentals are still critical to good execution.
Ball Position: I place the ball in the middle of my stance, maybe even slightly back. This promotes a downward strike on the ball, which is essential for crisp contact.
Weight Forward: I make sure my weight is slightly on my front foot, similar to how I would set up for a chip shot. This helps me to get a clean strike on the ball before the club bottoms out.
Hands Ahead: I ensure my hands are slightly ahead of the ball at address. This promotes a slight de-lofting of the clubface, which helps with a penetrating ball flight.
No Scooping: The biggest mistake in this shot is trying to "scoop" the ball into the air. The loft of the sand wedge is designed to do the work for you. Your job is to make a solid, ball-first strike.
Expanding Your In-Between Shot Arsenal
Once I’ve established my half-swing distance with the sand wedge, I can start to achieve different distances by using the same half-swing feeling with different clubs.
The Same Half-Swing with a Pitching Wedge: If I take my pitching wedge (around 48 degrees) and make the same half-swing motion, the ball will go further and lower than it would with my sand wedge. I don't have to change the feel of my swing; I just have to change the club. This gives me a new, reliable distance for my half-swing.
The Same Half-Swing with a 9-Iron: I can do the same thing with a 9-iron. The ball will fly even lower and go even further.
This approach gives me a simple, repeatable system for those difficult "in-between" shots. I don’t have to try to take something off a full swing, or try to guess how hard to hit it. I just have to execute my half-swing, and the club I’ve chosen will do the rest. The primary goal is to become proficient with the half-swing sand wedge shot. It's the foundation of the entire system.
The Mental Game of In-Between Shots
This technique is not just about the physical swing; it's also about the mental side of the game. My "in-between" shots used to be a source of fear and anxiety. I would stand over the ball, worried about hitting a bad shot. My new system has eliminated that fear entirely.
It provides clarity: I no longer have to guess what to do. My system gives me a clear plan of attack. I know what club to use and what swing to make. This clarity allows me to make a confident, unhesitating swing.
It removes the pressure: When I know I have a reliable shot for a specific distance, the pressure is off. I'm not trying to make a perfect shot; I'm just trying to execute my half-swing. This focus on the process, rather than the outcome, leads to better results.
It builds confidence: The more I practice this shot and see the results, the more confidence I have. I know that I can rely on this shot in any situation. This confidence allows me to play with more freedom and enjoyment.
The beauty of this system is that it's all about finding your own reference points. My half-swing might be a little longer or a little shorter than yours, but the process of finding it is what matters. Once you've found your half-swing, you can rely on it in any situation.
Drills to Master the Half-Swing:
The Stop-and-Go Drill: On the practice range, make your half-swing motion and stop at your reference point. Take a moment to feel the position, and then complete the swing. This will help you build a solid feel for the position in your swing.
The Ladder Drill: Using your sand wedge, hit a series of half-swing shots, focusing on getting the ball to land in a specific yardage range. Try to keep the ball flight and distance as similar as possible.
The Target Drill: Pick a target on the range and imagine it's a small green surrounded by bunkers. Use your half-swing to try to get the ball to land softly on the green, carrying the bunkers. This will simulate a real on-course situation.
This approach has been a game-changer for me. It’s given me a reliable shot for those difficult "in-between" distances, and it has allowed me to play with more confidence and enjoyment. My scores have improved, and my golf rounds are no longer ruined by a few bad wedge shots. I’m confident that if you adopt this approach, you’ll see the same improvements in your own game. It’s a simple change that can have a huge impact on your scores.
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