Wedge Wisdom

 BY ANNIKA SORENSTAM 04-06-2009

chipping, wedge, golf For crisp contact, don’t cheat on your turn.

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The biggest mistake I see amateurs make on wedge shots, especially on less-than-full ones, is trying to control the motion with their hands and arms. They freeze their bodies and try to produce the right amount of hit at the bottom of the swing.

That’s no way to be consistent. I take the focus off my hands and arms by making a full body turn back and through. This makes contact and distance more predictable. I open my stance to create room for my arms to swing through the ball and to promote a full rotation to the finish. I also swing through at least as far as I swung back, which ensures I’m accelerating at impact – a key in developing distance control.

So open your stance and turn your body back and through. You’ll find a smooth rhythm and hit your wedges with precision.


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