A key to improving your golf score is learning how to handle the responsibilities of the short game. While your friends and playing partners may be impressed by the long drive, it's your short game that will have the biggest impact on your score. Knowing how to hit your pitching wedge, your gap wedge and your lob wedge will help you compete better on the golf course.
Pitching Wedge
Use your pitching wedge when you are 90 to 120 yards from the green. The pitching wedge has a loft of between 48 and 52 degrees. To hit the pitching wedge correctly, don't baby your swing and make sure you get underneath the ball and follow through fully. Many medium- and high-handicap golfers make the mistake of slowing down their swing because they are afraid of hitting the ball over the green. When you are concerned about going past the green, take a shorter back swing and follow through but don't slow down. A slowed-down swing probably will result in your hitting the ball only a few yards.
Gap Wedge
The gap wedge is the proper club to use when your are 60-to-90 yards from the green. A gap wedge has a loft of between 52 and 56 degrees and will get the ball even higher than a pitching wedge. A ball struck properly with the gap wedge will land softly on the green, stop quickly and perhaps even roll backward toward the hole. You should be able to get your ball to land and stop around 14 feet or less from the flag stick when you use a gap wedge.
Lob Wedge
This club has been made famous by many of the top professional golfers, including Phil Mickelson, who is credited with perfecting the "flop" shot with his lob wedge. The flop shot is a ball that seems to go almost straight up, dropping softly on the green and stopping within 10 feet of the hole. The lob wedge can be used when you are 60 yards or less to the green. It is especially useful when you have to negotiate a hazard on your way to the green, such as water, a bunker or trees. The lob wedge will allow you to take a full swing, get over the hazard and drop the ball softly on the green.
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