You’ve probably heard it before — golf isn’t rocket-science.
Something you may or may not know — short game instructor extraordinare, Dave Pelz, was a rocket scientist once-upon-a-time.
Dave Pelz has spent countless hours on the PGA Tour taking statistics, observing what tour players do best and what they don’t do best.
In his first instruction book — The Dave Pelz Short Game Bible — he prefaces everything with the statement — “Everything I’m telling you I can prove.”
Pelz backs up his instruction with real-time data taken from golf’s ultimate proving ground — the PGA Tour.
When you think short game, the name Phil Mickelson should be right up there when you think about the best-ever. Lefty’s amazing career has been punctuated by an awesome short game that has provided some serious longevity as he is now 50-years-old.
Today we’ll get a lesson from Pelz as he demonstrates how to hit those high, soft wedge shots that you need when you find a bunker in between you and the flag-stick. Joining him as an observer is another instructor of note — Martin Hall — who conducts The School Of Golf on The Golf Channel.
Click on this link for the high, soft wedge shot as shown by Pelz:
To review:
Place the ball in the middle of your stance (too many players believe they have to move it forward).
Move you body angle left of your target.
Open the face of the appropriate wedge, either a sand wedge or lob wedge (the face is now aligned with the target).
Take a normal swing, albeit shorter than a full swing.
Keep your grip pressure light.
Most of all, and this is extremely important — you have to practice this shot over and over. Seriously, to have the confidence to pull it off when you face that large, yawning bunker between you and the pin, you better literally hit hundreds of these shots.
Practice and more practice. That’s the only way to pull this shot off on a consistent basis.
