Michael Bayliss – PGA Professional – Moor Hall Golf Club, Sutton Coldfield
Distance control from 140 yards with wedges (the scoring zone).
Distance control is crucial, even more so with the wedges as these are primarily the clubs used within the scoring zone.
To be able to control different distances consistently will involve three simple key areas such as:
- Three different back swing lengths.
- A repeatable tempo.
- Launch monitor.
Backswing lengths
These three different swing lengths will be where the hands meets a specific body part during the backswing such as:
Hands to hips.
Hands to shoulders.
Full swing.
Now here’s where it gets interesting…
As you see on my personal wedge numbers below, there is a pattern which forms when the loft of the club changes.
For example:
hands to shoulders 58* LW lands the same distance as my hands to hips 54* SW
This means throughout your wedge distances there will be opportunity to not only hit your distances with each club but also play the correct club in the correct situation or conditions, such as flag position, wind direction, elevation and required ball flight.
NOTE
To achieve this consistently, the swing tempo must be repeatable because if a different tempo is present this impacts the distance the ball travels and can also lead to an inconsistency in the strike pattern.
Please try and use a launch monitor if possible. Here at Moor Hall GC the Cameron Clark golf performance studio has the state of the art foresight launch monitor to hire at a small charge per hour in the perfect conditions, contact me to book your gapping session.
Enjoy it, practice it and home in on your distances, I promise you will see your scores decline and the handicap start to lower using this method of distance control.
For any advice or lessons please contact me via email michaelbaylissgolf@gmail.com or phone 07791510850.
