Justin Thomas: 3 easy keys to stuffing brief wedge pictures

Each time I play a spherical and fully misfire a tee shot, I shortly remind myself one thing many GOLF Top 100 Teacher have pressured to me: “Simply attempt to win inside 100 yards.”

It appears so…easy.

Whereas truly attending to inside 100 yards could also be a wrestle at instances — as a consequence of dangerous tee pictures or chunked approach shots — having a masterful contact along with your wedges and putter will all the time offer you an opportunity to attain.

So how are you going to accomplish that? place to begin is by listening to two-time main champion Justin Thomas, who offers some straightforward tips about learn how to dial in wedge pictures from inside 100 yards within the video beneath (courtesy of Titleist’s YouTube channel).

3 issues Justin Thomas says to do on wedge pictures

Within the video above, Thomas breaks down a couple of key elements of hitting a wedge shot from under 100 yards.

He begins with an 85-yard shot from the green, then one from the identical distance within the tough and closes with a troublesome shot over a bunker from 35 yards out.

85-yard shot (from fairway): Decide your ball flight

“I’ve received 85 yards with a bit little bit of [head] wind,” Thomas says. “It appears like I’ve received a contact of a backstop, so I’ve received a 60-degree wedge right here and may play this a few other ways.”

Subsequent, Thomas suggests how he’d strategy this shot, particularly specializing in his ball flight.

“With that backstop, it’s one the place I’d in all probability need to fly it 86 or 87 yards, be aggressive, and a bit bit proper of the opening,” he provides. “I’m going to make use of a reasonably commonplace flight, but it surely’s into the wind, so I might need to hit it more durable.

“For me, I prefer to flight my wedges down to have the ability to management the spin. You need to have the ability to spin it loads if you could, however, for me, it looks like I’m attempting to take spin off versus add it.”

85-yard shot (from tough): Learn the lie

As any golfer is aware of, not all 85-yard wedge pictures are created equal, so Thomas strikes from the center of the green to the tough, explaining what gamers should perceive earlier than making a membership alternative and deciding what sort of shot they plan to hit.

“This shot modifications drastically whenever you’re within the tough,” Thomas says. “Loads of it’s simply studying the lie, which is one thing that as a participant, over the course of years enjoying, you perceive what lies are going to do.”

Subsequent, Thomas describes two several types of lies — one the place greater than half the ball is sitting beneath the highest of the grass, and one other the place the ball is sitting extra on prime of the grass.

“On [the one sitting beneath the grass], there wouldn’t be a whole lot of spin, and it’ll in all probability be larger and form of a knuckleball that gained’t do a lot when it lands,” he says. “On [the ball sitting up more], being down grain, if I get a great lie like this and I can get on the ball first, I can nonetheless spin that.”

Thomas says that judging the lie typically comes with years of expertise, however that it’s one thing even novice gamers ought to perceive learn how to do.

35-yard wedge shot over a bunker: Hit down on the ball to generate backspin

A typical drawback amateurs make on wedge pictures is having a bent to lean again and attempt to scoop the ball up into the air. This could result in skulling or chunking.

“Clearly, I’m treating this shot a bit bit in another way than your common novice,” Thomas says. “I believe when amateurs see a bunker like this the place they should go over it, they instinctively return and attempt to scoop it — however that’s not what generates backspin or something good.”

He says it’s most essential to focus in your angle of assault, ensuring you hit down on the ball to provide the spin you see execs like him use from across the greens.

“The extra you hit down on it’s truly the way you generate that backspin,” Thomas says. “So that is one the place you could be aggressive.”

Thomas expounds on studying the lie, noting it’s needs to be an important a part of your sport plan from the tough — after which shares how his shot and technique modifications when on a downslope versus an upslope.

“The lie is a very powerful factor of constructing a shot straightforward or troublesome,” he says.

“Once I’m down grain on an upslope, it’s going to make this shot loads simpler for me. But when I recover from right here and it’s on a bit downslope with the ball sitting down, my technique and the way I’m going to hit this shot simply modified.”

General, Thomas says to excel on wedge pictures from beneath 100 yards, you could have a course of, belief it after which be assured as you tackle the ball.

“On the finish of the day, it’s important to be assured and comfy in what you’re doing,” he says.

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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor