Where Should One Play With a Pitching Wedge in the Stance?

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Updated January 13, 2022
pitching wedge and proper stance
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    Pitching wedge and proper stance
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Learning how to use the pitching wedge correctly is a big part of playing golf the right way. There are many different approaches with the pitching wedge, and the way you hold the club, swing and how you stand depends on your ability, where the ball is located and how far you are from the green.

Fairway--80 to 100 yards

This is the ideal spot to use your pitching wedge. There's nothing complicated here. Play the ball in the middle of your stance and take a full swing with a high follow-through. Keep your head down and watch the face of the club make impact with the ball. A full follow-through will help the ball stop on the green once it lands.

Short Rough--40 to 50 yards

Play the ball about two ball lengths closer to your back foot than your front foot. A medium backswing is needed, and you should compress the ball down into the ground when you make impact and follow through to the front of your hip. The downward action of your swing will make your ball jump up and fly to the green, where it should take two hops and then roll toward the flag stick, if it has been struck correctly.

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Fairway--30 to 50 yards

This is one of the most delicate shots in the game. You should play the ball about one ball length forward in your stance. Open your left shoulder so you are coming close to facing the hole. Bring the club to about 40 percent of your normal backswing and then feather your club forward and finish at hip level. You don't want to fly past the green, but you don't want to baby it. This delicate approach requires practice on the range.