Getting smart

Playing golf in the hot weather is ideal, but summer makes good wedge shots very different. When the greens are playing firm, are you better off landing it short and letting it roll up to the flag instead of trying the inch-perfect pitch?

We all fancy the Hollywood shot, but making smart decisions is key to making good scores. That’s why we’re looking at how to deal with a few different situations next time you’re playing…

Spot A – On the fairway

We’ll start with a straightforward pitch from the fairway. You've hit a great lay-up and put yourself in Position A (see what we did there?); now it's time to commit and hit your pitch over the water with confidence. Easier said than done, we know. Once over the hazard, your main obstacle is the firm green but with the pin at the back, there's plenty of wiggle room. You can afford to fly the ball to the middle of the green with a high lofted wedge, allowing it enough room to release down to the flag.

Spot B – Rough

Alright, you've managed to carry the water when taking on the green but have missed to the right. In this scenario, that's definitely the 'right' side to miss on. Yes, you've found the thicker stuff but you have no hazards to contend with and plenty of green. This is where a bump & run would come in handy, which you might find is best-executed with the T grind option of PING's Glide 4.0 wedges and its high bounce that allows you to attack the ball from a steep angle.

Spot C – Greenside bunker

Ah, every golfer’s favourite: a greenside bunker shot! If you’re a Tour pro, you might be happy going for the flag here. But, for us mere mortals, we want plenty of loft and a wide sole so we can get under the ball and get it out of there. That’s the W Grind. Note: both this and the unique PING Eye2 grind are great options from soft turf in the winter, so you’ll never be caught short.

Ok, so we’ve covered what’s required from a few of the different spots and what wedge grind will help you out. We’ve focused on PING's Glide 4.0 wedges because the precision-milled grooves and compact shape give them unrivalled performance, but also because of the sheer volume of grind options. Making sure you’ve got the grinds for your game means stepping up to any wedge shot with the confidence & ability to pull it off.

We hope this little look at your wedge game gets you thinking, and if so then you can always come and speak to us in more depth about optimising the tools in your bag. We’ll be happy to help!