Causes & Cures For Chunking Wedges

Sun, 11/11/2012 - 16:55 -- Don Trahan

If you don't feel confident with a wedge in your hands, your short game and ultimately your score will suffer. Lyn Fuller has been chunking his wedges so he sent in a question that was short and to the point.   

Digging deep with wedges? Video lesson that covers this? Could use a fix.

The first thing I would always check if you're repeatedly chunking wedges is your alignment. If you're aiming too far to the right, you'll have to clear your body back to the line. This will cause you to get way ahead and make you chop down on the ball. 

Another reason that you're chunking your wedges could be that you've got the ball positioned either too far forward or too far back in your stance. This could also be associated with leaning too far forward. The only time you lean forward is if you're hitting some kind of a short chip shot. 
 
Sliding too much with the body is yet another reason for hitting it fat, as this causes the ball to go way back in your stance as you're sliding forward. A similar problem would be unstable knees. If you're kicking your forward knee in it causes you to move down and forward. Finally, there could be an outside chance that your clubs are just too long.
 
Remember, we don't take big divots with the PPGS. Instead, we want to nip the ball off the grass, even with wedges. Take a look at the things I've pointed out and you should be able to figure out what's causing you to chunk it and ways in which you can cure it.
 
Keep it vertical,
 
The Surge
 
If you can't view the YouTube video above try CLICKING HERE. You must allow popups from this site for the link to work.

Comments

barryrjones's picture

Submitted by barryrjones on

Wonderful that you could give all those ways for chunking. Would, however, like it if you had instructed in the correct way to hit a wedge shot. In other words, a short lesson in the correct way of hitting it by showing you break down the shot process.
Thank you,
Barry Jones

Russty Kiwi's picture

Submitted by Russty Kiwi on

Surge has done a few videos on chipping and pitching. The latest one he did with Kenny Knox. You can find them in Surges shop, at the top left of this page. I don't think they are overly expensive, and lots of info. I think the main thrust of this daily is to help each individual work out what they might be doing wrong, so they can stop doing it and go back to basics. There's free info to be had in the search box .in the top right of this page under logout.

gsherwood's picture

Submitted by gsherwood on

I purchased this series and it has helped me tremendously. Makes chipping automatic and gives you confidence around the green. recommended!

gsherwood's picture

Submitted by gsherwood on

I purchased this series and it has helped me tremendously. Makes chipping automatic and gives you confidence around the green. recommended!

gsherwood's picture

Submitted by gsherwood on

I purchased this series and it has helped me tremendously. Makes chipping automatic and gives you confidence around the green. recommended!

shortgamewizard's picture

Submitted by shortgamewizard on

That's okay, a bit of humor is welcome.

I doubt if the video would help me though. Pretty much chip and short pitch to the spot a want 99%+. The up and down rate mainly fluctuates due to how often I play. For longer pitches and sand shots that need more speed through the ball the amount of practice is much more critical to success. In the end it is being able to putt on the line chosen with the right speed that ultimately makes or breaks short game success.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

I am a sweeper of the ball. There is usually only one situation where I
"hit down" and that is in deeper rough.

It's funny, but my 56* wedge with 12* of bounce is my best club.
But even though I am "sweeper" and not a "digger", as I think about it, that much bounce may not be a good match for the PPGS. Hmmmmm.

Not sure why it still works well for me. Shallow divot, if any, and the ball hopefully jumps up cleanly without "digging". This club also works well for my chipping (weight forward-ball back) although last week was an absolute disaster for that part of my game.

It seems that with PPGS, less is more when it comes to the bounce.

Looking forward to hearing from ya'all on this one.

Steve Smith's picture

Submitted by Steve Smith on

I can only speak for myself but the best answer for which bounce is best for me is...It depends. Ha ha! That's right, if I could afford it I would have different wedges with different bounce and grinds for nearly every course I play. In the winter when it's wet I like more bounce with a blunt leading edge on most courses. In the summer when it's fairly dry I like less bounce and a fairly sharp leading edge, if the fairways are mowed respectably short. If the fairways are mowed ridiculously long I like more bounce and a very rounded leading edge.

Since I don't have multiple sets of wedges I get around it the best I can by using a pitching wedge much more often in the winter on wet dormant Bermuda, even on shots that would normally just be a standard gap or sand wedge

Most people would use sand conditions to determine which bounce was best on a course but on some of the courses I play there are no greenside bunkers and on the ones that do have them it just seems like I am very seldom in one of them, so I would consider myself a very "ify" bunker player anyway. What I am though is a very LUCKY bunker player. I usually hit good bunker shots when I'm in one but it's 100% luck.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

Lol...Steve. I get that.

Ya, would be nice to have all the tools available.
My garage is already groaning a bit with what's
inside. Still, I might be able to fit 1 more wedge,
less bounce, into the mix.

Someday, my kids are going to be going thru the
trinkets I've left behind and say:
"Really? Did he really need all this golf junk ? ! "

Steve Smith's picture

Submitted by Steve Smith on

My neighbor that lived across the road from me died a few years ago and he had been a golfer for a long time. I was in their house a few months later helping them move some things and there was an entire bedroom competely full of golf clubs and bags.
I never got to see him play as that was before I started playing golf but everyone around here says he was one of the best around. He played at a little rinky dink course close to here that no golfer with any self respect would play. The people at the fancy country club would totally look down on anyone that played there.
Well somehow a challenge was set up between my neighbor (who was in his late 60s) and the club champion from the country club.
Of course most of those people would have bet anything against my neighbor but my neighbor beat him by 5 strokes. (A hero to us underdogs). LOL

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

Great story, Smith. Very funny.

Here in the Sierra Foothills where I live, we have quite a number of people that are down home, salt-of-the-earth, county folk. I'm reminded of a bunch of suits & ties who try to ramrod a waterline project down the throats and backyards of some of these so-called "country bumpkins."

At our first meeting, Bumpkin #1 was an extremely articulate (and agitated) senior engineer/geologist who consulted for Chevron & Texaco. Oooops.

Bumpkin #2 was an attorney-at-law whose speciality was...hydrology and easement protection. Ooops a daisy. The suits then had their easel collapse, fittingly enough, and it all went downhill from there. Hilarious, really.

They had mis-judged badly.

It's fun to watch the golfer that appears to be kinda "aw-shucks", and then just cleans everyones clock. They are out there, and I for one, find the whole thing quite entertaining....Kinda like your neighbor winning it by 5 strokes.

shortgamewizard's picture

Submitted by shortgamewizard on

I bet Steve Smith has done that. Been there, seen it, did it.

English clocke?

shortgamewizard's picture

Submitted by shortgamewizard on

I was told that Sam Snead hit almost all short shots with his pitching wedge from inside 100 yards.

It would seem that golf in this era produces clubs to do what shot makers used to do. Neither good or bad, just the way the game has evolved.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

Noted, Shortgame.

As I consider my game, there is one club I seem to keep coming back to,
and it's not my 56.

If I journaled (like I should) I would not be surprised if my PW was my most used iron. And if there was one club I could master, for me it would be the PW.

Funny, SGW, I just started a few refresher lessons, and the short game is our focus. And the Kenny Knox videos that Don offers are actually quite good.

Love my 56*, but it's the PW that I want as my go-to club.

SimplyGolf's picture

Submitted by SimplyGolf on

God bless you, all of our Veterans.

Can't imagine what life might look like without
your service and sacrifice. Thank you all.

Lynn42's picture

Submitted by Lynn42 on

Well said,SG. The sacrifices our veterans have made and continue to make can never be taken for granted.

Dick Lee's son and his family remain in my prayers every night.

Steve Smith's picture

Submitted by Steve Smith on

In 1944 my dad and his two brothers along with most of that generation gladly joined the Armed Forces and were willing to give everything they had, including their lives, for their belief that this country and all it stood for was worth any cost.

They have been called The Greatest Generation and that very well may be.
We owe them more than we could ever repay. The only payment necessary is to never take what they did for granted, and not let the freedom they fought for slip away.

raygawlak@cox.net's picture

Submitted by raygawlak@cox.net on

To all veterans---thank you for your service and sacrifice. You have my profound respect and admiration.

On June 6 of this year I stood on a hill overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy. When you see this tremendous expanse of open beach and realize how many young men suffered and died for our country on D Day and onward it (at least it did for me) moves you to tears. To visit the nearby cemetery and view the thousands of grave markers makes one appreciate the freedoms we enjoy. It was an honor to meet a number of Airborne vets at several anniversary ceremonies. Each year their number dwindles as they are in their mid-eighties or early nineties. I was a child of four years when they came ashore under withering gunfire but have made it a point to never forget what they did for us.

Thanks again to all veterans of all ages and service branches.
Sincerly,
Ray Gawlak

barrowcloughr@aol.com's picture

Submitted by barrowcloughr@a... on

In Flanders Fields the poppies grow
Between the crosses row on row
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing. fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are The Dead, Short days ago
we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
in Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you from flailing hands we throw
The Torch, be yours to hold it high!
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
in Flanders Fields.

Robert Meade's picture

Submitted by Robert Meade on

There are of course many great films about the sacrifices and acts of valour so many have done for us. One more recent is called "Acts of Valor" and I highly recommend it as a view of the more currents sacrifices made.
My Dad served in Korea and at hid funeral 6 years ago it was moving to see the armed presentation and flag folded and given to my Mother. We will not forget all those brave men.
Courage,Honor, Loyalty
"For all those men and women down range" and those who have been.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnlPgo9TaGo

Robert Fleck's picture

Submitted by Robert Fleck on

According to the Swing Surgeon Facebook page, today is Surge's Birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! We're the ones who've received the presents, though. Thank you!

Terry Medley's picture

Submitted by Terry Medley on

Happy birthday Surge, hope you have a wonderful day.

thierryconan@orange.fr's picture

Submitted by thierryconan@or... on

happy birthday Mister Trahan !
hope you feel good today.
please, take care of you !

bobber5049@yahoo.com's picture

Submitted by bobber5049@yahoo.com on

Thanks for the upgrade,I now can play my purchased products on my I pad...