Master Awkward-Distance Pitch Shots

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Test yourself to see how well you hit these tough shots, and then learn how to improve

By Dave Pelz GOLF MAGAZINE’s Technical and Short Game ConsultantPublished: October 01, 2000

What is the "worst shot" in golf? It’s the 40-yard wedge, and I have the evidence to prove it.

Let’s start with a definition. By "worst shot," I mean the one consistently executed with the least amountof success or accuracy. In my research over the years, I have measured the "error" for every shot in golf,with error being the distance the ball finishes from the pin divided by the shot’s original length. Thatmeans if a golfer hits a 9-iron from 100 yards and it finishes 20 feet (almost seven yards) from the hole,the Percent Error (PE) for that shot is about 7 percent. Hit 40 9-irons, average the PEs, and you come upwith a Percent Error Index (PEI) for that shot and that player.

I’ve measured the PEIs of pros and amateurs on every kind of shot, from drivesto putts. For drives and fairway woods, most pros average about 7 percenterror; for irons, about the same; for wedges, about 15 percent; and for putting,5 to 10 percent. Amateurs’ PEIs extend over a much wider range, of course,depending on their skill level. I’ve also measured many of the specialty short-game shots -- greenside sand, chips, pitches, and so on. (Measuring the PEIs of all your shots is a wonderful way to determine your strong and weak areas andchart your progress. I highly recommend it.)

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Based on more than 25 years’ of PEI data, I can state without reservation thatthe "worst" shot in golf for the amateur is the short wedge shot from about 40yards, when you’re too far away to chip and too close for a full swing witheven the most lofted wedge.

The numbers are staggering. Before I show you how bad, look at some other

poor results. A bad long putt may finish five or 10 feet long or short, but whenstarting 50 feet from the hole, that’s only a 10 or 20 percent error. Off the tee,even a bad drive is closer to your target (usually the center of the fairway, 200-plus yards off the tee) after you hit it than when you started (about the worstyou can do on a drive is a 100 percent error, which is a whiff, and nobodyaverages that kind of error).

But on the 40-yard wedge shot, the error often ranges between 90 and 125 percent. And that’s from 90percent VKRUWto 125 percent ORQJ .

Here’s how errors that bad can occur. When faced with the 40-yard wedge shot, one of two things

usually happens. Either you "chunk" it -- contacting the ground behind the ball and hitting it fat -- or, asa result of repeated chunks, you overcompensate, hit the ball thin, and skull it. The fat shot travels only afew (three to four) yards, which equates to a 90 percent error short (it’s moved only 10 percent of thedistance to the hole). The skulled shot flies 80 to 100 yards, or as much as 125 percent long, finishing 50or 60 yards from the hole -- farther away than before you hit the shot.

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Admittedly, those are the extremes, but on average no other shot comes close to matching the errors Isee in 40-yard wedge shots, which is why it’s the worst shot in golf. The average PEIs for the 40-yardwedge, measured over at least 40 shots, are pretty bad for all groups. Pros average about 15 percenterror, 10-handicappers about 25 percent error, and 25-handicappers an incredible 50 percent error

(where the ball finishes either halfway to the hole or halfway past).

What causes this horrendous performance? It starts with seeing bad results -- a few chunks followed bya few skulled shots -- which leads to the expectation of bad results (having faced this shot before and hitit badly, you expect to hit it badly again), which produces fear. And once fear enters the equation, theworst swings and shots result.

And why do golfers chunk and skull their 40-yard wedges so frequently? Poor technique, causedprincipally by bad ball position.

Next month, I’ll show you three ways to hit the 40-yard wedge, as well as explain which one is best for

you.

But since you may have to hit this scary little shot between now and next month, here’s a hint to helpyou hit it better: Move the ball back into the middle of your stance. This is what a "fat" 40-yard shotlooks like..If the ball begins forward in the stance, the swing has to flatten out to reach it, so the club hitsthe ground first. After a few of these, expect to hit a "skull" over the green.

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Master Awkward-Distance Pitch Shots