Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.
Hitting the half-wedge shot into the green is extremely important regardless of weather conditions, but it gets extra tricky when you’re playing one into the wind.
Having the ability to flight the wedge and control both the trajectory and spin is vital, and it’s not something that comes very naturally to the amateur player.
But there are ways to hit the half-wedge shot into the wind like a pro — you just need to know some important steps prior to even addressing your ball.
How to conquer the half-wedge shot into the wind
Below, I provide a few key things to keep in mind in order to pull off the half-wedge shot successfully. By applying them to your game, you’ll become a whiz when dealing with this difficult situation.
1. Club up and dial in your setup
At your setup, make sure to position the ball in the middle of your stance and maintain a level shoulder tilt with the shaft leaning just slightly forward.
Remember to club up by 1-2 clubs, as this will instantly help you pierce the trajectory window that you’re looking for and will be pivotal to ensure that you don’t take too big of swing.
2. Keep your weight forward
Start with more weight on your lead side, as this will help remind you to drive more weight forward during the downswing.
In the backswing, when the lead arm gets parallel to the ground, this is the point in the swing when you need to start driving your weight back to your lead foot.
As you begin to feel your weight starting to move forward, you’ll hit this shot with a flat wrist position. This helps you take some of the loft off the club.
3. Use a three-quarter finish
The half-wedge shot is one that you’re primarily hitting with your body and your rotation — so the hands and arms will be very passive through impact.
But even after impact, your job isn’t quite done just yet. So continue to drive the weight forward to the front side, making sure you stick to your three-quarter finish.
