Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com series in which we’re sharing improvements, learnings and takeaways from amateur golfers just like you — including some of the speed bumps and challenges they faced along the way.
For years, I’ve been trying to put some intentional backspin on the golf ball with my wedges — which is something every pro does with ease, making it appear as if the ball’s on a string that they’re pulling back on.
Every amateur sees something like this and hopes to one day accomplish it, but when the time comes to execute the shot, it rarely goes as planned.
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Sure, hitting spinny wedge shots takes skill, but it also takes confidence, knowing you’ve got the fundamentals to use this type of shot to your advantage.
While it can be tricky to dial in your wedge game, the next time you’re on the range and practicing from about 50 yards out, try giving Collin Morikawa’s tips a go. In the video below (courtesy of TaylorMade’s YouTube channel), the world’s No. 6-ranked golfer shares his tips, techniques, and some swing thoughts for hitting this type of shot to perfection.
Here’s how Collin Morikawa hits spinny wedge shots
Before anything else, Morikawa says that you must look at the ball’s lie — which will help you determine which club to use and how you need to setup to the shot.
“I’ve got a good lie with the ball sitting up,” he says. “But it’s slightly uphill, so with some wind into [my face] and a front pin, that’s great. You want some loft to a front pin [in order] to spin it. So I’m going to keep my 60-degree.”
Next, Morikawa explains his approach on this type of shot, saying he goes back to trusting his “feel system,” which allows his body to repeat a process of positioning for his hands. This is similar to a clock system, where players can visualize their arms being dials on a clock to get in the right position.
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He also describes the biggest mistake he sees amateurs make while hitting a 50-yard wedge shot.
“People think about the clock system, how far to take it back, or how hard to hit it,” Morikawa says. “I always see amateurs from this distance take way too big of a swing. They think they need to take a full swing, but, in reality, it’s a very short shot.
“So think of a 50-yard shot as a big pitch shot with more follow through.”
When it comes to ball positioning, Morikawa reminds players to keep it just slightly in the middle of the stance, and to avoid trying to scoop to get extra height on the ball — which is another common flaw amateurs do with wedges.
“I’m going to keep the ball fairly in the middle of my stance, I’m going to feel [the positioning of my hands], and then I’m going to continue going forward [with the club going to about shoulder height on the front shoulder],” he adds. “I’m not going to try and hit the ball up, because I’ve got the ball on an upslope — which is going to make the ball go up already.”
Morikawa then discusses the importance of compressing the golf ball and making ball-first contact — especially on a wedge shot.
“Being able to hit down on a wedge shot is very important, just to create the spin,” he says. “Spin is going to be created through speed, so we’re going to try that from 50 yards.”
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So how fast should you swing? Morikawa says it’s most important to keep it constant all the way through than anything else.
“You want the speed of your swing to be as constant as possible,” he explains. “If anything, you want to be more aggressive and never decelerate.”
By using Morikawa’s tips, you’ll be able to dial in your swing feels, pure your 50-yard wedge shots, get a little backspin, and leave it near the pin — all while impressing your playing partners. So give this a try next time you’re on the range for some solid practice.
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