For the moment, let’s forget what a chunked wedge shot does to your score. Let’s talk about what it does to your ego. It’s brutal. Chunking a wedge feels frustrating and demoralizing, especially when these shots are supposed to be simple. Here’s the good news: with a few small adjustments, you can identify the cause of why you are chunking wedge shots and how to fix it.
Focus on the correct point of contact
Where are you trying to make contact with the ball when you have a wedge in your hand? Many amateur players attempt to scoop the ball or help it into the air which often causes the club to bottom out behind the ball.
The fix is to think, “ball first, divot after.” Picture your club making contact with the ball and then brushing the turf just in front of it.
One great drill is to put a towel a few inches behind the golf ball. Don’t hit the towel before the ball. It’s not a bad visual to have when you head out on the course for your next round.
The upper and lower body have to work together
Even on shorter wedge shots, your upper and lower body must work together. If this isn’t happening, you’ll likely feel the club get stuck and strike the ground behind the ball.
Concentrate on rotating as a single unit.
Think about the butt end of the club pointing at your belly button when you finish the swing. Starting your downswing with a little shift to your lead side and rotating your chest and hips will keep pulling the arms through and help them from getting stuck in the ground behind your golf ball.
Keep more weight on the front foot (and leave it there)
If the center of your body drifts off the ball in your wedge shots, you won’t compress the ball. Start with about 60 to 75 percent of your weight on the lead side and keep it there for these wedge shots.
I even tried this on the full-swing wedge shots and it has improved my compression and accuracy.
You’ll get that ball first, then turf contact, and there is less room for error.
You may be getting too steep
If you thought a steeper backswing could help you get higher ball flight on your wedge shots, you weren’t wrong.
However, if you’re coming in too steep, you may stick the club in the turf or bail out and flip at the last second. A helpful mental picture is to think about a mirror on your clubface reflecting back at you. Your goal is to keep that imaginary reflection visible as long as possible. If the mirror “tilts down” too soon, you’re getting too steep.
Play around with the ball position
An inconsistent ball position (too far forward or back) can cause you to bottom out too early and chunk your wedge shots. For a standard wedge shot, position the ball between your shirt buttons and the lead shoulder logo.
Use a slightly narrower stance.
With less body turn on a wedge shot, the ball should stay pretty central, ensuring the club bottoms out just in front of it. Pair that perfect ball position with a compact backswing to maintain control and avoid big weight shifts.
Experiment with ball position at the driving range. I like to use alignment sticks and even tees, if necessary, to mark the position and find what works. You’ll be surprised by how much of an impact a small change in ball position has on your game.
Final thoughts
Most issues that cause chunked wedges are simple mistakes that can be quickly fixed.
Work these five basics into your practice sessions. Even a few minutes on the range with the towel drill or practicing your ball position could help you eliminate those chunked wedge shots.
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