The Scenario:
You hit your pitching wedge pretty solid, but it takes your best swing to get close to the pin.
The Solution:
The longer the backswing, the less margin for error, yet most golfers make their club selection based on a full swing for the yardage at hand. This often can prove to be a big mistake, especially when you can get away with swinging a longer club a little shorter. Often referred to as a “Punch Shot”, this is a shotmaker's best friend, especially to an open green, or when faced with a stiff wind. Below are the steps to executing the shot properly as well as a yardage guide to help you select the right club, when you elect to make a punch-shot swing.
Step 1
Keep everything in your set-up generally the same, but stop your backswing when your hands reach chest high. Be sure you've hinged your wrists fully, with the clubhead high above your hands. From the top of your backswing, turn through the ball as normal.
Step 2
After impact, make sure to keep the clubhead low to the ground, this helps the ball fly at a lower trajectory, piercing the wind. Finishing low also reduces your chances of swiping across the ball and hitting a cut. If you select the proper club for the distance you're facing, you'll end up in great shape on the green.
Refer to the chart below to get a general idea of distances with various clubs.
Club Full-Swing Distance Punch-Swing Distance
7-iron 165 yards 130 yards
8-iron 150 yards 115 yards
9-iron 135 yards 100 yards
PW 125 yards 85 yards
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