Photo 1
Photo 2
We are now into our over-seeding program and the golfer will be facing different conditions around the greens as the Bermuda becomes dormant. For those who have trouble with the shorter pitches and chips, it is worthwhile to experiment with your setup.
We read all the time that the ball should be played off your rear foot with the shaft leaning toward the target. The leading edge of a 56-degree wedge will almost be touching the ground (see photo 1). For confident players, this allows for the ball to be contacted first and the turf second; however, it also can allow the leading edge to dig into the turf resulting in the chunked shot that many golfers fear.
Take your normal setup with your feet quite close to each other but play the ball in the middle of your stance or slightly forward with the shaft straight up with virtually no “lean toward the target.” The bounce of the club will be resting on the turf and the leading edge will be raised (see photo 2). If the club strikes the turf an inch or so behind the ball, the bounce will allow the club to slide along the turf and still make good contact. Try this in practice and you will learn to hit better, confident shots.