By Ernie Els
Photo By David Cannon
July 2007
Running shots along the ground is a safe way to play from around the green, and it's kind of the default short-game shot a lot of amateur players learn to hit. But the path to the flag doesn't always just open up in front of you, with plenty of flat green to work with. You have to play pitch shots with height to have a chance to get up and down consistently.
The key is to be able to use your wedge of choice—mine is 54 degrees—the way it was designed and get the full benefit of that loft. The most common mistake I see is playing the ball way too far forward. It needs to be slightly back of middle. When the ball is too far forward, like you'd play a 7-iron, you'll tend to knife the leading edge of the wedge into the back of the ball, or hit behind it and lay a divot over it.
Resist the urge to scoop the ball into the air—don't let the clubhead get ahead of your hands. The loft is in place to do that work for you. Finally, keep your lower body relaxed so it can respond to your turn.
Els writes instruction articles only for Golf Digest.
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