I’ve been chipping in my garden occasionally over the last few weeks and I’m surprised and excited learning about the amount of different trajectories / spins / shot shapes you can hit with just a gap wedge in hand. Here are just a few:
- club face shut, taking it back to inside, rolling forearms clockwise on way back (holding it off a bit on way through) = low draw chip, ball rolls out.
- open club face, taking it back to inside, rolling forearms clockwise on way back = higher trajectory, ball still rolls out a bit but less than 1 and 3.
- neutral club face, taking it back to inside, rolling forearms clockwise on way back = medium trajectory, ball rolls out in between the two above.
a) club face shut, taking it back more “on plane”, with less clockwise forearm rotation and more wrist cock = higher trajectory than 1 above, bit of draw, balls rolls out less than 1 above.
b) open club face, taking it back more “on plane”, with less clockwise forearm rotation and more wrist cock = highest trajectory, more spin, least amount of roll out.
c) neutral club face, taking it back more “on plane”, with less clockwise forearm rotation and more wrist cock = medium trajectory relative to a and b but higher than 3 above, roll out amount between a and b but less than 3.
I didn’t hit any shots from outside of the line to in, which would have been the natural progression but the patterns have emerged. I’m sure there’s loads more variations depending on the amount of post impact pivot movement and hand manipulation but it was great fun experimenting.