KDUORWWH·V )LUVW - Carolina Golf Journal

Ask several scratch golfers what
their “scoring club” was and you
would most likely hear it was either
their putter or wedge. Good putting
can improve your score; however I
would contend that it is the wedge play
that got them close enough to the flagstick
to make critical putts.
A good wedge shot puts the ball
within a 12 foot circle around the hole,
where most good players can sink 75%
of their putts. Recently Tiger Woods’
wedge play gave him an 82% scrambling
percentage, meaning he was able
to get “up and down” 4 out of 5 times
enabling him to win the AT&T Tournament.
Good putters are also great wedge
players… and winners!
But which wedges should you carry
in your bag? It’s confusing with so many
lofts, bounces, weights and grinds. The
answer requires thoughtful analysis of a
player’s swing, short game strategy and
knowledge of the course condition
where he plays, then spending time on
the lesson tee as well as hitting shots in a
short game practice area to get fitted.
Given the limit of 14 clubs per player,
most golfers can play better with three
wedges – a 46-degree pitching wedge, a
56-degree sand wedge and a 60-degree
lob wedge. To add a 52-degree gap
wedge or a 63-degree wedge requires the
elimination of key distance clubs such as
a four iron, hybrid or fairway wood.
The pitching wedge should be the
same type as your other irons. However,
the sand and lob wedges need to be fitted
selecting the proper bounce. If the
course is dry and firm, with bunkers low
on sand - select wedges with less bounce
(11 degrees) - bounce prevents “digging
into the turf or sand”. Players need
more weight and bounce to their wedges
which will allow them to swing through
the ball and provide a better feel on
shorter chips and pitches.
The USGA has added strict rules
Golf Tips from the Pros
GETTING INSIDE ThE SCoRING ZoNE
By Brent Reneau, Accelerated Golf – Ft. Mill Golf Club
Build a Better golf swing
in an aCCeLerated manner
Train correctly. Practice Smarter. Play Your Best.
Brent Reneau
Certified Instructor
Get More Power in Your Tee Shots
Optimize Your Pivot
Be a Better Ball Striker
Get Your Swing On Plane
Improve Long
Iron Shots
Deliver a More Powerful
Shoulder Turn
Make More Putts
Learn to Master Greens
AcceLeRATeD GOLf
101 country club Drive • ft. Mill, Sc 29715
803.230.2853
www.aga-fmgc.com
about wedge
face-grooves and
face-grind, making
grooves exhibit
a definite
surface roughness
when you run
your fingers over
the face of the club. You can see and
feel the wear, and golfers who play
twice a week should change out their
wedges every two years.
Selecting the wedges that fit your
game takes a skilled fitter to recommend
the right combination. Then players need
to dedicate practice time in order to develop
the touch to make them work. The
result will be evident when your ball
starts landing in that scoring zone and
you begin to make putt after putt.
Contact Brent Reneau 803-230-2853
www.aga-fmgc.com
ClubMasters
OF THE CAROLiNAS
Tom Reneau
980-297-4911
Clubfitter@aga-fmgc.com
At ClubMasters
You Are Professionally Fitted
• Pro-Tested Using the Vector 1
and V-1 Video Launch Monitor Systems
Computerized Repair Technology
Expert Club Repairs • Reshafting
Regripping • Lie/Loft Adjusting
Located at
Fort Mill - Accelerated Golf Academy
On Site Academy Hours:
Monday & Friday 1:00 - 7:00 PM
Offsite Shop Hours:
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 12:00 Noon
_____________________________________________________________ www.CaRolinaGolfJouRnal.Com - SummeR 2012 - 13
Brent reneau