Golf Simplified: Know Your Own Wedge Distances

A little practice to take some guesswork out of getting to the green.

There’s something especially frustrating about getting close to the green—and then watching your next shot sail over it. Or barely make it halfway there.

Golf certainly knows how to keep us humble.

As a newer golfer, I’m learning that knowing which club to use is only part of the puzzle. Knowing how far I usually hit it matters just as much.

And someone else’s yardage chart can’t tell me that.

Your distances belong to you

You’ve probably seen tips about mastering 50-, 75- and 100-yard wedge shots. Those might be useful targets for some golfers, but they aren’t requirements for the rest of us.

Your useful distances might be shorter. That’s perfectly fine.

The goal is to build a few shots you recognize and feel comfortable choosing on the course.

Start with one club

Choose a wedge you’re comfortable using. Your pitching wedge is a perfectly reasonable place to begin.

Rather than trying to learn every wedge in your bag at once, explore three swing sizes with that one club:

Short: A small, comfortable swing.

Medium: A longer swing that still feels controlled.

Comfortably full: Your normal full swing, without trying to hit a personal distance record.

These are starting points for practice, not exact positions you have to copy. Your pro can help you find repeatable swing lengths that suit you.

Watch where the ball lands

There are two distances to notice:

Carry is how far the ball travels through the air before first touching the ground.

Total distance includes the bounce and roll afterward.

For this practice, focus on carry. A ball that lands short and rolls onto the green tells a different story from one that flies all the way there.

If your range displays carry distances, use them. Otherwise, use known targets to estimate where the ball first lands. Estimates are a starting point—label them that way.

Try a 15-ball practice session

After warming up, hit five balls with each swing size.

Write down the carry distances you see. Look for a typical range rather than choosing your longest shot as “your number.”

Keep track of mishits, too. They show how dependable the shot is right now. If the results are scattered, that’s useful information to take to your next lesson.

Save a simple note on your phone:

My pitching wedge carry distances

Short swing: _____

Medium swing: _____

Comfortably full swing: _____

Date practiced: _____

You can add your other wedges later. One club is enough to get started.

Take one useful discovery onto the course

During your next round, look for a chance to use one of the shots you practiced.

Before you swing, ask:

Where do I want this ball to land—and which shot have I practiced that could get it there?

You’ll still need to consider the lie, wind and room for the ball to roll. Your practice numbers give you a starting point for that decision.

This week’s Golf Simplified challenge

One wedge. Three swing sizes. Fifteen practice balls.

No distance contest. Just a chance to understand your own game a little better.

Because “I know this shot” is a much nicer thought to stand over than “Well, let’s see what happens.”

Are you usually short, long—or just happy when it gets onto the green? Tell me in the comments.

—Beth

Fairways, Flowers & Flights