Collin Morikawa's Wedges: Spin and a Flat Descent
During a TaylorMade session, Collin Morikawa tests out some wedges and talks about his short game. He explains how it feels, how he avoids digging into the ground, and how he turned his wedges into a strength before joining the tour.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
Collin Morikawa tends to fade: his wedges have a slight fade. For a straighter shot, he kicks the ball back in the stanza. Its tendency is to to lift the club and end up too upright; to flatten his swing, he thinks about a draw sensation, turn your body and use the rebound. When testing two bounces, he wants a club that glides across the grass without catching or digging in. From under 60 yards, it's mostly about feel, like a long chip shot.
He knew as far back as his junior years that wedges were his weak spot. He didn't want to see the ball land five to ten yards behind the hole and then roll back anymore. With his 52-degree wedge, he looked for another technique that produces a landing, a bounce, a stop, then he copied it onto the others. Next came the distance work: at the university, on a strip of grass, he would do one after another shots ranging from 10 to 80 yards for hours. His advice to amateurs: stay in the swing instead of trying to lift the ball—the loft takes care of that.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Identify your tendency: if you're standing too upright, think about a draw feel.
- Turn your body and let the bounce roll across the floor.
- With a 52-degree wedge, aim for a shot where the ball lands, bounces once, and stops.
- Apply this technique to your other wedges.
- Next, work on the distances in 10-yard increments up to 80 yards.
- From under 60 yards, play it by feel, like a long chip.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Lifting the club and swinging down too vertically.
- Use your whole body to help the ball rise.
- Swing hard to get the maximum distance out of a wedge.
- A ball that lands behind the hole and then rolls back.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- Distance ranges from 10 to 80 yards
- Wedges with a draw feel to flatten the downswing
- Shots aimed at a rebound followed by a save
- Comparison of Two Wedge Bounces
Your Questions
Why does Collin Morikawa think he hits a draw with his wedges?
To keep the clubface flat on the downswing. He tends to lift the club and become too upright; the feel of a draw and using the bounce help him stay flat.
How did he improve his wedge play?
He grabbed his 52-degree wedge and tweaked his technique slightly to get the ball to land, bounce once, and stop, then he repeated that shot and worked on his distances.
What advice does he give to enthusiasts?
Staying in the swing. Amateurs try to lift the ball using their whole body, when in fact the wedge's loft is enough to get it airborne and generate spin.
How does he work on his distances?
In college, he would hit shot after shot from 10 to 80 yards on a strip of grass for hours on end. He says he has to keep up this practice constantly.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Collin Morikawa). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.