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Finesse Swing

James Sieckmann's Finesse Wedge Swing

  • STANCE: Set up with your feet evenly balanced and close together, with no more than four or five inches separating your heels. Keep your back foot square to the target line, but pull your front foot back a few inches and flare it out toward the target. This "flared" lead-foot position will aid your balance in the finish and allow your shoulders to remain relatively level as they rotate through the ball, both of which are necessary for great finesse wedge play.

  • BALL POSITION: On a standard-trajectory shot, play the ball a few inches inside your back foot. You've gotten it right if, after soling your wedge on the ground with your arms hanging down just forward of center, the shaft leans 3 to 7 degrees toward the target. You're probably leaning the shaft forward already, but only because you've made the mistake of straightening your lead arm, which creates both tension and shoulder tilt. Neither is good for consistent contact or a soft touch.

  • GRIP: Your trail-hand grip should be in your fingers and in a "weak" position on top of the club, similar to a standard putting grip. I call this a "Finesse Grip," and yes, you should have a different grip for your wedge play around the greens than you do off the tee. Check that the V formed by the thumb and forefinger of your trail hand points straight up at your sternum.

  • ARMS: It should feel like your arms are dangling softly from your shoulders-so softly that a slight bend remains in your lead elbow. It's also critical that there's "extension" or a small cup near the top of your lead wrist (wrinkles are a good sign).

  • SHOULDERS: Your finesse grip, along with the correct arm hang, should set The cup is evidence that your ball position, grip, and arm hang are correct. Having and maintaining this cup in the lead wrist is key to making a correct backswing.

  • CHEST: Much like your stance, your chest should also be slightly rotated open to the target. Setting up in this manner not only moves the low point of your swing arc forward and in front of the ball, it also helps you rotate the toe of the club skyward in your backswing, which optimizes the way the club interacts with the turf through impact. Picture a flashlight attached to the middle of your sternum, and try to shine its light on the ground a few inches in front of the ball.

  • HEAD: From a face-on vantage point, your head should sit squarely over the middle of your sternum, which in turn should sit directly above your belt buckle. If done correctly, you should be able to trace a straight line from your nose through your zipper and the center of the space between your ankles. I call this being "stacked up" at address, which creates an evenly balanced stance.

  • ARM SWING: To nail the backswing and get both the handle and the head of the club moving up the plane simultaneously with the toe rotating open, you need to come to terms with two specific arm movements. The first is to maintain the cup that you establish in your lead wrist at address all the way to the top. If it disappears, you'll likely be "under" plane and in danger of poor contact. The second is to allow your trail arm to fold at the elbow as it externally rotates, which is clockwise if you play right-handed. Everything is essentially moving on the circle: the clubhead, your hands, and your trail elbow. These moves may sound complicated, but that's only because you're unfamiliar with the terminology.

Full Swing Example

Wedge Matrix Past Test Sessions

Range with 15mph tailwind

60 54 50
7:30 19 24 35
9:00 37 54 60
10:30 50 75 88

Simulator Carry July 2022

60 54 50
7:30 18 31 38
9:00 31 41 53
10:30 36 45 61

Finesse Wedge Pitch Shots

  • Fairway Shots:
  • Provides clean contact and high spin control, with potential to create up to 8,000 RPM of backspin.
  • Requires a decent amount of forward shaft lean for flat or low ball trajectory, improving distance control and spin.
  • Placement of the ball should be slightly back of center in the stance.
  • Use of an alignment rod or an inverted club against the left side of the grip helps maintain the correct posture and prevents excessive wrist use.

  • The finish should have the clubhead level at about handle level, ensuring the stick stays away from your side for precision.

  • Rough Shots:

  • The rough acts as a buffer, reducing spin and compromising distance control, with a maximum spin of around 2,000 RPM.
  • Requires a technique that allows the clubhead to pass underneath the handle to create more trajectory and speed.
  • Ball placement should be center or slightly back in the stance, without forward shaft lean at address.
  • Incorporate a hinge in the backswing to increase clubhead speed, compensating for the speed loss due to the grass buffer.
  • The finish will be higher, indicating the need for loft to stop the ball over a longer distance of travel from the rough.