Every amateur golfer has a shot they dread, but few rank higher than the 40-yard pitch.
From that distance, getting the ball up and down, whether out of a bunker or off a tight fairway lie, remains one of the tougher asks for most players.
The common mistakes are easy to spot: thinned shots flying over the green, others falling well short, and sometimes players resorting to putting if conditions allow.
So how can we all improve at this type of shot? Well, luckily enough, eight-time major champion Tom Watson has some advice we can all follow.
Tom Watson shares how to approach the 40-yard pitch
Even the pros will tell you this shot can swing a round either way, and for most of us, it’s a real test. But for elite players, it’s one they’re expected to handle comfortably.
Watson believes many amateurs struggle with this shot because of how they set up their bodies. It’s a simple adjustment but one that could make a big difference.
“One of the most feared shots that amateurs have in the game of golf is the 40 yard wedge shot,” Watson explained.
He went on to say: “What happens with most amateurs is they get into a position and because they don’t make a full swing, they never get enough weight in their left foot to make a ball, divot type of progression. They start in what I call the tripod position. Their legs are straight up, forming a triangle and the centre of gravity is in the middle and that’s where they think it should be.”
“Well it’s not. What I suggest you do is this simple move. Take your hips, and start in the tripod position, but then slide your hips, keeping your upper body in the same place. So that the legs are now slightly bent towards the target.”
Tom Watson shares the one thing he wishes he knew earlier in his career
Watson’s advice is well worth listening to, considering everything he accomplished in the game. His insights aren’t limited to short game tips either.
He has also discussed a key swing change that came later in his playing days. “I don’t have any regrets in my golf career, honestly. But the one thing that I wish I’d learned earlier is the secret I talk about in my book,” Watson said.
“And that secret is very simply, if I take my shoulders back, then I come back with them on the same plane. But before, I would take my shoulders back here [demonstrates swing] and then go there, ‘reverse C’. That killed me a lot, lot of times and it kept me you know, inconsistent.”
The golf swing can feel complex at times with so many things to think about. Taking note of advice from players like Watson certainly can’t hurt and might even help steady your game along the way.
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