What is bounce and why is it the most important part of your short game?
Bounce is an angle, formed between the height of the leading edge of the club, the sole of the club and the ground. It would seem that with any club and specifically your wedges, you would want the leading edge low and flush to the ground. This is not the case.
When you strike the ball, you are going to do so with the shaft leaning forward. This will decrease the bounce angle of your club. However, If there is not enough bounce on your club, you will not be able to glide through the chip or pitch shot and as a result you will dig into the ground producing a heavy shot.
The common misconception is that in order to glide through those chips and pitches on tight lies, we need the thinnest sole with less bounce to slide the club under the ball. This is where bounce is your friend!
On that tight lie in the middle of a dry summer we want to be able to pull the club head through and literally “bounce” the wide sole right off the ground. Utilizing the bounce angle will not only help eliminate the heavy shot but will also give you a much more consistent short game.
Having the confidence to stay aggressive through a delicate shot is paramount to your success around the greens. Making your misses playable and your game more consistent will allow you to enjoy your rounds, achieve your goals and lower your scores.