The Myth of the Open-Face Sand Wedge

Consistent chipping requires releasing your hands and wrists through impact.

You probably have heard the face of your wedge should be open enough after impact that you could balance a wine glass on it. Whoever said that might have drunk the contents of the glass before dispensing that advice. Keeping the clubface open past impact with the body rotating and the hands pulling supposedly holds the angle in the back of the right hand. The truth is, according to 3-D experts and video, with any speed in the clubhead, its inertia will rotate the clubface or close it past impact.

You want to release the clubhead with rotation in your arms and hands to have the proper shaft lean and use the bounce of the sand wedge at impact. If you hold the angle by pulling and turning, you will have too much shaft lean at impact. The sharp leading edge will dig into the ground, and if you hit a quarter inch behind the ball you will chili-dip it.

You will have more room for error by releasing your hands and wrists, because the wedge sole will bounce or dropkick into the ball. There will be little difference in the distance between this shot and a clean strike. Start releasing the club head, hitting down, and feeling the club releasing with speed as you go past impact. You want the orbit of the club head to be unimpeded as it goes through impact to your finish.

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