Jack Nicklaus liked to simplify the greenside shots and hit about 90 percent of these chips and pitches around the green with one club, his sand wedge. He played it back or forward in his stance and varied his wrist action and swing speed to create several different sorts of chips and pitches.
Jack hit the ball high. But you don’t win the British or even US Opens without hitting it on the ground. We’re (again) trying to simplify the game and choose a short game club to see this theory through. The trend in carrying four wedges is … silly. Statistically silly. Older guys can’t get the speed with a 60 degree AND control the clubface at the same time. Read that sentence again. Or ask Lee Trevino.
So, maybe a simpler bag setup, one that focuses you on playing shots, rather than just distances from inside 70 yards. We older players face a disproportionately high number of inside 70 yards situations. Pick a tool. Learn to use it. It requires practice to get better, but we’re betting you’ll be a better player as a result. Give it a try.
“I try to take a sand wedge and make it react like a putter,” Nicklaus said. “I take a putting stance, putting grip, take the sand wedge and make sure that I use the leading edge and I hit it right into the ball. The leading edge has got a sharp penetrating surface, and anything that we have in the way, it will penetrate through.” Jack Nicklaus