{"id":761778,"date":"2026-06-26T15:09:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T15:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/761778\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T15:09:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T15:09:17","slug":"how-to-master-the-high-and-low-launch-wedge-shot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/761778\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Master The High (And Low) Launch Wedge Shot"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"elk-4a105265-72f9-4517-8f95-de262283128b\">A consistently good short game requires more than a &#8216;one size fits all&#8217; approach.<\/p>\n<p>A stock shot around the green is great to have, but being able to vary your flight with wedges is a great way to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/7-ways-to-shoot-lower-scores-in-2026\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/7-ways-to-shoot-lower-scores-in-2026\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/7-ways-to-shoot-lower-scores-in-2026\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">shoot lower scores<\/a> and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/5-ways-to-cut-your-handicap-in-2026\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/5-ways-to-cut-your-handicap-in-2026\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/5-ways-to-cut-your-handicap-in-2026\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">cut your handicap in 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-4a105265-72f9-4517-8f95-de262283128b-2\">In this <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/ultimate-short-game-clinic-for-amateur-golfers-20-best-tips-and-drills-from-our-panel-of-experts\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/ultimate-short-game-clinic-for-amateur-golfers-20-best-tips-and-drills-from-our-panel-of-experts\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/ultimate-short-game-clinic-for-amateur-golfers-20-best-tips-and-drills-from-our-panel-of-experts\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">short game clinic<\/a>, Top 50 Coach Alex Buckner shares a simple system for altering trajectory when pitching and chipping &#8211; which centres on simple setup changes that any golfer can make at address.<\/p>\n<p>Alex coaches top tour players, like three-time DP World Tour winner Marco Penge, but he also helped countless amateurs to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/these-two-shots-will-save-your-short-game\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/these-two-shots-will-save-your-short-game\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/these-two-shots-will-save-your-short-game\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">improve their short game<\/a> &#8211; now, it&#8217;s your turn!<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-8a081ce3-165c-4027-a1fc-52048f700197\">A lot of club players don&#8217;t understand why they launch their wedges a certain way. Often, it&#8217;s <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/i-lost-20-yards-and-my-golf-game-fell-apart\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/i-lost-20-yards-and-my-golf-game-fell-apart\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/i-lost-20-yards-and-my-golf-game-fell-apart\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">inconsistency in their setup<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>            You may like<\/p>\n<p>Here, you can see the ball is forward in my stance, my weight is stacked on my trail side and I&#8217;m tilted to my right. There is no shaft lean.<\/p>\n<p>These are all elements that launch the ball high. If you launch it high and come up short, you may want to change a few things. In the wind, especially, it&#8217;s not usually the right shot, as it&#8217;s harder to control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer\u2019s guides from our team of experienced experts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.65%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NgyHPcES6D5nJXEaeuZs2M.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Buckner demonstrating the setup position for a higher-flighted wedge shot\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NgyHPcES6D5nJXEaeuZs2M.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/NgyHPcES6D5nJXEaeuZs2M.jpg\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)]\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>This setup position would promote a higher launched wedge shot<\/p>\n<p>(Image credit: Matt Lincoln)<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-4420ecf8-cc09-4f5b-aa33-0c2bde1e42dc\">Most club players struggle to launch their wedges low, which is what I&#8217;m set up to do here. I&#8217;ve adopted a steeper position with my body, my weight is slightly forward, and I&#8217;m not tilted behind the ball.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, my body has a slight tilt towards the target. The ball is back in my stance, and my hands are forward. Note the shaft lean here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.65%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/nm65jgbwZ6GQrR9HzkDExL.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Buckner demonstrating a setup change with a little more shaft lean towards the target for a lower flight\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/nm65jgbwZ6GQrR9HzkDExL.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/nm65jgbwZ6GQrR9HzkDExL.jpg\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)]\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>You can see the difference when flighting it in lower &#8211; the weight is forward and there is shaft lean towards the target<\/p>\n<p>(Image credit: Matt Lincoln)<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-ff772372-f5c0-48a0-9b4b-1f871c99fd72\">By making these few changes to the address position, I&#8217;m altering the attack angle and moving the low point forward so the ball launches low.<\/p>\n<p>Depending on the scenario, you may want to launch it high or low. For example, picture a front flag, downwind on a hard green, versus playing into the wind to a back flag.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:66.65%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/zfwquCQGmA2H6NjfiXmtxL.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Buckner demonstrating the impact position for a lower ball flight with a wedge, with hands forward and plenty of shaft lean\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/zfwquCQGmA2H6NjfiXmtxL.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/zfwquCQGmA2H6NjfiXmtxL.jpg\" class=\"rounded-[var(--image--border-radius,0)]\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>This attack angle will promote a lower launched wedge shot<\/p>\n<p>(Image credit: Matt Lincoln)<\/p>\n<p id=\"elk-15d578ef-2451-45e9-bad6-f9ef4b9692ea\">The former scenario best suits a higher trajectory, and the latter a lower one.<\/p>\n<p>The <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/my-perfect-pitch-shot-clinic-will-instantly-save-you-shots-from-inside-100-yards\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/my-perfect-pitch-shot-clinic-will-instantly-save-you-shots-from-inside-100-yards\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/my-perfect-pitch-shot-clinic-will-instantly-save-you-shots-from-inside-100-yards\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">best pitchers<\/a> can hit their yardages in multiple ways. Practise hitting from 50-100 yards with two different flights to help you master your distance control and learn how to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/simple-tips-to-alter-the-trajectory-of-your-iron-shots\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/simple-tips-to-alter-the-trajectory-of-your-iron-shots\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/tips\/simple-tips-to-alter-the-trajectory-of-your-iron-shots\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">adapt your trajectory<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A consistently good short game requires more than a &#8216;one size fits all&#8217; approach. A stock shot around&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":761779,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[566],"tags":[64,63,755,85],"class_list":["post-761778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-golf","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-golf","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=761778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/761778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/761779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=761778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=761778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=761778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}