Bounce with Bob Vokey
Audio Brief
Show transcript
This episode covers a short game lesson from legendary wedge designer Bob Vokey, focusing on mastering golf wedge bounce for improved chipping and consistency.
There are four key takeaways from this lesson. First, correctly utilize bounce by opening the clubface significantly. Second, set up with the majority of your weight on your front foot. Third, focus on thumping the ground with the wedge's trailing edge. Finally, maintain continuous body rotation through the shot.
To properly utilize bounce, open the clubface more than feels natural. This ensures the trailing edge effectively interacts with the turf, preventing the club from digging. Many amateurs mistakenly de-loft the club, which negates the bounce.
Position about seventy percent of your weight on your front foot during setup. This promotes a downward angle of attack, allowing the bounce to work as intended for a cleaner strike. This setup also encourages better turf interaction.
Instead of trying to "pick" the ball cleanly, focus on "thumping" the ground with the trailing, or bottom, edge of the wedge. This leverages the bounce to slide through the turf, providing more forgiving contact. This technique is crucial for consistent chips.
Maintain continuous rotation of your lead shoulder towards the target throughout the swing. This prevents the hands from becoming overly active, which can lead to flips and inconsistent contact. Keeping the body moving ensures the club's natural path.
These insights from Bob Vokey provide a clear path to better short game performance through correct wedge bounce application.
Episode Overview
- The episode revisits the 2021 Team Titleist Invitational in Pinehurst, North Carolina, where the hosts received a short-game lesson.
- The lesson is conducted by legendary wedge designer Bob Vokey and Vokey Marketing Director, Corey Gerrard.
- The core focus is on understanding and correctly utilizing the "bounce" of a golf wedge for better chipping.
- The video breaks down common amateur mistakes and provides a step-by-step guide to the proper technique for using bounce effectively.
Key Concepts
- Bounce: The angle between the leading edge and the trailing edge of a wedge. Its primary function is to prevent the club from digging into the turf, allowing it to "slide" through the ground for more forgiving contact.
- Common Chipping Mistake: Many amateurs mistakenly play chip shots with the ball far back in their stance and the club face hooded. This de-lofts the club and negates the bounce, leading to digging and inconsistent strikes.
- Proper Technique: To use bounce correctly, a golfer should open the clubface, place about 70% of their weight on their front foot, and focus on "thumping" the ground with the trailing edge of the wedge.
- Body Rotation: Continuously rotating the lead shoulder through the shot is crucial. Stopping the body rotation causes the hands to take over, leading to flips and poor contact.
- Blind Grind Fitting: A method where a player hits various wedges without knowing the specific grind, allowing the fitter to determine the best option based on turf interaction, sound, and feel rather than preconceived notions.
Quotes
- At 01:07 - "So what we see a lot of is not enough bounce in people's hands." - Corey Gerrard explaining the most frequent problem they encounter when fitting amateur golfers for wedges.
- At 03:39 - "Bounce is the angle between the leading edge of the club and the trailing edge. And what bounce does, it keeps the club moving forward, sliding through the turf." - Bob Vokey provides a simple and effective definition of bounce and its purpose.
Takeaways
- To properly use bounce, open the clubface to an almost uncomfortable degree to ensure the trailing edge can interact with the ground.
- Set up with 70% of your weight on your front foot to encourage a downward angle of attack that allows the bounce to work.
- Instead of trying to "pick" the ball clean, focus on thumping the ground with the trailing (bottom) edge of the wedge.
- Keep your body moving through the shot by rotating your lead shoulder towards the target; this prevents the hands from becoming too active.
- Getting fit for the correct wedge grind is essential, as different swings and course conditions require different amounts of bounce for optimal performance.
