Tune up your game: conquer your scoring clubs: wedges, driver, putter

Golf Digest, May, 2005 by Tiger Woods

I've worked hard over the years on controlling distance with my short irons. My goal with every iron shot is to hit the ball pin high. When I have a wedge in my hand, though, I'm in attack mode, shrinking the target to a 10-foot circle.

Various factors--lie, pin location, course and weather conditions--determine what kind of wedge shot I attempt. But in each case the key for me is matching my arm and body speed to control distance and spin. I call it my "soft arm" shot because the feeling is that my arms are connected to my lower body as it turns through the shot. In other words, I don't try to power the shot with my arms and wrists alone.

My ball position is toward the middle of a slightly open stance. To hit it higher I widen my stance, which lowers my hands and adds loft to the club. If I want to turn it right to left, I simply swing a little more inside on the takeaway and release the club a little sooner through impact.

Tiger Woods writes instruction articles only for Golf Digest. Contributing Editor Mark Soltau is also the editor of tigerwoods.com.