Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: The secret angle of golf success

Published

4 years ago

Feb 17, 2022

From observation of thousands of recreational golfers, I believe one of the most misunderstood intricacies of the golf swing is how the golf club “releases” through impact. Almost universally, golfers seem to think that the club releases through impact by or with an unhinging of the wrists, so that the left arm and shaft form a straight line.

If you really want to improve your ball striking, your distance, your consistency and your scores, you will undertake the “great awakening” that comes when you really understand how the club has to release through impact. Many of you are stuck in front of your TV right now, watching golf instead of playing it. Well, make this time count.

First, understand that seeing the golf swing from the front, face on to the golfer reveals very different fundamentals than from watching the swing from behind the golfer, looking down the line. Only from that angle can you see – particularly on wedge shots and chips and pitches – that the hands and arms are following a path through impact that very nearly “covers” the position at address, where a distinct angle is formed by the left arm and shaft of the club.

I’ve learned to call that “the secret angle of success.”

If you will spend some time studying videos and still photos, you’ll see that in the longer, more powerful swings – driver, metals, hybrids – the hands drift a little higher and away from the body more than they do with the middle and short irons, but the angle is still there. As you watch these guys hit the little delicate short shots around the greens, the hands almost identically cover their address position, so that this address angle doesn’t change much at all.

And it is with those short swings that you should begin to learn this “secret angle of success” for yourself.

It starts by understanding that a proper “release” of the club is not an unhinging of the wrists, but rather a rotation of the hands and arms through impact, driven by and in synchronization with the rotation of the body core itself. Close examination shows that the hands remain almost directly in front of the sternum or belt buckle through the entire impact zone, and the forearms and hands rotate – not unhinge – so that the clubface is squared at the ball for consistent impact.

So, how do you learn this angle and the resulting proper release, while it’s early season of pre-season for so many of you?

The beauty is that you can learn this at home with a wedge in your hand and enough room in your den, living room or basement to not take out a lamp with a half swing. Your goal is to set up at address with the left arm (for right-handed players) hanging naturally from your shoulder, not pushed out toward the ball. Grip the club with that hand position, and note the angle formed by your arms and the club’s shaft. Then take the club back only with a rotation of the body core, so that you can preserve that angle into the backswing. As you come back through the impact zone, concentrate on holding that angle so that the lead arm and hands exactly “cover” their address position. The angle of the arms and shaft formed at your wrists is maintained, and the club rotates through the ball, as your body rotates through impact.

Once you get the feel of it in slow motion, make slightly faster half swings, concentrating on the path of the arms, maintaining the angle and that rotational release. When you actually hit balls with this newly-learned fundamental – do so at 1/2 to 3/4 length swings and 35-50% speed – you’ll be amazed at the boring trajectories and effortless distance you will get!

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Terry Koehler

Terry Koehler is a fourth generation Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University. Over his 40-year career in the golf industry, he has created over 100 putter designs and dozens of wedges. In 2014, he put together the team that reintroduced the Ben Hogan brand to the golf equipment industry with his TK 15 wedges and Ft. Worth 15 iron designs. Since receiving a U.S. Patent for his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” in the wedge category. In addition to inspiring multiple companies to emulate this sole technology, the performance of his wedge designs have stimulated all other companies to reposition some mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges. Terry is retired from his role as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf, and remains active in the industry as an independent designer and consultant. But his most compelling work is in the wedge category. Since he first patented his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” reflected in ‘tour design’ wedges. The performance of his wedge designs have stimulated other companies to move slightly more mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges, but none approach the dramatic design of his Edison Forged wedges, which have been robotically proven to significantly raise the bar for wedge performance. Terry serves as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf – check it out at www.EdisonWedges.com.

12 Comments

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Robert Johansson

Oct 19, 2022 at 4:41 pm

No, lol you got it so wrong
You need a new job

Reply Report comment
Bob Jones

Feb 25, 2022 at 11:36 am

Terry, it is unclear to me in the sentence beginning, “Only from that angle can you see…” which angle you are referring to: face-on or down-the-line. Can you please clarify?

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Greg grooms

Feb 21, 2022 at 10:32 am

“Cover” Is that a common golf term? I believe I understand what Terry is trying to explain, but without frame by frame pics much is left up to interpretation, which can be scary. I believe the “angle” Terry is describing is the key to success and to gaining 20+ yards. I know we would all benefit greatly from an explanation with more pictures, esp frame by frame. Thanks

Reply Report comment
- Greg
  
  Feb 25, 2022 at 11:48 am
  
  I should have searched for “cover” first. I now understand what Terry is describing. Sorry for typing too fast earlier
  
  Reply Report comment
geohogan

Feb 20, 2022 at 9:41 am

Impact lasts 5/10,000 of a second…so it impossible
to time release, any kind of release.
The clubface squares at impact, by physics.. deceleration of proximal causing acceleration of distal.ie kinematic sequence.

Reply Report comment
LDB

Feb 18, 2022 at 9:26 am

Yeah this article really should have at least had a graphic. Wouldn’t have been hard to make.

Reply Report comment
Jay Arr

Feb 18, 2022 at 12:24 am

Wedge Guy,
Any chance you can put up a short video demonstrating this technique, I’m not sure I grap the concept. I’m sure I’m not alone.

Reply Report comment
greg

Feb 17, 2022 at 11:27 pm

The average high handicapper would do well to view phil mickelson’s hinge & hold video to learn the correct release.

Reply Report comment
SGR

Feb 17, 2022 at 6:50 pm

The Wedge Guy: The secret angle of golf success. Thank you for your explanation. As a golfer who suffers with week compression /contact with short irons. I am anxious to work on this technique. I have a drastic loss of distance with my short irons , more than 20yards from PW to my gap, and even more the weaker I go in loft. It’s extremely frustrating. I am sure it is the opposite action to your technique description of your article. I tend to be more handsy with them than my mid to long irons. The longer the club the better my ball striking. I have read the article several times in an attempt not to misunderstand your technique explanation. I can’t wait to give this a try. I have to fix this.

Thank you,

SGR

Reply Report comment
Jon

Feb 17, 2022 at 1:44 pm

You pretty much described the hockey shot. Played some hockey in my day and that’s how we swing the stick except the trail hand is lower.

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