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Tuesday Quick Tip: How Phil Mickelson Plays the Dreaded 50-Yard Pitch
Plus, in Trivia: Who had to inform Augusta National of their planned outfits ahead of the Masters?!
Wild Golf
April 08, 2025
Hello, friends. Happy MASTERS WEEK! It’s the best week of the year - one might even argue it’s better than Christmas Day! For any golf fan out there, nothing beats 7 straight days of Augusta National coverage. We’ve got 95 of the world’s best competing, but who will bring home the green jacket? Reply to this message with 1. the winner and 2. the winning final score. If you’re right, we’ll send you a prize!
In the meantime, Phil Mickelson is going to teach us how to hit a very important shot that most golfers avoid like the plague - the 50 yard wedge shot.
Let’s get into it!
TIPS & DRILLS
How To Play the Dreaded 50 Yard Pitch Shot
Phil Mickelson shows us where we go wrong and how to fix it
To Recap…
How many times have you laid up to the 100 yard marker out of fear that if you hit it closer to the hole, you’ll be left with a half wedge? We get it - it’s terrifying! But Phil has you covered. Mickelson preaches making an aggressive move through the ball on all shots, simply adjusting your swing length to achieve the appropriate distance. After all, there’s nothing worse than a timid approach with a wedge so swing with confidence and follow the wedge master’s advice:
STEP 1: Grab the most lofted wedge you’re comfortable with. For Phil Mickelson, he prefers his 60 degree wedge. By using a higher lofted club, it will be easier to swing hard through the hitting zone without letting the ball go too far.
STEP 2: On the backswing, make sure you aren’t taking it all of the way back. A shorter backswing is what we are looking for here so that you can feel confident attacking the ball. A long swing from this distance is “crazy!” as Phil says, as it will simply send the ball sailing over the green.
STEP 3: As you start your downswing, make sure you focus on ACCELERATING through the golf ball. This is vitally important- by matching a shorter backswing with full acceleration through the ball, you can achieve the exact right distance. For starters, try dialing in your distances with a ½ swing as well as ¾ swing and you’ll immediately have 2 new tools in your toolbox.
PRO TIP: Acceleration through the ball is the optimal way to generate spin. That said, what is the most important thing if you want consistency in strike with distance control and more spin? CLEAN GROOVES. Make sure your wedge is free of dirt if you need the ball to stop quickly!
TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win 5 Dozen Custom Titleist ProV1 Golf Balls
(1 winner chosen on 4/30/25 across all April trivia entries, 1,000 correct respondents minimum)
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Who was the only player required by Augusta National Golf Club to submit their outfit lineup prior to the 2025 Masters Tournament for approval?Hint: In the 2024 Masters Tournament he was required to change a piece of his outfit due to "inappropriate content"! |
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