Masterclass: No.8 - the Texas wedge shot
In the latest in his short game series, teaching professional John Cook reveals a legendary shot from Lee Trevino's locker that can work for you.
John Cook reveals shot from Lee Tevino's locker
Whenever the fringe or fairway leading up to the green is short and smooth a good option is to use a putter instead of an iron or wedge.
Even if you are 10 to 15 yards shy of the putting surface, this Texas Wedge shot (a term coined by that master of improvisation, Lee Trevino, in the 1970s) can often pay handsome dividends.
It’s particularly handy for those of you not yet proficient with your chipping or lacking in confidence to play with control and a delicate touch using a lofted club.
It’s a shot Trevino adapted particularly for our links courses where Open championships are always played and where the fairway grass is firm and cut very tight.
However, it can also be a useful shot in your armoury on parkland and heathland courses when you get out of position on the edge of undulating greens and the demand is to play through fringe grass to a tricky pin position.
The art here is to take your normal putting grip (with ‘soft hands’ to take the tension out of the shot) but to extend the back and throughswing. Keep the backswing long and flowing and follow through the same distance.
Always putt the ball when the situation allows. A poor putt is always better than a poor chip, they say, but you will have far fewer poor shots if you pick the right opportunity to use the Texas wedge.
Want anymore short game tips? check out lob chip over a mound
Or check out the rest of the masterclass series
Originally published October 2004, updated May 2013.
