The term “Texas Wedge” confuses several golfers globally. Many of these are under the impression that the term is related to a type of wedge, but they couldn’t be more wrong. As it turns out, the phrase texas wedge is associated with putters and doesn’t involve wedges at all.
Texas Wedge is, in fact, any shot that a golfer plays off the green, but there’s a catch. The shot must be played with a putter to be called a Texas Wedge. If you’re wondering how come a putter stroke was named a wedge and why the name got stuck, you’re not alone.
Texas wedge was popularized nearly a century ago by one of the most influential golfers of the time, Ben Hogan. Ben Hogan belonged to Texas and was the first-ever golfer to use the texas wedge; hence the term stuck.
This article will explain what is a texas wedge, its origins, how to execute the shot, and under what circumstances it is useful. Keep reading.
Origin Of The Texas Wedge
As we mentioned earlier, the term was originated in Texas and was popularized by one of the most iconic Texan golfers, Ben Hogan. During that time, golf courses in Texas had a reputation for being extremely windy, dry, and arid. The situation was particularly dreadful in small towns and cities.
Moreover, the prevalence of push-up greens in many Texas golf courses with hard fairway surfaces and little to no roughs made chipping or pitching extremely challenging. Golfers usually prefer playing with wedges during the approach play, and they are pretty valuable for reaching the green. However, Texas’s rugged environment and terrain proved incredibly hostile for such golfers who preferred using wedges.
So to improvise, a few Texan golfers chose to putt the ball from fairways as an alternative. However, the legendary Ben Hogan was the pioneer and brought it to the limelight.
Today, golf courses are well maintained using sophisticated equipment and highly trained staff. Therefore, Texas Wedges have lost their popularity as modern golfers are rarely faced with situations where it would come in handy. Still, it is a useful skill to have in your arsenal.
When To Use A Texas Wedge
Although they have become less frequent, Texas Wedges can still be seen in golf courses around the world. More often than not, golfers go for that option when they have messed up their approach shot. Here are a few situations where you can benefit from using the Texas Wedge.
- When the ball is close to the hole, there’s more fairway or fringe than the greens between the ball and the hole.
- If you have a firm or tight lie and are unsure of hitting the chip thin or fat.
- The slope between the ball and the hole is very high, which increases the uncertainty of the ball’s trajectory after bouncing.
Generally speaking, when the distance between the ball and the hole is less than 40 yards, your goal should be to keep the ball as close to the ground as possible. This reduces the risk and the possibility of unfavorable outcomes. The Texas Wedge can be a valuable skill to have at your disposal in these conditions.
The conditions should also be optimal for a successful Texas Wedge. For example, any obstructions like a bunker eliminate it as an option. The same goes when you’re facing a fringe whose grass is growing against your shot path. Chipping would be a better choice in that scenario.
For a perfect Texas Wedge, the grass should be as closely mown as possible so that the ball can roll smoothly without any hindrance.
Technique| How To Hit A Texas Wedge
The method to hit a Texas Wedge isn’t that complicated as many of you might think. Essentially, it is an unusually long putt you have to make with a lot more uncertainty, of course.
Therefore, you should treat it like a putt, but you’ll have to be extra careful with the execution. Pay more attention while reading the slope and speed, and take a practice shot if it helps you. Most importantly, make sure to strike the ball from the center of the putter as off-center hits are unlikely to make the putt.
It goes without saying that you need to put in several hours of training before you master the texas wedge. The key to success is consistency, and we recommend that you practice the technique mentioned above regularly to become an expert at hitting the texas wedge.
