For most amateur golfers, a 40-yard pitch or a delicate chip over a bunker sits somewhere between uncomfortable and intimidating. For Tour players, those same shots represent opportunity — and often expectation. Wedge shots aren’t feared at the highest levels of golf; they are welcomed.

That confidence isn’t based on talent alone. It comes from preparation, clarity, and an understanding of what those shots are supposed to do.

Last week, we looked at how Tour players begin each season by sharpening the scoring shots inside 125 yards rather than overhauling their full swing. This week, we explore why the best players in the world don’t fear their wedges — and how everyday golfers can learn from that mindset.

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🧠 Confidence in the Scoring Zone Isn’t Mechanical — It’s Mental

When announcers talk about Tour-level short game, they often praise “touch” or “hands.” But those are really just outcomes of belief and familiarity. Pros don’t stand over wedges wondering if they’ll hit the ball clean or thin it over the green — that uncertainty is where amateur fear lives.

Short-game confidence comes from three things:

1. Understanding the shot

2. Choosing the right option

3. Committing to the execution

Most amateurs skip steps 1 and 2 and hope step 3 saves the shot.

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📊 Tour Players Expect to Score — Amateurs Hope to Survive

Here’s what the numbers tell us:

Tour Players (2024 ShotLink data)

• Scrambling: ~58–62%

• Sand Saves: ~52%

• Proximity inside 30 yards: ~6–10 ft

• Make rate from 8 feet: ~50%

Arccos / ShotScope Amateur Benchmarks

• Scrambling (10–15 handicap): ~24–32%

• Sand Saves: ~9–14%

• Proximity inside 30 yards: ~15–22 ft

• Make rate from 8 feet: ~18–22%

Same shots. Same clubs. Completely different expectations.

As Bob Rotella famously put it:

“Golf rewards the player who believes.”

Tour players believe they should get up-and-down — amateurs simply wish they could.

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🎙️ What the Pros Say

Phil Mickelson, one of the most respected wedge players of his era, framed it this way:

“A lot of players are trying not to mess up around the greens. I’m trying to get the ball in the hole.”

Two completely different goals.

Luke Donald, former World No. 1 and renowned wedge player:

“Short game is about choosing the correct shot. Once the choice is made, you have to commit. Hesitation is where mistakes live.”

Again — the wedge advantage isn’t swing mechanics, it’s clarity + commitment.

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🧩 So Where Does Amateur Fear Come From?

Three common sources:

1. Uncertainty

Not knowing which shot to play → leads to second-guessing

2. Lack of Calibration

Not knowing where the ball should land → leads to distance errors

3. Wrong Expectations

Trying to hit “perfect” shots instead of the highest percentage shot

This is where I believe the Edison perspective is useful. Between my years teaching short game and the fitting work we’ve done through Edison Golf, one trend is clear:

Most golfers don’t know what good short-game shots actually look like.

A 10-handicap might hit a wedge to 20 feet and think it’s terrible — when in reality, that’s what the data says good looks like at that level.

Once expectations match reality, confidence grows.

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🗺️ Tour Confidence Comes from Options

Tour players don’t fear wedges because they have tools, not just “touch.” They understand:

• which shot fits the lie

• how different trajectories behave

• how grain or slope affects rollout

• how far partial swings travel

• and what a good outcome looks like

Amateurs rarely build that map.

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🎯 How to Build Wedge Confidence Without Changing Your Swing

Here’s a simple framework you can use immediately:

Step 1: Read the Lie First

Soft vs firm, fluffy vs tight, grain direction, slope

Step 2: Choose a Shot Shape

Low → medium → high (pick one)

Step 3: Choose a Land Spot

Pick a specific point, not a general area

Step 4: Commit Without Steering

Steering creates deceleration — confidence creates speed

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⭐ Mini Drill You Can Do This Week

The “Two Outcomes” Drill

1. Drop 10 balls around the green

2. For each ball, choose:

   • shot type

   • landing spot

   • intended rollout

3. After each shot, write down only two things:

   • Contact: Good / Bad

   • Decision: Right / Wrong

After 10 balls, review:

If Contact = Good, Decision = Wrong
→ you chose the wrong shot, not the wrong swing

If Contact = Bad, Decision = Right
→ the shot choice was good, you just need reps

Confidence grows when those two align.

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⭐ Key Takeaway

Tour players trust their wedges because they understand what those shots are supposed to do — and they choose the shot before they execute it.

Amateurs fear wedges because they often execute before they decide.

You don’t need Tour-level hands to improve your short game. You need clarity, calibration, and commitment.