Executing that beautiful, low-flying wedge shot that takes one Agressive hop and stops on a dime is one of the most valuable skills in golf. This shot, the check shot, gives you incredible control when attacking tight pins or playing to firm greens. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the setup and swing mechanics to the simple drills that will help you master it.
A check shot is a type of pitch that flies in on a lower, more penetrating trajectory than a standard pitch shot. It hits the green, takes one or two small hops forward, and then "checks up" or stops quickly due to a high amount of backspin. It's the perfect shot for a variety of situations:
Think of it as the ultimate blend of precision and power. It's a proactive shot that lets you dictate terms to the golf course, rather than just hoping for a good bounce.
Before we learn the technique, it helps to understand what creates the spin in the first place. You don't need a physics degree, just two simple concepts: clean contact and clubhead speed.
Backspin is generated when a descending clubhead makes contact with the golf ball. The friction between the clean grooves of your wedge and the cover of the ball is what creates the "grab" that imparts spin. The faster the clubhead is moving at impact, the more spin you can generate. In short:
Downward Strike + Clubhead Speed = HIGH SPIN
The goal of the check shot technique isn’t to "scoop" the ball or "help it up" with your hands. It's about creating the perfect conditions for the club to do its job - striking down on the ball with speed, squeezing it against the turf, and letting the loft and grooves produce an aggressive, stopping action.
While technique is paramount, having the right equipment makes hitting a high-spin check shot much, much easier. Not all clubs and balls are created equal when it comes to generating spin.
You’ll want to use one of your scoring wedges for this shot - typically a 52°, 56°, or 60° wedge. More importantly, the grooves on your wedge need to be fresh and clean. Over time, grooves wear down and fill with dirt and debris, which significantly reduces the amount of friction the-face can apply to the ball. A stiff-bristled brush is your best friend. Sharp grooves can mean the difference between a shot that stops on a dime and one that rolls out ten feet past the hole.
The type of golf ball you play has a massive impact on spin. premium golf balls with a soft, urethane cover (like a Titleist ProV1, Callaway Chrome Soft, or TaylorMade TP5) are designed to "grab" the face of a wedge and spin significantly more on shorter shots. A two-piece "distance" ball, which typically has a harder cover made of Surlyn, is designed for low spin off the driver and will be much harder to check up around the greens. If mastering this shot is your goal, playing a urethane-covered ball will give you a big advantage.
Alright, let’s get into the mechanics. The check shot relies on a specific setup and swing path designed to produce a clean, downward strike with controlled acceleration. We'll break it down piece by piece.
Your setup is all about encouraging a downward angle of attack. Every element, from your ball position to your weight distribution, should prime your body to hit ball-then-turf.
With the setup down, the swing itself focuses on one thing: accelerating through impact. This is not a gentle, passive motion. It is an assertive but controlled swing.
When learning this shot, you'll likely run into a few common issues. Here’s what they are and how to think about fixing them.
The Cause: This usually happens when you try to "lift" the ball into the air by scooping with your hands or when your swing bottom out behind the golf ball instead a of after it.
The Fix: Revisit your setup. Ensure your weight is on your front foot and a your hands are ahead of the ball. During the swing, focus on a rotating your chest through the shot to lead the arms. Feel like you are a keeping the back of your lead wrist flat through impact.
The Cause: Deceleration. Simple as that. The moment you "quit" on the shot and slow the club down before impact, the clubhead will likely dig into the turf a behind the ball.
The Fix: Commit to acceleration. Make practice swings where you audibly hear the "swoosh" of the club at the bottom of your arc. On the shot a itself, your primary swing thought should be "speed through the ball," letting a the low finish control the distance.
To really ingrain that crucial ball-then-turf contact, there is no better drill than the classic Towel Drill. It’s simple and provides instant feedback.
To accomplish this, your swing must come down at a steep enough angle, a with a forward low point, to miss the towel completely. If you sway back, a try to scoop the ball, or decelerate, you’ll hit the towel first. This a will quickly teach your body the feeling of a proper, downward strike and clean a contact that is the engine of a spinning check shot.
Mastering the check shot comes down to nailing the fundamentals: a setup that a presets a downward strike, and a confident swing that accelerates through a the ball to generate spin. By focusing on ball-first contact and an abbreviated a follow-through, you can turn a tricky approach into a scoring opportunity.
Perfecting shots like this takes practice, but sometimes uncertainty on the course can hold you back. You might be staring at a tricky lie, unsure if a check shot is even possible, or what happens if you misjudge the green's firmness. We built our app, Caddie AI, to remove that guesswork. By analyzing your lie from a photo and giving you a smart recommendation right on the spot, you can pull the club with total confidence and focus on simply making a great, committed swing.
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