Why more effort does not guarantee more wedge spin
Golfers often try to make a wedge shot check or spin back by swinging harder. But the quality of contact, delivered loft and clubface control are more relevant than a dramatic-looking shot. On 12 September 2026, John Scott Rattan, Congressional Country Club's director of instruction and a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, described a simple tactile checkpoint for coordinating the lead hand and body.
His premise is that face and loft control begin before impact, not with a last-second flick of the wrists. The drill uses an ordinary golf tee, but not underneath the ball.
The lead-hand checkpoint
For a right-handed golfer, the lead hand is the left; for a left-hander it is the right. Rattan suggests placing a tee between the middle and ring fingers of the lead hand, close to their base. Make a backswing and feel as though you twist the tee behind you during transition. Through impact, the tee should point forward, beyond the ball, as the body continues to rotate.
The purpose is not to force the wrists forward or jab the hands at the ball. The lead wrist, body pivot and clubface should work together. Rattan associates this coordination with a more controlled wedge flight, reduced delivered loft and a steadier clubface.
A sensible practice progression
Begin with slow, ball-free rehearsals, holding the tee comfortably. Follow with short, partial wedge swings, noting strike location, initial launch height and carry-distance consistency. This sequence is an editorial suggestion for practice—not a reported experiment by Rattan or a promise of a particular spin rate.
Stop if keeping the tee between your fingers causes discomfort. Avoid forcing wrist angles just to imitate the drill's visual cue.
What the tee cannot do
Backspin also depends on clean grooves, ball condition, moisture and friction at impact, ground conditions and club speed. This is a way to sense a movement pattern, not a device that adds spin by itself or guarantees that a shot will zip back toward the flag.
Original reference: John Scott Rattan's GOLF.com instructional column, published 12 September 2026.
