How to make mishits more successful in Golf? Try this ‘hinge and hold’ method

The ‘hinge and hold’ is a rather specific golfing technique, usually hit with a high wedge. The entire aim of the shot is to land the ball softly on the putting surface, only to watch it release and then roll towards the pin.

While the technique is quite a famous one, it might not have been done the most effectively by many golfers. However Parker McLachlin is here with a new and update way to play the ‘hinge and hold’ method much more successfully.

Also known as the Short Game Chef, McLachlin provides valuable tips to update the hinge and hold with a modern version of the rather traditional shot. While speaking to Golf.com, McLachlin said that many golfers tend do a ‘a hinge, a release, and then the feel of a hold’ instead. This increases the probability of hitting the ground, rather than hitting the ball itself.

McLachlin said:

“If you just ‘hinge and hold,’ you’ve got to really go down and get the ball; and that’s where I see a lot of people making that mistake.”

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How to do the modern ‘hinge and hold’ method

Parker McLachlin (Image via Getty)

The new method requires the golfer to use their whole body instead of just their wrists. Using a full body rotation allows a player to have more control over the shot, and reduce the chance of mishits. Mishits are those golf swings that are faulty in a golfer’s system, and are often embedded in the golfers mind.

McLachlin stated:

“If I take away a little more of that hinge in the backswing and go more of a neutral wrist, even though I drop-kicked it, I actually engaged the bounce better. So my miss actually went about two feet [from the pin], versus my other miss, which went about 12 feet.”

McLachlin preaches the four important elements for a successful hinge and hold:

"1. Less wrist.

2. Engage more of your body.

3. Create a wider backswing, which produces a shallower angle of attack.

4. Minimal turf interaction, as the club glides through the grass."

Coming in with a shallow angle of attack and building a wide swing are key techniques used by PGA Tour players to make mishits land two feet away from the hole. This not only engages the backend of the club, but also increases the odds in the golfer’s favour.

Parker McLachlin is a pro golfer turned instructor, who is known for his modern short game. McLachlin has been sharing his tips with all golfers, allowing amateurs to better their game.