I remember seeing the GC show this short clip is from, but this bit is all we need today. Let's talk about ball position when playing a wedge shot. There are two things we want to learn from this clip.
The first thing to learn is how to determine ball position. (This is actually a useful thing to know when playing full shots as well.)
When you position your ball for a shot, you typically use the middle of your stance as your starting point. Please note that when Pelz puts his ball in the middle of his stance, he measures halfway between his heels, not his toes. When he fans his lead foot open, a ball in the middle of his stance actually appears to be more than halfway back.
So if you want to position your ball halfway in your stance, measure that position between your heels and not your toes. (And be aware that if you play the ball off your lead toe when you hit a drive, it's actually teed a bit in front of your stance. Interesting, eh?)
The second -- and perhaps more interesting -- point is that Pelz always positions the ball in the middle of his stance for a wedge shot. This is exactly opposite of what his prize pupil, Phil Mickelson, does!
Phil moves the ball forward to hit it higher while Pelz opens his stance and clubface instead. Pelz's reasoning is sound; the consistent position ensures more consistent contact -- no fat shots.
But while the Pelz reasoning is sound, that doesn't mean it's the best for you. Phil's way does require more practice and could result in more fat shots but, since we can be sure Pelz has explained that, clearly Phil is more comfortable with his own method.
So this gives you a new tool in your short game arsenal. If you've been using one way of positioning and aren't having the success you want, give the other method a try and see which one gives you better results more consistently. Golf is an individual game, after all, and you should learn to play the way that lets you score best.
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