Texas Wedge
Also known as: putting from off the green, putt from off the green, putting from the fringe, putt from the fringe, putting from the apron, putting through the fringe
A Texas wedge is a putt played from off the green, such as from the fringe, the apron or a firm fairway. Putt it when the grass between you and the green is short, smooth and dry. Many golfers find it easier to control than a chip, since a mishit putt rarely costs as much as a skulled or chunked chip.
Golfers call a putt from off the putting surface a Texas wedge. It is a smart choice when the ground between the ball and the green is short, firm and even. A putter keeps the ball on the ground from the start. That removes the carry and the clean strike that a chip needs.
Read how much fringe or fairway the ball must cross. Longer, thicker or wet grass slows the ball. Many golfers make a slightly longer stroke for each yard of fringe, then treat the rest like a normal putt. Keep the stroke smooth and hit the ball a little firmer than the distance on the green alone suggests.
Skip the Texas wedge when the grass is long, wet or bumpy, or when the grain grows against you. Do the same when a sprinkler head, a sharp slope or an edge of rough lies on the line. A chip-and-run with a short iron is safer then. From firm, tight lies in dry weather, though, the putter is often the lowest-risk club in the bag.
Tips by skill level
Around the practice green, play the same shot ten times with a putter and ten times with a wedge. Count which club leaves more balls inside six feet.
Learn how much extra stroke one yard of fringe needs on your home course. It changes with grass height and moisture. Recheck it through the season.
Example
His ball sits on the closely mown apron eight yards short of the green on a dry day. Rather than chip with a wedge, he takes his putter and makes a slightly longer stroke. The ball runs through the fringe and finishes a foot from the hole.
Why it matters
Putting from off the green takes the thin and fat strike out of the shot. For many golfers it is the quickest way to stop wasting strokes around the green.
Common mistakes
- Putting through long or wet fringe that grabs the ball
- Using the same stroke length as for a putt on the green
- Choosing a wedge from a tight lie when a putter would do
- Ignoring slopes and sprinkler heads on the line
Frequently asked questions
Should I putt from off the green?
Often, yes, when the grass between you and the green is short, dry and smooth. A putt removes the risk of a thin or fat chip. Skip it when the fringe is long, wet or bumpy.
What is a Texas wedge in golf?
It is a putt played from off the putting green, usually from the fringe, apron or fairway. Golfers use it when the ground is firm and smooth enough to roll the ball.
How hard do you hit a putt from the fringe?
A little firmer than the same distance on the green. Many golfers add a little extra stroke for each yard of fringe the ball must cross, then judge the rest as a normal putt.
Related terms
- Chipping From a Tight LieFrom a tight or bare lie, the safest play is usually to use less loft and roll the ball. A hybrid or 8-iron chipped like a long putt often works well. Play the ball in the middle of your stance, grip down, stand a little closer and lean the shaft toward the target. Make a small swing at your normal tempo that brushes the ground, rather than scooping with a lofted wedge.
- Chip-and-RunA chip-and-run is a low, bouncing chip that gets on the green fast and rolls toward the hole. It is the safest choice when there is room between the ball and the green edge.
- Bump-and-RunA bump-and-run is a low chip that lands on the green just past the fringe and rolls to the hole like a putt. It uses the fringe and green to deliver the ball.
- Speed Control (Putting)Speed control is calibrating stroke length and tempo so a putt rolls the intended distance. It is widely considered the single most important putting skill.
- Up-and-DownAn up-and-down means holing out in two strokes from off the green: one chip or pitch (the "up"), then one putt (the "down"). It is a key short-game measure.
- ChippingChipping is a short shot played from just off the green. A small swing gets the ball rolling on the green quickly so it can run to the hole.
Related guides & benchmarks
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