It’s one of those shots you dream about pulling off but usually end up blading across the green: a wedge shot that hops, checks, and zips to a stop like it’s on a string.
Phil Mickelson didn’t just hit those shots — he made a career out of them. And the crazy part? He often did it with a 64° wedge in his hands.
Let’s break down how Phil Mickelson turned spin into a weapon — not with magic, but with mechanics, gear tweaks, and a level of short-game commitment most of us couldn’t fake if we tried.
The Hinge-and-Hold: Why Spin Starts With Setup
Mickelson’s go-to move for spin wasn’t a secret — he preached the “hinge and hold” like it was gospel. And it kind of is.
Here’s the gist: hinge your wrists hard going back, then hold that angle through impact. No flipping. No scooping. Just a steep, controlled strike with the shaft leaning forward and the clubface staying low. That motion forces the grooves to bite into the ball, and suddenly, spin happens.
The beauty of it? It scales. Whether he was tossing up a 20-yard chip or a 50-yard pitch, Mickelson didn’t overhaul his motion — he just adjusted the length of the backswing. Same mechanics, same spin-heavy strike.
If you’ve ever tried to “get cute” with a wedge and ended up skulling it into the bunker, you already know why this matters.
Ball Position Secrets (That Most Amateurs Get Backward)
One of Mickelson’s biggest spin tricks was where he put the ball — and no, it wasn’t always in the same spot.
For high-spinning floaters, he played the ball forward in his stance with his weight pressed onto his front foot. That let the club come in on a steep path while catching the ball first, not the turf.
But for those low-checking, one-hop-and-stop beauties? He’d move the ball back in his stance and open the face wide. That combo — steep attack angle, added loft, weight forward — gave him that nasty forward-checking spin without the ballooning flight.
Amateurs often do the opposite. Ball too far back, hands behind it, no shaft lean — and then wonder why their wedges come off dead or hot.
Custom Wedges? Oh Yeah. But Not Just for Show.
If you think gear doesn’t matter, tell that to the guy who co-designed a wedge just to spin it harder.
Mickelson’s partnership with Callaway led to the PM Grind wedges — his name, his specs, his obsession. These things weren’t built for shelf appeal. They were made for versatility and maximum groove contact.
The grooves? Offset and micro-textured to grip the ball better, especially when the face is open. The face shape? Taller toe to raise the sweet spot for flop shots. The grind? Customized sole work so he could open the face without raising the leading edge too much.
He even carried lofts most of us wouldn’t touch — including that infamous 64°. Bent wedges, custom bounce angles, heel relief. Every detail optimized for spin.
You don’t need that exact setup. But you do need a wedge that lets you attack the shot you want — not one that fights you every step of the way.
Three Shots, Three Ways Mickelson Manipulated Spin
Let’s go beyond technique. Mickelson wasn’t just generating spin — he was shaping it.
1. The Flop Shot
You’ve seen it. Maybe you’ve tried it (and maybe that ball is still in your neighbor’s backyard).
Face open, ball up, full commitment. Mickelson’s flop wasn’t just a show-off move — it relied on clean, tight lies and a swing that slid under the ball. Done right, it launched high, landed soft, and spun like it had brakes.
2. The Low-Spinner
Ball back, face open, shaft lean. This one came out hot but grabbed hard on the second bounce. Tough to execute, but deadly around firm greens. Mickelson didn’t just pull this out randomly — he knew exactly when and where to use it.
3. The Pelz Draw
This was Phil’s “spin less” shot — yep, he could dial it down too. Ball slightly back, swing around the body, 75% power. Less spin, more rollout. Ideal when you need that bump-and-release across a long green.
That’s the genius — not just creating spin, but controlling how much and when.
The Nerdy Stuff: Why His Spin Held Up Under Pressure
Tour-level pressure is where good technique goes to die. But Mickelson’s spin held up because it was built on repeatable mechanics — not feel, not timing, not vibes.
He practiced for every variable — altitude, turf moisture, temperature. Knew how each condition affected spin. His wedges weren’t just tools; they were data-driven extensions of his game.
And because his setup and swing didn’t change from Monday to Sunday, he wasn’t improvising under pressure. He was executing muscle memory.
Amateurs often change things because of nerves. Mickelson’s consistency neutralized them.
Want More Spin? Stop Guessing and Start Building
Mickelson didn’t own the wedge game because he had magical hands (though… yeah, those helped). He owned it because he built a system that worked under pressure — from the swing, to the setup, to the gear in his bag.
You don’t need PM Grind wedges or a 64° club to spin the ball like Phil. But you do need a plan.
- Master one technique (hinge and hold is a good start).
- Dial in your ball position based on the shot.
- Get wedges that match your game — not someone else’s.
Spin isn’t magic. It’s mechanics, mindset, and a little wedge grind obsession.
“If I can create spin, I can control the ball. And if I can control the ball, I can score.” — Phil Mickelson
