Jack Nicklaus ruled golf in the 60´s and 70´s and still holds the record of major tournament victories. He was also the first player to play the pitching wedge with enormous backspin.

Here is how he did it.

The ball was positioned forward in the stance opposite the left foot. (Pic 1)  This ball position was set so Jack could drive his knees and lower body through the ball (Pic 2) The end position (Pic 3) shows how his knees would be pointing to the target at the conclusion of the swing.

Although it worked very well for Jack this technique comes with a certain consiquences. Playing the ball so far forward in the stance away from the natural lowest point of the swing means if the knees do not "slide" forwards enough at impact the ball will be thinned or topped.

In the modern game the pitch is played with ball either in the centre or slightly in the back of the stance. (Pic 4) The knees and lower body thus play much more of a passive role with the upper body rotation together with the arms ruling the swing.(Pics 5 and 6)

The clear advantage is not just reducing the danger of thinning or topping the ball but this more compact half swing is much more atoned to a normal swing rather than the techinique used in the 60´s and 70´s which was only used for aquiring backspin.