Another thought regarding these delicate shots around the green...
I try to keep it simple. Keep the face relatively square, bend my right arm, straighten my right arm. A soft punch basic stroke. Angled hinging all the time. Back when I played more competitively I felt much more comfortable opening up the face and hitting big flops, but not so much anymore.
I think it was Homer himself who wasn't a big fan of vertical hinging, since it always requires deliberate manual manipulation. Stick with me for a moment. Remember, Kevin, how we discussed at the PGA that there are theoretically an infinite number of hinge actions? That is, everything between pure horizontal and pure vertical?
With a driver -- where the inclined plane is the flattest -- an angled hinge is closer to a horizontal hinge. And vice versa with a short pitch shot -- you're swinging on a steeper inclined plane, therefore your angled hinge is closer to a vertical hinge. So, they're both angled hinges, but they are not identical.
Which brings me to this: with short shots, the cost/benefit analysis might not shake out in your favor when using vertical hinging. More risk, minimal reward? And certainly a need for well-practiced manual manipulation. An angled hinge with a sand or lob wedge is getting pretty close to an angled hinge -- due to the rather steep clubshaft angle at address -- and it can be readily achieved without a deliberate "reverse roll" feel.
Great post Matt!!!
Kevin
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