Hitting your wedges close to the hole is important for lower golf scores. These aren't the easiest shots in the world to hit, so it's important to understand the correct technique. In the above video, I demonstrate and explain a few important keys to hitting good wedges.
I always like to focus on what's most important, if you can remember a couple of swing keys, this will greatly improve your chances of hitting better pitch shots with your wedges.
As far as the mechanics go, good tempo is a must. Rushing the backswing when hitting pitch shots is a common problem for many amateur golfers. The important thing is that the club head is accelerating through the golf ball at impact. The tempo needs to be smooth for this to happen correctly.
Good contact is also very important. There is a lot of loft when using a wedge, so there is no need to try and help the ball up in the air. The loft of the club will do that for you. All you need to do is make sure you hit down on the golf ball. It's important to have the club shaft leaning at impact so the hands are ahead of the ball. This will allow you to hit down on the ball correctly. Once you are hitting the ball with good contact, it will be easier to control your distance also.
Another big important key to hitting these shots well is to make sure you are connected in your swing and that it's in sync. One way to do this is to make sure that everything stops together at the end of your backswing, regardless of the length of the swing.
Feel like your backswing path mirrors your follow through path. Keep things simple and try to keep the body stable and let the club do the work. This will lead to consistent shots and you'll hit it closer to the hole.