The short game in golf is where the player is hitting the ball close to the green or on the green. It encompasses short shots and putts. When it comes down to it, your short game will end up being the difference between a sure-fire win or crushing defeat. If you are an amateur golfer, then this article is for you. Here, we are going to take a quick look at some tips that should help you improve your short game.
1. Leaves Your Hands Loose
Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to maintain a grip of steel on the golf club while playing a shot. In fact, this is one of the most common mistakes made by rookie golfers, and if someone tells you to grip your club like it’s about to leave you, don’t heed their advice.
When it comes to the short game, your grip can make or break a shot, so you want to get it right the first time. When chipping the ball, make sure your hands are soft. For instance, on a scale from one to ten, with ten being the lightest, you should make sure you’re at 5 while playing a short game.
Once you ease the tension in your wrists, you will be able to focus more on your stance while chipping, as in, making sure your back is straight and your chin is high.
2. Rotate with the Shot
Both pitching and chipping require short shots, which is all the more reason to make sure you rotate your entire body during the shot. To make sure you hit the ball correctly, it is advised to rotate the body forward while swinging the club. This means kicking the right knee toward the left during the downswing. This should help your body rotate smoothly throughout the swing since it will free up the right-hand side.
3. Find the Correct Tempo
Many first-timers make the mistake of hitting the ball with too much speed, which can be counter-productive when playing the short game. This also makes it more difficult to pull these shots off since beginners aren’t able to choose the right tempo. The good news is, there’s no need to overthink your tempo. All you have to do is ease your grip on the golf club (as mentioned earlier) and take a deep breath. Now, count to one on the backswing and two on the downswing. This will create that gentle acceleration you need to hit the perfect shot without rushing.
4. Use the Bounce
The grass gives the ball a natural bounce – use it, especially if you want to perfect those pitch shots. To do this, make sure that your hands are properly lined with the clubhead. Now, press them forward, similar to how you would while playing a chip shot.
This will make sure that the club goes through the grass when you play the shot. Taking advantage of the bounce of a shot will make sure you are able to get as close as possible to the target while playing a pitch shot.
5. Keep Your Left Arm in Control
One of the most important tips to improve your short game is to keep your left hand in control. This means letting your left wrist, hand, and arm lead the way all the way through the backswing and when making contact with the ball.
Focusing on the left hand is crucial since your control will come from the left arm when chipping or pitching. As a rule of thumb, you should aim for the dimple at the back of the golf ball and strike it with the middle of the clubface to get a more accurate shot.
Sure, a 300-yard bomb straight down the middle of the fairway is quite an impressive shot to pull off, but not as impressive as a pitch or run under pressure. Hitting the ball a lesser distance is not as easy as it looks, which is why you will need practice – and lots of it. Luckily, there are those out there who want to see you succeed in your short game, which is why the aforementioned tips should help you hit those perfectly timed shots to hit the target at short distances.
While these tips will not make you replicate that famous 16th hole chip that was pulled off by the maestro himself Tiger Woods during the 2005 Masters, it will help you take your short game to the next level.
Leave A Comment