Developing a good short game is a must, if you’re serious about chopping strokes off you golf handicap. In fact, you won’t find too many golfers with low golf handicaps that don’t have good short games. It’s where the pros excel. A good short game�one that consistency leaves you with short, easily makeable putts�saves pars and creates birdie opportunities, as I’ve said in my golf tips.
Unfortunately, many weekend golfers lack good short games. Some don’t even have a basic routine for hitting a chip or pitch shot. They just select a pitching wedge and swing away. That usually costs them strokes. Building routines is critical in golf� a practice I encourage in my golf lessons. Routines organize your thoughts, create rhythm, and build confidence. Developing a good pre-shot routine is one of the first step to improving your short game.
Find What Works
Most pre-shot routines revolve around the fundamentals. But the actually steps in the routine will differ for every player, just as your pre-shot putting routine differs from that of other players. Years of giving golf lessons have taught me one thing: No two players are alike. What works for one player may not work for another. It’s essential that you develop a pre-shot routine that fits your personality. You must be comfortable with your routine. Otherwise, it won’t work.
Once you’ve decided on your pre-shot routine, use it whenever you hit a chip or pitch shot�whether you’re playing or practicing. Many players develop routines in golf, but use them only when they play. You must use the routine even when you practice for you to get the full benefit of it. Using it in practice builds your confidence and help you concentrate on the shot instead of worrying about your mechanics�a plus when facing pressure shots.
Four Decisions
The real key to a good pre-shot routine is the mental side of the “formula.” Usually, you have three basic questions to answer with every chip or pitch shot you take, regardless of where it is:
1. What kind of shot do I want to hit?
2. What club do I want to use?
3. What swing do I use?
Answering these questions correctly is critical. Many weekend golfers either fail to address these questions correctly or they just don’t think hard enough about them, leading them to make a poor shot. The result: They use a lob wedge when they should be using a pitching wedge, or they use a sand wedge when they should be using a gap wedge. Making the wrong shot at the wrong time usually costs you. You must answer all four questions correctly to be successful with the shot. Answering one or two correctly wont’ work. Let’s look at an example.
A Typical Example
You’re on the fringe of the green with about 30 feet to the pin. The shot is up hill. You have plenty of green to work with. So you don’t have to fly the ball far to get it on to the green. And the quicker you get the ball on the green, as I tell students attending my golf instruction sessions, the more control you have over the shot. The more control of the shot, the more accurate you can be.
First, let’s choose the right shot. Many weekend golfers automatically choose a wedge for all greenside shots. On a shot like this, however, all you want to do is bump the ball on the green and let it run. Players who try to fly it to the hole often end up dumping it short. Using a longer club, you can make a shorter, simpler swing, so it’s easier to make and there’s less risk to the shot.
Now, let’s pick the right club. Players with low golf handicaps and good short games chip with anything up to a 5-iron. Since the first bounce with this shot should be on the green, you want the longest club to carry the fringe. In this case a 7-iron is a good choice to run it up the slope. If the shot were downhill, a 9-iron would be ideal and you would land it on the same spot as you would with the 7-iron.
Finally, let’s select the right swing. Here, you�d use a short compact swing with little wrist hinge. Pre-set your body to the target by using an open stance, and put more weight on the front foot. Keep the back swing short and accelerate through the follow-through.
Adding this three-step mental approach to a comfortable pre-shot routine is a winning combination for chip or pitch shots. Use it whenever you have a short shot near the green, whether playing or practicing. Mastering the formula will improve your game and chop strokes off your golf handicap.
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.