Tiger Woods is back. His narrow victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week clearly shows he’s ready to challenge the field again. The win also shows he’s ready to play in the Masters and contend seriously for another green jacket. But the win also leaves you asking the question: What makes Tiger so tough? One reason is his ability to knock it extra close from short range. This ability enables him to attack any pin and produces more easily makeable putts.
If you want to cut strokes from your golf handicap, copy Tiger Woods. Develop the ability to get it close from short range, leaving you with more makeable putts. The more makeable putts you have, the better you’re chances of eliminating big numbers from your scorecard and making pars and birdies—the fastest way to trim your golf handicap to single digits, bar none. For some weekend players, the hardest distance from which to hit it close is from 50 feet in.
Below are three ways to do it. Practice the three ways to sharpen your skill from 50 feet in. Take golf lessons to improve technique. And read golf tips to discover the little things that will help you increases accuracy. In short, do whatever you can to sharpen your ability to hit it close from 50 feet in.
Use A Hybrid or Fairway Wood
Using a hybrid club or fairway wood is the safest and easiest way to hit it close from 50 feet in. It’s ideal for inexperienced players or weekend golfers with high golf handicaps. Start by determining how you want the ball to bounce and roll on the green. Usually, the ball takes two bounces before the green, and then rolls like a putt. Now choke down an inch or two to control the longer shaft, and play the ball in the middle of your stance, with your weight evenly distributed.
Once you’re set up, make a putting motion. Accelerate through impact and try to make level contact with the ball. Think of the shot as a long lag putt but with just a little more pop. Whatever you do, don’t strike downward on the ball. Striking downward “pops” the ball up slightly, making it bounce instead of roll. Staying level gets the ball to roll just like a putt.
A Standard Chip Shot Works Well
A standard chip shot using a 7-iron or an 8-iron also works well from this distance. Play the ball off the instep of your back foot, set most of your weight on your front foot, and use a firm wrested motion. Swing the grip end of the club back from one pants pocket to another. Your setup promotes a descending blow. Play for one-third carry, two-thirds roll, with the first bounce just on the green.
Fly The Ball To The Green
A third way to hit this shot is to fly the ball into the green to avoid a bad bounce or any imperfection in the front of the green. Using a pitching wedge or sand wedge, position the ball in the middle of your stance and set more weight on your front foot. Swing your arms back to the 9 o’clock position, letting your wrists hinge up, and swing through to 3 o’clock, turning your body so it faces the target. Play for two-thirds carry, one-third roll.
This method is the riskiest of the three discussed here. Make sure a mis-hit over the green won’t leave you in deep trouble. With practice you’ll gain confidence in this method, as you will in the other two methods. Once you have confidence, you’ll be able to attack any pin from 50 feet in.
If you want to lower your golf handicap, hone your short game through constant practice, by taking golf lessons from good instructors, and by reading golf tips in sports magazines. You may not become as good at getting it close as Tiger Woods is, but you will improve and you reap the benefits.