Improving your golf short game requires consistent practice of chipping, pitching, and putting, focusing on technique and distance control.
Frustration mounts around the green, doesn’t it? Many golfers feel their game falls apart within 50 yards of the hole. The good news? You can significantly change this. Learning how to improve golf short game is entirely possible with focused effort.
It’s not about massive swing changes; it’s about fine-tuning those crucial, delicate shots. This can be accomplished through dedication and deliberate repetition of specific drills. We’ll break down the essential elements.
How to Improve Your Golf Short Game
The short game in golf – that’s where the magic happens, right? It’s where you can really shave strokes off your score, turning bogeys into pars and pars into birdies. It’s not just about raw power; it’s about touch, precision, and understanding how to make the ball do what you want around the green. This part of the game often gets overlooked, with many focusing solely on driving distance, but the truth is, your short game is the real secret weapon for better scores. Let’s dive into how to improve your putting, chipping, and pitching. We will also touch on bunker play so you can confidently get out of those sandy traps. Get ready to take your short game to a new level!
Putting: The Art of Rolling the Ball
Putting is often described as a game within a game. It requires a delicate touch, consistent motion, and an understanding of green reading. It’s the culmination of all your hard work, so let’s break down how to make those putts count.
Grip and Stance
First things first, let’s talk about your grip. There’s no single “right” way to grip a putter, but consistency is key. Most golfers use a variation of the reverse overlap grip, where the index finger of your non-dominant hand overlaps the pinky finger of your dominant hand. The important thing is that it feels comfortable and allows you to control the putter face. As for your stance, aim for a setup where your eyes are directly over the ball. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, and you want to feel balanced and athletic. This position ensures a smooth, pendulum-like swing motion.
The Putting Stroke
The motion of your putting stroke should be a smooth back-and-forth motion, with minimal wrist action. Imagine that you are swinging a pendulum, allowing your arms and shoulders to rock back and forth. This creates a consistent and repeatable stroke. The length of your backswing and follow-through should match the distance of your putt. For short putts, you’ll have a shorter swing, and for longer putts, you’ll use a longer swing. Think of it as a metronome, with a consistent tempo. Practice this motion regularly to develop a consistent feel.
Green Reading
Reading greens can be tricky, but with practice, you’ll get better. Start by looking at the overall slope of the green. Is it uphill or downhill? From which direction is the slope changing? Then, examine the subtle breaks and undulations. Often, greens will slope toward the lowest point, which can be a creek or a collection area. Pay attention to the grass grain, especially on bermudagrass greens. It tends to grow in the direction of the sun’s path during the day. It will make the putting speed faster if you’re putting down grain and will be a little slower if you are putting against the grain. Walking on the green and observing how the ball reacts at practice putting, when rolling over different areas will help you determine how the ball will behave on the golf course. You want to visualize the path of your putt and determine the apex or breaking point, where the ball changes its direction. Once you’ve done this, you’ll have a better feel for where to aim and how hard to hit the ball. Try using your feet to feel the slope, so you can have a better understanding of the break. Try to walk the path your ball will take on the green, so you get a better understanding of how the ball will travel.
Putting Drills
Here are a few drills to help improve your putting:
- The Gate Drill: Place two tees slightly wider than your putter head about three to four feet from the hole. Practice hitting putts between the tees. This helps you ensure that your putter is square at impact and you are hitting the center of the putter face.
- The Coin Drill: Place a coin on the ground about 5 to 6 feet away. Practice hitting the coin with your putter to improve your accuracy and feel.
- The Ladder Drill: Place tees at various distances, starting from 3 feet and working your way up to 10 or 12 feet. The idea is to successfully make each putt in order, before you move on to the next one in the ladder. This helps you work on distance control.
- Consistent Stroke Drill: Practice your putting stroke with your eyes closed. Concentrate on feeling your stroke and maintaining a consistent backswing and follow-through length. Once you open your eyes, the stroke will be more repeatable.
Practice these drills regularly, and you’ll see a big improvement in your putting.
Chipping: Getting the Ball Close
Chipping is a vital part of your short game. When you’re just off the green, a good chip can get the ball close enough for an easy putt. It’s all about controlling the trajectory and roll of the ball. The idea is to get the ball on the green with enough distance to roll the ball to the hole.
Club Selection
Choosing the right club for a chip is crucial. Typically, golfers will use a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, or a gap wedge. A pitching wedge produces lower shots with more roll, while a sand wedge creates a higher shot with less roll. Start with a pitching wedge and then as you get more proficient, you can experiment with other clubs. Different clubs will help you control how much the ball will roll after landing on the green. Practice with these to determine how different clubs perform on and around the green.
The Chipping Stance
For a typical chip shot, you want to stand slightly closer to the ball than you normally would, with your feet closer together, and the majority of your weight on your front foot. This position will help you strike down on the ball and will create a descending blow. Position your hands slightly ahead of the ball at address. This will ensure your wrists remain quiet throughout the swing and help in creating a consistent and predictable strike.
The Chip Shot
The chipping motion is shorter and more compact than a full swing. Think of it as more of a putting motion, rather than a swing. Start the backswing by taking the club back low to the ground and only a short distance. Keep the wrists firm, and focus on making a small pendulum motion with your shoulders and arms. Keep your movement smooth and consistent. The goal is to make the club hit the ball first, then the turf. A consistent stroke and swing plane is key to making the ball land on the green and roll out consistently.
Chipping Drills
Here are some helpful chipping drills:
- The Towel Drill: Place a towel a few feet in front of you on the practice green. Try to chip the ball so it lands just before the towel, allowing it to roll onto the green and toward the hole. This exercise helps you practice landing the ball in a specific area.
- The Target Ring Drill: Place a ring or a hula hoop on the green and practice chipping the ball into the ring. This exercise will help you work on your distance and accuracy.
- The One-Handed Drill: Practice chipping with only your dominant hand. This enhances your feel of the club and your wrist action.
- Varying Distance Drill: Practice chipping from varying distances around the green. This will improve your understanding of how distance control is affected by your swing.
Pitching: The Higher, Softer Shot
Pitching shots are longer than chips and require more of a swing. These shots often need to fly higher, especially when you need to carry over a hazard or stop the ball quickly. It is about carrying the ball further through the air.
Club Selection
For pitch shots, golfers typically use wedges, such as a sand wedge or lob wedge. The goal is to launch the ball high and make it stop quickly on the green. The higher loft of these wedges helps achieve this kind of shot. The lob wedge is designed for the highest and softest shot, while the sand wedge will create a slightly lower trajectory and will have slightly more roll after landing on the green. The distance that you are from the green will help you determine which club you use.
The Pitching Stance
Your stance for a pitch should be a little wider than your chipping stance and similar to your normal stance. The key is balance and stability. Your weight should be slightly forward, but not as much as in a chip shot. With your weight forward and hands slightly ahead, you are in a good position to strike the ball. Don’t get caught up with moving around in the stance. It should be natural and athletic.
The Pitching Swing
The pitch shot uses a larger swing than a chip. When you’re starting the swing, your club should move back, using a hinge in your wrists, bringing the club up. It’s similar to the motion that you use when you throw a ball, using the hinge in your wrists to bring the club up. As you come through, you’ll feel the wrists unhinge as you strike the ball. You want the club to hit the ball first, then the ground. The length of your swing will determine the distance that the ball will travel. The key here is to make it a repeatable motion. If you swing back to the same position every time, you’ll be able to control distance and direction. Practice this motion repeatedly so you can build consistency and repeatability.
Pitching Drills
Try these drills to improve your pitching:
- The L-to-L Drill: Take a swing where your club reaches the letter “L” at the top of your back swing and again through the follow-through. Practice making that swing consistently. This helps develop a feel for the proper hinge and release with your wrists and will help with consistent distances.
- The Distance Control Drill: Pick three different distances from the green. Practice pitching to each distance, trying to get the ball as close to your targeted spot as possible. This is a great drill to work on controlling the distance of your shots.
- The Landing Spot Drill: Pick a specific spot on the green where you want the ball to land and aim for that location consistently. Once you feel confident with that distance, choose another target location. This improves your accuracy and helps you learn to control your distance and ball flight.
- The Tee Drill: Place tees along a line. The tees will help you feel like you’re making proper contact, as you are ensuring that the club is traveling along a consistent path. Try to make your swing so that the club hits the tee after it has hit the ball.
Bunker Play: Escaping the Sand
Bunkers can be a source of fear for many golfers, but with the right techniques, you can learn how to get out of the sand consistently. A good bunker shot can save you from a big number. The goal is to get out of the sand and back on the green as quickly as possible.
Club Selection
The sand wedge is specifically designed for bunker shots. Its wide sole helps prevent the club from digging too deeply into the sand, and the bounce of the club lets the club glide through the sand. A lob wedge can also be used for bunker shots when you need to get the ball up high quickly.
The Bunker Stance
For bunker shots, you want to dig your feet slightly into the sand for stability. The idea is that you want to be stable throughout the swing. Wiggle your feet around to provide that stability. The stance should be slightly open to your target, and the ball position should be slightly forward in your stance. The grip is also important. It should be similar to your normal grip, but loosen up the pressure. Keep the wrists firm and allow the club to hinge and release naturally through the swing.
The Bunker Swing
The goal in a bunker shot is not to hit the ball directly but to hit the sand behind the ball. The sand should push the ball out of the bunker. Swing back with an upright motion. As you come through, you’ll want the club head to hit the sand about 2 to 3 inches behind the ball, and follow through fully through the sand. The sand should carry the ball up and out of the bunker. The longer the swing, the more sand you’ll take, and the further the ball will travel. Keep your hands moving through the shot. Do not try to scoop the ball out of the bunker. The sand wedge is designed to lift the ball out of the bunker without any help from you, other than a complete swing. Practice taking different amounts of sand to get a feel for how the ball reacts. You will learn to control distance by adjusting the length of your swing, and the amount of sand you take. It might take some time to get the feel for how much sand to take. The type of sand, how wet it is, and other factors will impact how much sand you have to take.
Bunker Drills
Here are a couple of drills to enhance your bunker play:
- The Line in the Sand Drill: Draw a line in the sand and practice swinging into the sand. Focus on making the club enter the sand before the line. This exercise improves your ability to hit the sand first.
- The Circle Drill: Draw a circle in the sand around the golf ball. Swing in such a way that your club head travels through the sand, and you remove sand from the circle. This will improve your ability to take the correct amount of sand, while keeping your club traveling through the sand.
Improving your golf short game is not an overnight process. It requires dedication, practice, and an understanding of the techniques we’ve just discussed. Incorporate these tips and drills into your regular practice sessions, and you’ll start to see real improvements in your scores. Remember, consistency is key, so be patient with yourself and enjoy the process of learning. Remember, golf is a lifelong pursuit, and there’s always room for improvement. Good luck on the green!
Tommy Fleetwood's BEST short game tips (copy to IMPROVE!)
Final Thoughts
Practice regularly with varied distances and lies. Focus on consistent impact and distance control for better results. Develop a feel for the greens and adjust your technique as needed.
You must work on your short game technique. Improve your wedge play, chipping, and putting to lower your scores. This focused practice is how to improve golf short game.
