Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible
grathan
Member
Dead hands and arms, completely tension free, simply let them drop. Opening your front foot to the target. Always aligning both feet parallel to the target line regardless of club. 7:00 swing. Swinging further on follow through than back swing. Equal weight on feet.
I'm no expert on orthodox. I've barely had a single lesson. These are just a few things amongst many that messed me up last year. In general I would say that always practicing short game without solid full swing mechanics will mess up your full swing, that can in turn, mess up your short game as well.
I'm no expert on orthodox. I've barely had a single lesson. These are just a few things amongst many that messed me up last year. In general I would say that always practicing short game without solid full swing mechanics will mess up your full swing, that can in turn, mess up your short game as well.
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I guess I've never had correlated the two. In my experience, a shorter swing is easier to learn and easier to replicate on the course. I didn't spend a ton of time scrutinizing every bit of mechanics though.
I suppose by literal definition everything outside the traditional method is unorthodox, and many/most traditional methods are still unorthodox to us individually because our bodies don't make those "normal" moves naturally. Practice is required to engrain the moves.
KellyBo
Golf, Have Fun or Quit!
I was lucky enough to attend a Dave Pelz Short Game school today with Sox Fan, Ole Gray, and Dawgdaddy. I've played around with parts of the book but having a great instructor (Ty Waldron at Chateau Elan) actually demonstrate and work with you makes it so much easier. It was very interesting. The chipping technique is so easy and seems like a no-brainer for consistency. The pitching will take a lot more practice before I consistently get it. We also worked a couple hours on putting. So grateful to Sox Fan for sharing his win (4 spots to the class) with us! I'm very excited about what I learned and will be practicing diligently to get it down.
Spivey
Active member
I took the same class, same instructor, a few months ago (jan maybe). Chipping and pitching techniques are spot on - just need to practice..
Bunker shots are improving.
The putting balls are MONEY for practice.
Glad there are other THP'ers that I can discuss the class with!
Keep me in the loop re: progress, if you don't mind!
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Ole Gray
Mayor of the Woodshed
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This was so much fun and an awesome learning experience. I plan on putting in some hard work around the greens now with my new found knowledge. Thank you sooooooo much SoxFan for this opportunity! :clapp::thumb:
DawgDaddy
Old Coot
I too echo what Kelly and Bill said, a HUGE Thank You to Scott for including me in this great experience. I learned so much today and look forward to doing all of the drills and getting better at my chipping and putting. It was a blast but man did all of that bending over putting for a couple of hours this afternoon make my back scream at me. Just took a little pain med and should be good to go after a good nights sleep.
My biggest take away today is that I am much too slow with my putting stroke, I MUST get more aggressive and sooner rather than later. This aggressiveness is in Tempo not is hit in my stroke. I think I will see improvement in my make percentage with this method.
I could not have asked for nicer folks to attend the school with, I enjoyed being with Kelly, Bill & Scott for this great experience.
Edit - I also wanted to mention that Ty actually called Kelly out after the putting instruction and said that she is a Champion. Her roll is awesome. I told Ty that yes Kelly is actually a champion, she is an awesome golfer and many of us here already know that. Well done Kelly to get the only accolades from our coach today. Well done my friend.
My biggest take away today is that I am much too slow with my putting stroke, I MUST get more aggressive and sooner rather than later. This aggressiveness is in Tempo not is hit in my stroke. I think I will see improvement in my make percentage with this method.
I could not have asked for nicer folks to attend the school with, I enjoyed being with Kelly, Bill & Scott for this great experience.
Edit - I also wanted to mention that Ty actually called Kelly out after the putting instruction and said that she is a Champion. Her roll is awesome. I told Ty that yes Kelly is actually a champion, she is an awesome golfer and many of us here already know that. Well done Kelly to get the only accolades from our coach today. Well done my friend.
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It was my pleasure to be able to share this great prize with 3 top notcj THPers! The clinic was certainly very informative and helpful, yet kind of humbling at the same time. But hey, as long as I see some improvements, I have not issue being humbled any time! Going to be tough to break some 35 year old habits that were exposed but I am definitely going to try to make the tips and lessons work for the betterment of my golf game. The training aids we received were also quite cool!
KellyBo
Golf, Have Fun or Quit!
Update since taking the short game clinic. My putting and chipping is better but I totally suck at pitch shots and my iron shots are horrible. My son told me I was not setting up properly and helped me somewhat straighten that out. I think some of the Pelz stuff crept into those shots. I confess that I have not practiced like I should but I'm all screwed up now. I have practiced short shots in the back yard. I played twice this week and it was AWFUL. I'm thinking way too much and practicing too little. Just wondering how everyone else is doing. I will be getting serious with my practice starting tomorrow!
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Moving the ball up in my stance on sand shots in the biggest takeaway from this clinic that I have seen real benefits from. My chipping style was already very similar to what he was teaching. I don't stand quite as close to the ball as he was teaching and I don't turn my right foot to the target as much as he instructed. Have always played those type shots off my back foot with a lot of success so I have not changed it. My chipping was also very similar to what he was teaching but he did not like my finish. I did get an 8 pound medicine ball and have practiced with it some. Not sure it it has actually changed my follow through on the course but I am using the ball like he taught. I am sticking with my SeeMore learnings in regards to putting. I am practicing the 1 - 2 tempo that he taught and it has helped. Not going to cut down my putter and bend over as much as he would like though.
KellyBo
Golf, Have Fun or Quit!
OG and I actually went out and practiced tonight. We focused on chipping from different spots using a variety of clubs. I really feel the chipping technique that Pelz teaches is going to help my game as long as I keep practicing until I get a true feel for what to use when. We played a few holes after practice and I did great in this area. I have yet to get comfortable with the pitch shot technique but that's only because of lack of practice. That's next on my list. I used to be pretty darn good at it but I've just lost it for now. My long putts are so much better since I picked up the pace of my tempo. My overall game has suffered greatly since the class but seems to be coming back around. I have just been preoccupied with so much outside of golf. I've got to get busy practicing though because this is tournament time!
Ole Gray
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Yea you chipped in four today on the practice green. That Peltz schooling must be sinking in :thumb:.. We were both hitting some amazing chips and talking about how much easier the chipping game was since we know a good technique to practice.
This is the busy time of year for me and I've been spending my limited golf time at the course instead of the practice areas. That's about to change, in part thanks to ball testing and also because my rounds are making clear what I need to work on...which has me in the Pelz thread again. This Saturday is going to be a bucket of balls at the chipping / pitching area then the same bucket on the range for a whole mess of 7:00 and 9:00 work.
Spivey
Active member
I have been on the course more than on the range - however, I have been working hard to incorporate the Pelz techniques for chipping and sand (not as much pitching) into my game. I have had success and failure, but I am going to commit to getting to the practice area more often between now and the Bridgestone Invitationals - gotta get my short game in good shape to travel!
I have found that, at least for chipping, using a 60* wedge for most of my shots around the green has been pretty good - the greens are sufficiently fast and hard to keep the other clubs in my bag, as they tend to roll well beyond the flag (and off the green).
I have found that, at least for chipping, using a 60* wedge for most of my shots around the green has been pretty good - the greens are sufficiently fast and hard to keep the other clubs in my bag, as they tend to roll well beyond the flag (and off the green).
Am I remembering correctly that he says pick the club you can land a yard onto the green and let the ball roll? I like that simplistic approach. I also really like the tip about being really close to the ball on chips, so much so that the toe is down. I have found that the technique saves me on terrible shots - the shot looks hideous but the balls still rolls out reasonably close to the hole.
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Spivey
Active member
Yep - That is what I remember. It turns out (at my course, where most of the greens are elevated) that anything more than the 60 gets too much roll, because the greens are really fast!! The toe down gets the chips up - I like that technique a lot!
KellyBo
Golf, Have Fun or Quit!
I find that the toe down deadens the ball a good bit and helps slow down the ball on fast greens. It has really helped on those short chips. We have fast greens too so I also use a high lofted wedge a good bit but still go down to a 7 or 8 on occasion. Love the consistency of this chipping style!
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DawgDaddy
Old Coot
I am pretty much in the same place Kelly, the chipping and long putting has improved a ton, I just have not had opportunity to practice the pitching much and it is still hit or miss. Glad to see that you and Bill are getting in some quality practice time.
I had a horrible day for me (and probably anybody) in that on 2 holes, it took me 3 shots to get on the green from 50 yds (on each hole!).. I chunked/stubbed most of those. So I going back to Pelz pitching philosophy (2-3 swing lengths, using different clubs to get different distances).
Went out on the short game area at my favorite course and got some distances with a 9 o'clock shot. Ended up being so consistent with the distances it was crazy and gave me about an 8yd gap between each of my 4 wedges (PW/AW/SW/58). Just need to practice the technique and work on the next longest swing and I should have 40-100 yds covered pretty damn well. Then I can dial in yardages even more by choking down on the club!
Then I just need to get these numbers printed up and laminated to keep in my scorecard holder.
Went out on the short game area at my favorite course and got some distances with a 9 o'clock shot. Ended up being so consistent with the distances it was crazy and gave me about an 8yd gap between each of my 4 wedges (PW/AW/SW/58). Just need to practice the technique and work on the next longest swing and I should have 40-100 yds covered pretty damn well. Then I can dial in yardages even more by choking down on the club!
Then I just need to get these numbers printed up and laminated to keep in my scorecard holder.
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KellyBo
Golf, Have Fun or Quit!
I love everything I was taught in the Pelz class I took. I've finally got the hang of how to hit the pitch shot his way and it's great. I think my biggest improvement since the class is surprisingly putting but my short game as a whole is much better.
ctennen
New member
Just picked this book up after seeing multiple recommendations, will only be my second golf instruction book behind Hogan's Five Fundamentals. Can't wait to dive in to this one.
Any recommendations or suggestions prior to getting in to the content?
Any recommendations or suggestions prior to getting in to the content?
Last year I successfully used some of the Pelz method's like the clock 3/4 system just by reading online and forums like this. In Dec. I actually bought the Short Game Bible Hardcopy book and have read about 70% of it. I already used the distance wedge stuff but need to brush up on it, and add in the chipping/ptiching and bunker shots. Last summer I experimented with the Stan Utley "Art of the Short Game" methods and have concluded I like the Pelz methods better for chipping/wedge/sand play.
So as the weather warms up I will be practicing these outdoors. In reading the book, these points jumped out at me:
- since i had to buy new clubs, I used his advice on gaps, variety of bounces, etc.. to select my wedges.
- the dead hands concept is important, and I didn't pick up on that until reading the book. In the short game, using hands/fingers to manipulate the club is bad because you're more likely to breakdown under pressure.
- similar to above point, raising the toe on chips helps prevent your wrist from moving too much...being more quiet with wrists and letting arms/shoulders do the work is the ticket.
- the Pelz scoot n spin sand shot just feels more natural and easier to repeat than Utley's sand technique.
- there is tons of detailed info and advice that I will want to go back and re-read once I have the basics mastered (things like differences in roll out for balls to elevated vs. sunken green, playing tough lies).
- The mental game is critical to understand what is the best shot for YOU to play, that you are comfortable executing and have 90% confidence it will do what you expect. That's the standard you need to get to in your shots. If you cant' get to that level of confidence - you won't be able to commit fully to the shot and bad things will happen!
So as the weather warms up I will be practicing these outdoors. In reading the book, these points jumped out at me:
- since i had to buy new clubs, I used his advice on gaps, variety of bounces, etc.. to select my wedges.
- the dead hands concept is important, and I didn't pick up on that until reading the book. In the short game, using hands/fingers to manipulate the club is bad because you're more likely to breakdown under pressure.
- similar to above point, raising the toe on chips helps prevent your wrist from moving too much...being more quiet with wrists and letting arms/shoulders do the work is the ticket.
- the Pelz scoot n spin sand shot just feels more natural and easier to repeat than Utley's sand technique.
- there is tons of detailed info and advice that I will want to go back and re-read once I have the basics mastered (things like differences in roll out for balls to elevated vs. sunken green, playing tough lies).
- The mental game is critical to understand what is the best shot for YOU to play, that you are comfortable executing and have 90% confidence it will do what you expect. That's the standard you need to get to in your shots. If you cant' get to that level of confidence - you won't be able to commit fully to the shot and bad things will happen!
bobgeorge
Kentucky Wildcat Fan!
Lately I have been having issues with pitching and chipping....so this afternoon I pulled out the Pelz Short Game Bible from my shelf and went back & looked at the chipping and pitching techniques.
After about an hour of review I went to practice area at the course to try it out. I practiced for an hour & feel a lot better about my pitching and chipping. Pelz's techniques seem just really easy to use.
I'd like to go to one of his courses one day :]
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After about an hour of review I went to practice area at the course to try it out. I practiced for an hour & feel a lot better about my pitching and chipping. Pelz's techniques seem just really easy to use.
I'd like to go to one of his courses one day :]
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