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On Course Approach to your Short Game

gkeller813 said:
How'd the focus on your short game go @mmaynard11
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I know that I need to work on chipping around the green. We have a lot of tight lies down here in Florida & I seem to struggle with those. The putting on the other hand has been on fire!!!
 
mmaynard11 said:
I know that I need to work on chipping around the green. We have a lot of tight lies down here in Florida & I seem to struggle with those. The putting on the other hand has been on fire!!!
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If the lie is that tight and there are no obstacles between me and the green, I'll often putt instead of chip. Chances are pretty good that my worst putt will turn out a lot better than my worst chip. If I can't quite putt, I'll use a low lofted iron or even a hybrid to "chutt". It takes some practice with a hybrid though, it comes off that face a lot hotter than a putter!
 
I don't believe "short game" is just one shot. I spent a lot of things me practicing last season to hit high/low runners/stoppers with multiple clubs from multiple lies and stances.

Shirt game practic is really fun and you're not limited by home balls are left in the bucket.
 
Snowman said:
If the lie is that tight and there are no obstacles between me and the green, I'll often putt instead of chip. Chances are pretty good that my worst putt will turn out a lot better than my worst chip. If I can't quite putt, I'll use a low lofted iron or even a hybrid to "chutt". It takes some practice with a hybrid though, it comes off that face a lot hotter than a putter!
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I actually started doing this yesterday during the round & agree that the result is better than the flubbed chip.
 
I've spent the last couple of seasons trying to get the ball on the green and rolling as soon as possible. I used to take the highest lofted wedge possible and fly it in, but I just don't have the technique to control the spin in any shape or form. Speaking to @Jman over this past year, I've been working on the toe down chip and it has really paid off, although I'm still struggling with distance control with it. just a case of practice, practice, practice from here on in.
 
I primarily use my 2 most lofted wedges around the green.

If I'm 20 yds off, the Gap Wedge may do the job to get a good roll on a relatively simple contoured green.

I keep it as simple as possible but usually have the wedge a smidge open.

Whether to go high or low depends on the location of the flag, wind, and the lie. But typically, I land it well onto the green to make certain it gets onto it. If the green has many slopes and contours, forget the roll. just fly it.

Tips? My tempo on a short wedge shot around the green is deliberate, not quick, the transition is slowish, and I let the club drop onto the ball in the downswing and make it an accelerating strike.

If I want it higher, a lot of wrist hinge, want it lower, less hinge.

On a typical shot, feet are close to each other, slightly open, play ball middle with more weight on front foot and not transferring it during swing. Stand a little taller with no right side bend, if any bend it is towards front foot. You don't want to be laying back on a chip or pitch or you'll hit a lot of grass or dirt before the ball.
 
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This is an area I need to practice more, so once our new range area is completed I will be spending more time on the short game than anything else I think

Because of this, I have predominantly gone to using a single club this last year or so for most of the shots around the green (54°) unless I need to get the ball up and down quickly, which then will be the 58°
I do use the toe-down 9i shot and bump'n'run but it needs more practice to get my distance control back again, especially if I need to run one up to the top tier on our 1st green
 
mmaynard11 said:
I know that I need to work on chipping around the green. We have a lot of tight lies down here in Florida & I seem to struggle with those. The putting on the other hand has been on fire!!!
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There aren’t many tight lies on my home course. I recently went to Flagstaff and Scottsdale and struggled with chipping from tight lies.

I had gotten in the habit of a pretty significant forward press while chipping, which was causing threading edge to dig in and chunk on the tight lie. I backed off the forward press and things improved immediately.
 
Green side chips are almost exclusively 8 or 9 iron. Pitches are with AW through LW, depending on slope, etc.
 
My attitude is that the air is easier to read than is the contour of the ground.

Thus, I overuse the low bounce 60 and get the ball as close to the pin as possible on the fly.
I don't know of a single really good player at the club who does this, however, so I don't recommend it.
 
BostonSal said:
My attitude is that the air is easier to read than is the contour of the ground.

Thus, I overuse the low bounce 60 and get the ball as close to the pin as possible on the fly.
I don't know of a single really good player at the club who does this, however, so I don't recommend it.
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I love the honesty!
 
I use my 56* for practically every shot around the greens. The only time I'll go with less loft is if I'm on a severe up slope. Then I'll club down to whatever is basically the same effective loft as the 56* more or less.

I only play two shots. One is a loose wrist, full release of the club back to 90* where I'm utilizing the full bounce and hitting a softer shot. The other is a no wrist, ball back in stance, lower flying spinner that will check then release a little. Taking a page out of Kisner's book, I've found that keeping my left elbow against my side throughout these shots helps me tremendously with a consistent arc and strike of the ball. Kind of like a pivot point.

When playing shots around the green I usually pick spots further onto the green than closer to the edge, if possible. I seem to be a better judge at judging the carry than I do the rollout. I think that may be because I can practice carry distance in the back yard, but rollout you need to be at the course and have space to practice.
 
BostonSal said:
My attitude is that the air is easier to read than is the contour of the ground.

Thus, I overuse the low bounce 60 and get the ball as close to the pin as possible on the fly.
I don't know of a single really good player at the club who does this, however, so I don't recommend it.
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I don't know about that. When the green has an uphill slope and I have about 15-25 yards to the hole, I will pull my go-to club, the 54, take it back to shaft parallel and strike the RXS with some speed. Some player's in the group gasp, thinking it's going to the next tee box, then when it hits before the flag and stops within a yard, they look dumbfounded and say, "great shot."
 
Short game is all about confidence. If you're worried about making clean contact, as opposed to planning confidently to pick a landing spot and visualizing your trajectory, how much spin you'll impart and how the ball will release to the hole... you're not going to fare to well.

But if your short game is a little suspect, you can't just feign confidence. If I'm struggling, I'll try to restore confidence with some or all of these "band-aids":

1 - choke up significantly on the club and stand closer to the ball
2 - address the ball with the club toe-down/heel-up
3 - take more club and get the ball rolling quickly

Doing these allow me to hit decent short shots while building back confidence.
 
ArmyGolf said:
I try to keep my short game simple, and since simplifying it I've seen great results.

Motion is mostly a "hinge & hold". There is a small release but it doesn't feel like it to me.

If I have little green to work with I use the 60 PM Grind, always face opened.

If I have lots of green to work with I use 56* S grind. Face angle to suit situation.
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This is basically my approach except I use my 60 exclusively. When I want to get more run out, I play it in the back of my stance and deloft the club face a little. Ever since I went to this style of chipping, I've made a lot more chips and have almost eliminated skulling the ball across the green.
 
For "normal" chips, too far off the green to putt, I'll use my 6 iron with a putting motion.
Other than that, circumstances and logistics would dictate club selection.
 
Today, my short game is quite advanced, but it wasn't always so. I've got a lot of different shots today, but all of them followed the same simple progression. First, you have to learn to execute it with consistent, solid contact. If you don't have consistent, solid contact you'll never know how far the ball is going to go or how it will react once it lands on the green. So, step 2 is then pretty obvious. Once you have crisp, consistent contact, then get a lot of reps in so you know how far the ball flies and rolls out from different distances and lies.

TIP: Especially when in step 1, do 90% or more of your practice chipping from tight lies. Usually, that means the collar, but if there is another spot that gives a tighter lie, use it. Why? Because tight lies are the ones that require the most precision and where you really need to learn how to slide the club under the ball using the bounce of the club.
 
dAS0 said:
My go to club for being just off the green is my 46* PW. I play a bump and run whenever possible. If I am short sided or in thick grass, my high bounce SW comes into play. I will use my 60* for flop shots, but that is only if absolutely necessary.
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This is my strategy other than I use my 9 iron and use it like a putter. Keep it on the ground. My bad putts are better than my bad chips and pitches.
 
uitar99 said:
This is my strategy other than I use my 9 iron and use it like a putter. Keep it on the ground. My bad putts are better than my bad chips and pitches.
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This. Exactly this. (y)
 
Sam Burns tried to putt with an iron onto a false front and dropped out of the lead with a triple bogey a the Hero Challenge this past weekend.

Just as important as your club swinging is the ability to read the course, I've holed a putt from the rough when the grain was with me and didn't grab the putter.
If the grain is against me I'm much better off making a short pitch onto the green from thick rough. I was able to get a lot of practice in a short amount of time by playing a lot on a nearby Executive course.
 
Like my grandfather always used to say.... "Circumstances alter cases".
Depending on the lie, turf, distance, wind, hazards, etc....I may use anything from a low running 7 iron to my 60 degree lob wedge.
 
Earlier I gave some basics on how to build a short game. But I didn't actually answer the poster's questions. So, here it goes.

Yes, I want to be able to do all those different shots you mentioned and more, because as you said there are different circumstances and being able to hit it high, low, check up, run out, or bump and run under different conditions will save you strokes. It took years of development, but I now have that arsonal. I've used everything from my highest lofted wedge to a 3-hybrid for these shots. I know the dedication it takes to develop such a short game. That's why I am always up for sharing what I've learned to be able to execute each type of shot. It's hard enough without going the trial and error route.
 
leftshot said:
Earlier I gave some basics on how to build a short game. But I didn't actually answer the poster's questions. So, here it goes.

Yes, I want to be able to do all those different shots you mentioned and more, because as you said there are different circumstances and being able to hit it high, low, check up, run out, or bump and run under different conditions will save you strokes. It took years of development, but I now have that arsonal. I've used everything from my highest lofted wedge to a 3-hybrid for these shots. I know the dedication it takes to develop such a short game. That's why I am always up for sharing what I've learned to be able to execute each type of shot. It's hard enough without going the trial and error route.
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This is one of the fun parts, and the most difficult parts, of golf. It's fun because you can be creative and be thoughtful on your short game shots. Difficult because you need to master to many different shots to be really, really good in the short game. I can practice a lot of different shots in my backyard, but need to get to the course more and practice to see how different shots affect the roll out. Does this shot spin less, or more? What do I need for tight lies? What do I need when I have a lot of green to work with? I enjoy because its all on me to hone this craft, and hopefully see a few shots fall off a great round.
 
The range was not open yet yesterday, so I decided to mess around a bit on the chipping green. Worked only with my 9i, as it's something I really want to see if I can incorporate this into my game during the year. I'm looking to use it for shots where there is nothing in the way, and it makes sense to get the ball rolling onto the green, vs getting it in the air with a higher lofted wedge. First session from 20 yards all the way to greenside was positive. I think I gain more directional control with the 9i vs my 58*, and give the ball a better chance to actually go in the hole. Not that it has much of a chance either way with my game, but still a better chance.

I'm not going to only use my 9i around the green, but rather see where it makes sense and try to add another shot to my arsenal. I think have more options, as many of you have mentioned, with definitely help me throughout the year to better my up and down %.
 
I putt when I can, then, go to my 50* gap wedge for everything except sand. (Out to about 40 yards or so.) I don't have the confidence to pay multiple clubs with multiple swings per club.
 
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