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Short Game Lesson

JB

JB

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Have you ever had a short game lesson specifically? What did it entail?
 
JB said:
Have you ever had a short game lesson specifically? What did it entail?
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No, just took my first lesson this year and we just worked on my set up. But short game is where I struggle the most. My next lesson is definitely going to be short game heavy.

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Not yet but of my 10 lessons this year I plan on focusing on the snort game in almost 1/2 of them - no more 2 chips and 40 putts/round for me.


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1 so far
Worked on setup and ball position for higher and lower shots.
Worked on sand shots. Same deal setup, technique etc
Then we went around the small par 3 course and dropped balls at different distances and lies and worked on shots.

Need another one asap
 
I worked with Roger Cleveland for about 15-20 minutes last year at The Grandaddy on pitch and wedge shots. Ridiculously cool. He was having me swing with 1 arm to really work on utilizing the bounce of the club as I can struggle with that off tight lies.

I also took a lesson solely on greenside bunker play a few years ago with my club pro. It was hugely helpful.
 
I use to go to my local course when it was real slow and take 30 balls go to the different greens and just practice on my short chips from just off the green in all the ruff areas etc.

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I've had a number of them. The golf school I've taken lessons at has an area at the range, but also three golf holes - a par 3, 4, and 5. The most recent one we worked on controlling trajectory of shots around the green based on different situations - downslope, tucked pins, etc. We also had me finish up putts to learn were I want to miss. As someone who can get in a groove on the range, especially with someone watching and keeping me on track, I find I can learn a whole lot more when we get on the "course".
 
Other than a few putting lessons, the only short game lessons were from my dad. I was fortunate enough to learn the short game by spending hundreds of days as a teenager practicing and playing skins on and around the practice green with my buddies.
 
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Not yet but I need a serious putting lesson now!
 
Never but it's something I should really do.
 
It wasn't short game specific but in a series of lessons three years ago it was focused on scoring. It entailed working on chipping and pitching technique and club selection.
 
I have had several over the years. The most recent one I had was 90 minutes and we broke it into 3 parts. The first part was comparing my short game philosophy with my coaches. Then melding what I liked from his philosophy with my philosophy. 2nd part was technique from 35 yds and in and greenside shots both rough and bunker. We talked alot about how to play shots in different grasses and how to hit those shots. From there he showed me a couple of shots I didn't have in my arsenal. 3rd part was on the course hitting different shots. Talking about what shots to hit, how to determine what type of shot to hit and when. How to read the different lies, how to handle down grain and into the grain shots. One of the best lessons I have ever gotten.
 
I attended a short game class a couple of years ago. There were 60 of us and one of the golf course's teaching pros plus 2 assistants had us work on chips, pitches, and bunkers using they academy course.

I need to find a good short game instructor or undergo an exorcism. Not being able to trust my shot near the green has wrecked havoc on my cap.

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A 30 minute lesson a few years ago. And scores of conflicting YouTube videos.
 
yes. we hit chips and pitches, and putts. it was more about picking trajectories and landing spots. he noted that i was fanning the face and pulling hard left. so we worked on path a bit. then he showed me a new shot, almost line furyk's motion for high, soft dead hand pitches.


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JB said:
Have you ever had a short game lesson specifically? What did it entail?
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Best short game lesson I've had was the bump and run with a 7 iron.


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wubears71 said:
Not yet but of my 10 lessons this year I plan on focusing on the snort game in almost 1/2 of them - no more 2 chips and 40 putts/round for me.


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I'd say my average "additional" chips in a round are 8-12. Add another 37-40 putts and it doesr't take me long to need to hands to add my score on a hole.

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Three:

- a clinic at a supplier's golf outing (Cape Arundel CC, Kennebunkport, ME), where the pro introduced us to the bump and run approach espoused by Paul Runyan. I still use that predominantly within 15 yards of the pin.
- a clinic where I bought my clubs last year, where the emphasis was on a sort of flop shot, with the feet very close, most weight on forward foot, and a swing length based on distance. Has helped me from 45 to 15 yards out - between my full swing with a choked lob wedge and the bump and run. Don't have as much confidence/experience with this shot inside 15.
- a private lesson because I couldn't hit a straight shot out of bunkers. Ten minutes of focusing on turning the body during the swing fixed that.
 
I had a half day (AM) lesson with Stan Utley two years ago at Grayhawk. Started @ 9AM and went to about 12:30. After lunch a round of golf (without Stan). It was myself and a client (friend). I treated as the client had treated me to dozens of rounds at a couple of clubs where he was a member. We were in PHX for business and tacked on a weekend to golf (he's a member at Paradise Valley CC).

It was primarily a short game lesson but we did go to the range.

We spent about an 45 minutes on the putting green working on set up, equipment (he thought my putter was too short - I've since replaced it with a longer one and he was right), swing tempo and controlling distance. Stan's a proponent of swinging on an arc rather than a "square" swing so we worked on that.

Then we went to 45 minutes working on chipping around the green. Set up, swing, using bounce, maintaining acceleration through the ball...

We then spent about the same amount of time in the bunker. Similar drill - set up, alignment and where to hit the sand. Stan's approach is pretty modern with a more squared off stance and hands low to square the club - I've incorporated the low hands/shaft but I'm more Pelz like with an open stance.

We then went to the range and spent 45 minutes working on pitching and working the ball high and low and getting comfortable estimating the runout for low shots. Final 30 minutes some full swing stuff - Stan recommended that I get a stiffer shaft for my driver.

It was good time and experience. Stan's a great instructor and I picked up a lot from him. Can't say that I would use everything literally that he taught but lot's of it has found a place in my approach/game.
 
I've had one where it was all bump and run. Used everything from a SW to a 3H. After practicing what I learned I am fairly consistent around the green now.
 
Yes, several. Early on they focused on the basics - the different type of shots and their techniques. As I've supposedly nailed the basics the lessons have evolved to strategy for when to use different shots, how to pick a landing spot for the club you are going to use, how to read the greens, etc.
 
For what it's worth, I've gone the route of short game video instruction and lots of practice. Have a really good short game going that route. To have a really good short game you need a solid technique for high and low chips and pitches. All the variations are off of those two bases. There are multiple base techniques to chose from that you'll even see at the pro level. I experimented with each early on finding the one that I had the most success and consistency.

It took some time, but I'm glad I went this route. Most instructors have one technique they teach and try to force you into their mold.
 
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During the time I have been having lessons with my pro, I have had 1 lesson which was all putting and 1 lesson on chipping / pitching / bunker play

Putting lesson - this was done indoors using the SAM PuttLab and was an eye opener as to how inconsistent my putting stroke actually was when we did the inital baseline. We talked about my approach to putting and the thought processes I go through when trying to determine the line looking at the putt even as I approach the green and look for the high and low points etc. Adjustments were made to my setup and by doing just this it allowed my stroke to become a lot more consistent by the end of the lesson and I am now starting to see that translate to the course

The other lesson was a comination of chipping, pitching and bunker play from different distances and lies - These shots consisted of playing bump and run with no danger, carrying a hazard with both tight pins and plenty of green to work with, shots out of rough and he also asked how comfortable I was with high loft and opening the face for flop shots. At each location my pro asked me how I would play each of the shots based on the type of lie and distance I needed to cover, and 95% of the time he agreed with my thought process which I was very happy with as it meant I was taking the most sensible option. He had me hit a few shots each time and then offered a slightly different technique for bump and runs which I have found very useful and more consistent than my original one, I just need to get used to how the ball reacts on landing as it is different to what I was seeing

We then moved on to bunkers and after watching me hit a few shots he had me make a few changes to my setup and swing and, even though I was never worried about getting out of bunkers, something just really clicked in my head and it has given me even more confidence now, and during my round last night I almost holed a bunker shot for an eagle and even managed to get a ball that was deeply plugged in wet sand out of the bunker and fairly close to a tucked pin
 
I've had several, mainly to do with pitch/chip shots and bunker play. I know several people who have had plenty of lessons to work on driving, iron shots, etc., but wouldn't think about having a short game lesson, yet it's probably the best area for them to work on as that's where they're losing shots.
 
Had a short game lesson from Roger Cleveland in the 2015 Gauntlet and then a quick bunker discussion with Roger again at the Grandaddy. The main takeaway i got from both was to keep my base low, hands low and really splash through the sand. We had talked about open stance vs lined up directly to target and thats still something i think about on every bunker shot
 
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