Up Your Short Game & Save Par
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Everyone want’s more pars on their scorecard. Your short game is crucial if you are going to shoot lower scores and improve your game. It’s an aspect of golf that requires touch, finesse, and practice because of the gentle approach that is needed. So, these ten steps below will help you to improve your short game.
Don’t Hold Your Swing
Sure, you do not need to hit the ball a long distance, but this shouldn’t mean that you forget about the importance of your swing. Ensure that your set-up is good and use a closed stance while the club’s face should sit square. The right wrist should hinge a little during the backswing, and your body should turn, while the downswing should see you turn to target as you follow through. Whatever you do, don’t stop the club once you make contact.
Use the Bounce on Pitches
To play your shot as close to the hole as possible, you should utilise the bounce that accompanies the shot. This means that you should allow the club to slide through the grass leading to a soft shot that floats onto the green. Make sure your hands lie behind the clubhead to ensure that you get the right loft, and this will enable you to use the bounce more, helping you get closer to the pin.
Use Your Arms When Pitching
If you are using more wrist action during pitching, then you are more likely to hit it fat or thin. This means that you should focus on using your arms more while ensuring your arms create a V Shape. The aim is to keep this V as you move the club back and then through the swing. Avoid any hand action or rotating of the forearms. All you need to do is maintain the loft of the club.
During Flop Shops, Slide the Clubface Under the Ball
Flop shops are much needed around the green. To do this right, you’ll need to make sure that the clubface slides under the ball while the clubhead should be past the shaft when impact takes place. The clubface should be open at address and aiming at the target. It’s even possible to loosen your grip and then rotate your hands toward the target. However, it’s important to make sure that your clubface is open before gripping.
Make Contact with the Ground with a Flop Shot
This might sound counterintuitive in golf, but the aim is to get the clubhead under the ball. Therefore, you should make sure that the clubface is open and then extend your left shoulder as you go back. Then aim to make good contact with the ground allowing the club’s bounce to prevent the club from digging. The aim is to make sure you keep the club moving with the face pointing upwards.
Bump and Run by Hinging Your Wrists
A bump and run shot requires you to bounce the ball before the green before getting the ball to roll towards the hole. To do this correctly, the ball should be set back in your stance, with the shaft leaning forward to reduce loft. On the backswing, hinge your wrist and keep them in place right through the swing until you finish. Your chest should pivot towards the target as you swing through while you should make a descending blow and take a divot in front of the ball.
When Chipping Keep Your Hands Soft
To chip as best as possible, you need to use soft hands. A light grip will ensure that there is no tension in the arms and there is a softness in your hands. Then you use the basic chipping technique with the ball towards the back of a slightly open stance to ensure you make contact with the ball first.
Use an Extended Shaft When Chipping
If you are struggling with your short game, then you could place an alignment stick onto the grip end of a club. When you play shots with the extended club, the extended shaft shouldn’t make contact with your body while you swing through the ball. If it does touch you, then it means that you are scooping, which is a common issue when chipping. So, keep the top of the grip moving towards the target as you move through the swing, and you will find that you become more consistent.
The Left Arm is Important
It is crucial to remember that the left arm is important when chipping, as this is the arm that will give you control over the stroke. The left hand and arms should begin the backswing together, while you should have a slight hinge in the wrist. Once you start moving through the downswing, you should ensure that the left arm leads the clubhead into the ball. Therefore, it can help to remember two things: keep your head still by focusing on a dimple on the back of your ball and making sure that you hit the dimple with the centre of the clubface.
Rotate Your Body for Better Contact
The aim is to make solid contact when chipping, and that means that you should rotate your body forward during the swing. This allows you to shift your weight onto the front foot and ensures that the club’s shaft is leaning towards the target during impact, which is something that the top chippers in the game do. Swing the clubhead back, move your right knee towards the left knee, and then this releases the right side of your body, allowing you to begin rotating forward.
