Tips to improve your short short game

[Dale]

Hi all,

The two major weaknesses in my game at the moment (one of which used to be my strongest!) are my putting, and my around the green chipping.

Basically I used to use my old X-14 sandwedge for a little bump and run which always worked flawlessly, but no I have since changed my irons to Mizuno MP-60's which came without a sandwedge.
I bought a cheap second hand Nike forges sandwedge, but it’s not the same. I just keep over hitting it or stubbing the club into the ground.
I've tried my lob wedge, became quite good with the flop shot, but in tournament play where I have a chance of putting a score together it’s just too risky as I am still not accomplished enough the risk of thinning one into the hedge is high!
I;ve tried the 8 or 9 iron bump and runs, but again, risk of stubbing into the ground is too high and I can NEVER get the connection right which you see of lower handicap players or pros where they can get the ball to take a bounce and then check up to slow it right down.

Help!

With the summer coming and harder greens approaching I feel I won't be holding many 2nd shots, so this is going to become quite integral to me keeping my handicap low!

Tips / advice / magic swing transition would be awesome please!

[ezra76]

I use my GW 95% of the time. Open to fly it further in and shut to run it out. Only way I change is to run one way, way back uphill with all the green in the world to work with or shortsided into a downslope.

[cypressperch]

of the putter is not a good idea, I would suggest using your putting grip and your putting stroke. When doing this, you want your hands slightly ahead of the ball. You also allow the clubhead to come up a little on the back-stroke so that your coming slightly down on the ball on your through-stroke. The wrist do not hinge and unhinge. A rocking of the shoulders is what propells the ball.

The little bump and run type shot is similar in some aspects to the shot mentioned above. You hit down on the ball and make contact with the ball before the ground. Ball is played somewhat from the back of the stance which promotes the downward blow. On the back-swing, the wrists hinge, and you control the distance your ball will carry with a given club by how much you allow the clubhead to swing up when the wrists hinge. When the back-swing is completed, you hold the wrists steady (firm) and hit down on the back of the ball. With a highly lofted club, the ball will check up pretty quick. Less lofted clubs will check less and role more.

Might as well add the short pitch shot. Ball positioned more in the middle of the stance. The wrists hinge both going back and going through. This releasing of the clubhead will result in the clubface passing the hands and facing the sky. When the ball is sitting up with a good lie, the front edge of the club passes under the ball. At address the club shaft is close to straight up and down (you can vary this to vary how high the ball will go and therefore how softly it will land---the less the shaft leans toward the target, the more vertically the shot will take off).

These three shots will cover 99% of the shots you will face around the greens.

Sincerely, Cypressperch

[ezra76]

And once you master those... try the wristy floater. This one can get a little dangerous because it goes against the old "no flip" rule. With this one you actally do flip. I hit it from a wider stance, ball in about a mid iron position, shake the wrists out and go at it with an open clubface. My hands are so dead on this shot I actually accidently drop the club after hitting it once in a while. The shot requires acceleration and a clean strike. I often try to envision attempting to hit the ball with the leading edge. It comes off similar to a flop but on a lower trajectory and can be used on a much shorter swing. I use it to hit shots over bunkers or up onto elevated greens from close in.

[Fourputt]

Just as a suggestion, if you are stubbing the ground behid the ball, the chances are good that your weight is not enough on the left foot. This shot you should start with the weight about 75% on the left side and keep it there throughout the stroke. Put the ball in the center or slightly back of center, use a slightly open stance, and keep your legs and lower body fairly quiet during the stroke.

[dave.]

Stop using a sand wedge.Use the LOWEST loft that will get the ball rolling,if that means a 3 iron,use a 3 iron.The biggest mistake higher handicappers make is using to much loft.Spin is inconsistent and is your enemy.Don't make a mistake of watching pros using wedges when they are hitting to fast greens and downslopes and have to slow the ball down.You don't,you need to get the ball rolling to the hole

hit less loft and hit your chips with weight forward and hands in front,

[dave.]

Originally Posted by ezra76

And once you master those... try the wristy floater. This one can get a little dangerous because it goes against the old "no flip" rule. With this one you actally do flip. I hit it from a wider stance, ball in about a mid iron position, shake the wrists out and go at it with an open clubface. My hands are so dead on this shot I actually accidently drop the club after hitting it once in a while. The shot requires acceleration and a clean strike. I often try to envision attempting to hit the ball with the leading edge. It comes off similar to a flop but on a lower trajectory and can be used on a much shorter swing. I use it to hit shots over bunkers or up onto elevated greens from close in.

technically a very difficult shot though,its not so much the hands,its the required body turn to get the club across the ball

I play it from a closed stance and butterfly grip as a drill.Hitting it isn't difficult for an accomplished player,but judging distance is.

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by dave.

technically a very difficult shot though,its not so much the hands,its the required body turn to get the club across the ball

I play it from a closed stance and butterfly grip as a drill.Hitting it isn't difficult for an accomplished player,but judging distance is.

I learned it from that 80yr. old guy who hangs around the course. I assumed it was sort of a pre-lob, possibly pre-sand wedge shot. I know what you mean about distance, I've dropped a few down into bunkers, left a foot or 3 short. When I use it I have to absolutely commit to it. Cool shot though and it's saved me quite a few pars.

I love hitting wedges and short shots though. I was at the range with Twofast this morning and we were messing around hitting the little mound with flag at 100yds. I used 3 different clubs and about 8 different shot to hit it. Slinging the 56* out of the back of a closed stance with flat trajectory is a cool little shot I was working on. That thing would spin back off the cart path.

[dave.]

All my floaty lobs come off the back foot.I keep the face the same angle open at address,but then open it more going back the more floaty I need.This leads to consistency because my address position is identical for every lob 50 yards in.Playing them with the back leg pulled right back is a great drill.

[gunning4u]

I got this tip watching the golf channel when Pelz was on. He said most ammutures when pitching the golf ball just stab at it. He said your follow through should be ¾ the length of your back swing. If you’re concentrating on making a good follow through you are less likely to decelerate the club head at impact. This isn’t a chipping technique, but a technique you use with a wedge when you have to fly the ball closer to the hole.

[dave.]

agreed,and you have no release,its the body turn that zips it thorugh and the butt of the club will face your belly button at the finish

[cypressperch]

different lofted clubs around the green. For those who insist on following certain professionals such as Nicklaus and Mickelson who tend to use the sand wedge, make certain that you do as they do when they hit shots that run. They have their hands so far ahead of the ball at impact that the bounce on their club never comes into play. Their stroke is also one that involves little wrist action as if they are sweeping the ball with a broom.

The farther the hands are ahead of the ball, the more delofted they have made the club. I suppose you could turn a sandwedge loft into a six-iron or something similar. The question I have is why do all of that. Imagine what it takes to make a shot with a sand wedge that is an eight iron in loft rather than a nine or seven iron. Why not use the eight iron with the same stroke you would use if you were using a seven or nine iron? Changing clubs using just one stroke really is easier.

Sincerely, Cypressperch

[gunning4u]

I was taught when I was a little kid to always use different clubs when chipping but I was never very good at controlling distance. I was taught that you use the same stroke and if you need it to go longer use a longer iron X# of paces PW, X# of paces 8iron ext ext. I would always question my club selection on in-between distances and uphill or down hill shots it’s an analytical way to play. I really find it easier for me to just figure out where I want to land the ball and let it roll out to the hole. I just try to visualize the shot the trajectory and the roll take some practice swings and just do it. If I want it to run out more I place the ball back in my stance and make sure my hands are ahead at contact. If I want to hit it higher move the ball to about middle of my stance and don’t deloft the club as much. I don’t always use a sand wedge for chipping but I would say I use one 80% of the time. If I was teaching some one how to chip I would still show them how to chip with different clubs first the way I was taught originally.

[JasonMacIsaac]

Practice it, I have an amazing short game (in terms of chiping) because as a kid all I would do is go out with 1 golf ball in a field and play every shot possible, land on spots, flop it over trees, under tree's and through the tree's. When you practice short game, never use more then one ball. It gives you the sense that you can make a mistake. Always use one...thats how it works in a round.

[JasonMacIsaac]

PS: Seve Ballesteros learned to chip using a 3 iron, he changed the loft to hit high shots and normal shots. He has the best short game the sport has ever seen. Chiping is all about good hands. You can be a good short game player like Tiger using technique but I still like the handsy chippers like Seve and JMO.