Hello, fellow golfers! Sarah Chen here, your golf instruction editor for The Daily Duffer. As a PGA-certified instructor with over 15 years on the lesson tee, I’ve seen firsthand that improvement is always within reach with the right approach and a little dedication. Today, we’re diving into a crucial area that I believe offers the quickest path to lower scores for most golfers: the short game.
You know, the game of golf often boils down to how well you manage those crucial shots around the green. While hitting greens in regulation is certainly a strong indicator of scoring potential, even top tour players only hit an average of 13 to 14 greens per round. What sets them apart? Their unparalleled ability to get up and down.
As the recent article highlighted, “Oftentimes I will hear instructors say that if you want to knock a shot or two off your scores in short order start with the low hanging fruit. And that, for the vast majority of golfers, would be chipping and pitching.” I couldn’t agree more! Mastering chipping and pitching isn’t just about saving pars; it builds confidence and can transform your entire game.
Building a Solid Foundation: Your Setup
Let’s start where every good shot begins: the setup. The way you address the ball for a chip or a pitch sets the stage for success. It’s about creating a stable, controlled platform.
- Footwork: For chips, keep your feet close together – think about a clubhead’s width between them. This helps restrict excessive body movement, leading to a more controlled stroke. For pitches, you can widen your stance a little, offering a bit more stability for a slightly longer swing.
- Weight Distribution: This is critical! For any short game shot, you want 60-70% of your weight on your lead foot. This forward weight shift helps promote a descending blow and consistent ball-first contact, which is essential for crisp chips and pitches.
- Ball Position: For chips, position the ball slightly back of center. For pitches, aim for pretty much centered. This subtle adjustment helps control the trajectory and interaction with the turf.
- Hands Ahead: Your hands should be slightly ahead of the ball. This delofts the club slightly and encourages that all-important downward strike.
The “Y” and “L” Principles: Understanding Your Swing Shape
One concept I frequently emphasize with my students is the geometry of the swing. The source article eloquently describes this, and it’s a fantastic visual cue:
“In the setup we are creating the letter ‘Y’ with our arms and the shaft. We maintain that ‘Y’ throughout a chip shot. With pitch shots we form the letter ‘L’ between the lead arm and the shaft at the top of the abbreviated backswing. There is an ‘L’ in the backswing and an ‘L’ in the through swing.”
For chips, visualize your arms and the club shaft forming a “Y” at address. Your goal is to maintain this “Y” shape throughout the entire, abbreviated chipping motion. This helps keep the clubface stable and minimizes wrist break, leading to more consistent contact.
For pitches, the “L” shape comes into play. As your lead arm swings back, allow a slight wrist hinge to create an “L” shape between your lead arm and the club shaft at the top of your abbreviated backswing. You’ll then recreate this “L” shape in your follow-through. This synchronized movement ensures the club is delivered with consistent speed and control.
Engage Your Core: The Importance of Rotation
A common pitfall I see, especially with higher handicappers, is stalled chest rotation in the downswing. This often leads to a “scooping” motion or “casting” the club, sacrificing control and consistency. Even on the shortest chip, your body needs to be involved.
“So even on a chip shot where you are only flying the ball less than 10 yards in the air, we still need to have some amount of chest rotation through the impact zone.”
Your chest (and those shirt buttons!) are a fantastic visual. For short game shots, I recommend setting up with your shirt buttons angled slightly towards your target. This pre-sets your body to rotate through the shot, ensuring ball-first contact and preventing the club from “stalling out.”
Actionable Drills to Elevate Your Short Game
Now, let’s put these concepts into practice. Here are a few drills you can try right away:
1. The “Y” Chipping Drill:
- Setup: Take your chipping setup (feet close, weight forward, hands slightly ahead). Focus on creating that “Y” shape with your arms and the club.
- Execution: Practice miniature swings, keeping the “Y” intact throughout the backswing and follow-through. Imagine your arms and the club moving as one unit, like a pendulum. The only movement should ideally come from your shoulders and core.
- Goal: Improve consistent, crisp contact and maintain loft control. Start with small chips and gradually increase the length of the stroke while preserving the “Y.”
2. The “L-to-L” Pitching Drill:
- Setup: Take your pitching setup (slightly wider stance, weight forward, hands slightly ahead).
- Execution: Swing back until your lead arm and the club shaft form an “L.” Pause for a moment to feel this position. Then, swing through, striving to create another “L” shape on the follow-through, with your club pointing towards the target. Pay attention to how far your backswing and follow-through are. The article mentions, “I always want to see the backswing and through swing lengths to be the same.” This symmetry is key to distance control.
- Goal: Develop rhythm, tempo, and consistent distance control for your pitches. This drill helps train your body to hinge and release the club efficiently.
3. Lead Arm Distance Calibration (The Clock Face Drill):
- Setup: Find an open area on the practice green or even your backyard. Grab a pitching wedge or sand wedge.
- Execution: Use your lead arm as a clock face. Practice pitching strokes where your lead arm goes back to 9 o’clock (parallel to the ground), then 9:30, 10 o’clock, and 10:30. After each set of swings with a specific “clock position,” note how far the ball flies.
- Goal: Calibrate your distances. Knowing that a 9 o’clock swing sends the ball 20 yards, and a 10 o’clock swing sends it 40 yards, is incredibly valuable on the course. Remember, this only works with solid contact, so focus on that first!
Course Management: Assessing the Lie
You can have the best short game technique in the world, but if you don’t assess the lie correctly, you’ll still struggle. As the article points out, “An enormously important aspect of improving your short game to know how to assess a lie.” Practice making shots difficult for yourself. Don’t always pick the perfect lie. Drop balls in different grass lengths and angles, just like you’d find on the course. This builds versatility and problem-solving skills.
Final Thoughts
Developing a great short game takes practice, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Focus on these fundamental setups, understand the “Y” and “L” principles, engage your core, and commit to regular, challenging practice. Remember, every shot you save around the green feels like gaining a stroke on the long hitters!
