Revamp your short game with tips from Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel. Many recreational players believe they need to get the club under the ball to hit soft and high short-game shots, but the secret is actually to get the club down to the ground. This can be achieved through a solid setup, where you bend forward from your hips and allow your arms to hang straight down. As you swing the club back, your trail elbow naturally folds, and in order to get the clubhead back to its starting position, you must straighten your trail arm as you swing into impact.
A helpful exercise to feel this motion is to make a mock backswing while holding a ball in your trail hand and then throw it to the ground at about the spot it would be in your regular address position. This exercise requires you to fully extend your trail arm to successfully achieve the desired outcome. To avoid common mistakes, make sure to bend more from your hips to lower your club to the ground and relax your knees to ensure your arms hang correctly. Additionally, avoid trying to lift the ball into the air by contracting your arms or “scooping” with your wrists.
Understanding that contacting the ground is a top priority will greatly improve your short game. Kellie Stenzel, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, shares these tips from her experience teaching at the Palm Beach Par 3 and The Boca Raton in Florida. By following these guidelines and focusing on getting the club down to the ground, you can achieve the shot height needed to land the ball softly on the green. Remember that arm straightening and proper setup are key components to executing this technique effectively. Start practicing these tips to see an improvement in your short-game performance.
