Looking for a Good Short Game Coach

ShriekingSheet

I find my own pro great for swing and putting lessons, but he's really more of a ball-striker approach, and not a scrambler. In terms of chipping and pitching, I've been thinking of going to someone who specialises in the area to some extenet. I have a decent short game in me, but it can slip out of the slot some days, and I'm not too clued in on short game technique.

Strictly south dublin / north wicklow. I don't have time to go to Carton, Killeen or McDaid. It doesn't have to be a total short-game expert, just a guy who know's his stuff and is based somewhere with a good facility to work on.

I heard the chap in Powerscourt who does the Leinster kids is good, though his name escapes me.

Anyone any ideas?

mag

is moyvalley out of range for you? i went to tristan mulalley for short game lessons & found him excellent. he covers technique & visualisation, mindset, etc...

he also coaches some of the interpro teams & the harrington course in maynooth. i would recommend him highly.

ShriekingSheet

mag wrote: »

is moyvalley out of range for you? i went to tristan mulalley for short game lessons & found him excellent. he covers technique & visualisation, mindset, etc...

he also coaches some of the interpro teams & the harrington course in maynooth. i would recommend him highly.

Yeah, by miles. Shame, because he sounds great.

Mister Sifter

Surely if they guy was going to be good enough you'd be willing to travel a bit to get to him?

ShriekingSheet

Mister Sifter wrote: »

Surely if they guy was going to be good enough you'd be willing to travel a bit to get to him?

I just don't have the time man. Work is nuts. I would later in the year, when the evenings were longer and after work was an option. But I want to do this in Jan/Feb and I'm half hoping to find someone I can get to at 7am or something, and get to work afterwards. That way I'd have my weekend to play/practice. But I guess I could head out on a Saturday and play Sunday.

Trampas

Thankfully my pitching and chipping has always been good.

If only the rest of my game was like it.

Hardly ever lets me down.

Never had a proper lesson only ever had tips.

One tip was when you are chipping or pitching is to go up to area you plan to land the ball and check the ground.

Just cause it is hard or soft where are standing doesn't mean it is the same where you plan to land the ball because sprinklers etc

No what you are looking for but something you might not get told in a lesson

Mister Sifter

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

I just don't have the time man. Work is nuts. I would later in the year, when the evenings were longer and after work was an option. But I want to do this in Jan/Feb and I'm half hoping to find someone I can get to at 7am or something, and get to work afterwards. That way I'd have my weekend to play/practice. But I guess I could head out on a Saturday and play Sunday.

I'd say taking a winter saturday off from playing and getting a lesson wouldn't be the end of the world. I know if it was me, cramming it in at 7am, i probably would have half of my brain thinking about work/getting to work after that i wouldn't get the full benefit. Getting a lesson at say 9am on a saturday morning would be a bit more relaxed and give you plenty of time to either play a round afterwards or to practice what the pro had taught you.

If it meant getting a good teacher, i would certainly sacrifice a round of winter golf for a wholesome lesson.

Burgerman55

Trampas wrote: »

One tip was when you are chipping or pitching is to go up to area you plan to land the ball and check the ground.

Just cause it is hard or soft where are standing doesn't mean it is the same where you plan to land the ball because sprinklers etc

excellent advice, excellent

OP - what about the dave pelz school in dunshaughlin?

stockdam

Getting short game lessons in the winter is a great idea.

My short game has always been rubbish. If I don't hit the green in regulation then I'm in trouble.

I must go for some lessons. We need an indoor practice area here where we can practice the short game.

gorfield

When i was living in kildare i used to go to John Mchenry in the k club for only pitching and bunker and i found him superb,however the best advice he ever gave me was that most pitching/chipping cant be taught, it just comes down to practice and crazy experimenting.
Ever since then when ive gone for a few holes alone in the evenings ill only play 4-5 holes but spend 20-30mins messing about around every green, finding ridiculous chip and pitch shots to play around. This i feel is the only way you will truly improve your short game.

d2ww

Paul Thompson is the Powerscourt Pro, 01-204-6033.

heavyballs

one pro i know who specializes in the short game is Ciaran o carroll in Bray gc,it's testement to him how much a couple of the juniors have improved under his guidence over the past couple of years

jimjo

mag wrote: »

is moyvalley out of range for you? i went to tristan mulalley for short game lessons & found him excellent. he covers technique & visualisation, mindset, etc...

he also coaches some of the interpro teams & the harrington course in maynooth. i would recommend him highly.

Yeah can second that guy, one of the best coaches around, thought he would be better known.

Whyner

gorfield wrote: »

When i was living in kildare i used to go to John Mchenry in the k club for only pitching and bunker and i found him superb,however the best advice he ever gave me was that most pitching/chipping cant be taught, it just comes down to practice and crazy experimenting.
Ever since then when ive gone for a few holes alone in the evenings ill only play 4-5 holes but spend 20-30mins messing about around every green, finding ridiculous chip and pitch shots to play around. This i feel is the only way you will truly improve your short game.

I agree with Gorfield. What are you playing off Sheet? I have a winter training program in place that I'm kicking off next week. It will consist of 30-40 minutes practice before work. I live 2 mins from my course which makes it easier. I'll only be concentrating on short game, for me that's 40 yards and in. I'm going to spend the mornings experimenting with different clubs and finding a feel for each shot, if your swing is half decent already which I think it is then I reckon practicing on your own is your only way. I know you're looking for a coach but I can't recommend one. I do the odd lesson with Steve Moore in the Spawell but only did one lesson on short game. I enjoy the lessons with him and always get something out of them.

On a similar note I read all 192 pages of Tom Watson's Getting up and Down book last night. It's an oldie but very helpful. I limit who I take advice from but I will be adding this book to the Shawn Clement DVD and my lessons with Steve in the Spawell. No more advice until spring.

Can you elaborate on what areas you wish to improve, sandies? chip and runs? I think it's an excellent idea to work on short game over the winter.

Did you not say you're retiring the clubs for the winter?

ShriekingSheet

Whyner wrote: »

I agree with Gorfield. What are you playing off Sheet? I have a winter training program in place that I'm kicking off next week. It will consist of 30-40 minutes practice before work. I live 2 mins from my course which makes it easier. I'll only be concentrating on short game, for me that's 40 yards and in. I'm going to spend the mornings experimenting with different clubs and finding a feel for each shot, if your swing is half decent already which I think it is then I reckon practicing on your own is your only way. I know you're looking for a coach but I can't recommend one. I do the odd lesson with Steve Moore in the Spawell but only did one lesson on short game. I enjoy the lessons with him and always get something out of them.

On a similar note I read all 192 pages of Tom Watson's Getting up and Down book last night. It's an oldie but very helpful. I limit who I take advice from but I will be adding this book to the Shawn Clement DVD and my lessons with Steve in the Spawell. No more advice until spring.

Can you elaborate on what areas you wish to improve, sandies? chip and runs? I think it's an excellent idea to work on short game over the winter.

Did you not say you're retiring the clubs for the winter?

To answer your questions, I play off 4, and yes I'm not really playing for this side of the winter. I want to sharpen my short game in Jan/Feb and be ready for the start of the season. It's not going to take a shed load of work, so why start now and be on the ball for called-off days, and lift clean and drop 12 hole scrambles in January? I need a break after a lot of golf this year. I play better when I've had a rest.

Areas I wish to improve... my fundamentals need a good talking to So there's some homework there. I'd like to be very good from 30-70 yards, which I can be some days but not often enough. I get up and down alot from bunkers so no concern there. You can never work on your basic chipping enough can you?

There has to be a mental aspect to it too. In mickey-mouse weekend stablefords I scored shyte all year, and in matchplays, Senior, Junior, Barton etc when it was like "right, I need to save par here" I got up and down time and again. I played 17 matches and won 14. In the Lord Mayor's qualifier I hit about 2 fairways and 6 greens and shot 72! So somethings going on there.

J6P

Firstly..i apologise for dragging up the old thread but a good short game coach is what i badly need during the off season.

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

I'd like to be very good from 30-70 yards, which I can be some days but not often enough.

.

Wouldn't we all;)

Just wondering if you found a good short game coach in the end or if anyone has any further suggestions to add??

I heard the pro in Headfort is pretty good..can anyone verify?