Short game lesson/tips

MasterKZG

Guys, I'm need of some short game tips. Anywhere less than 40-80 yards from the green , i really do struggle to get even close to green , nevermind the hole itself!!! I dont know whether it is the softness of the fairways that doesnt allow me to get a good contact!!

I like to think im quite a good player but this particluar part of the game is killing me and i reckon im losing about 5-8 shots coz of this problem!

I tend to underhit the ball and leave it short of the green!!! I darent used a sandwedge or a gap wedge as i havent quite mastered it on the fairway!! Its okay if the ball is sitting up quite nicely on a light lush!

Any online tips/lessons?? Cant afford the lessons at the driving range just yet!!!

Daithio9

Try these http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=scott+cranfield&page=1

Kace

Seek out a copy of Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible on Amazon. A quality read.

stockdam

It's an area of the game where I struggle too. All I can advise is for you to find somewhere to practice and then work as hard as you can. Experiment a bit to find what works best for you.

BiffoGooner

The closer people get to the green, they tend to commit less to the shot, and tend to decelerate through the ball, frightened that they're gonna over-hit the shot.Leaving shots short of the green would suggest that this could be your problem.Might sound like a small thing here, but it really is massively important.I used to do it myself when I started playing first.The lenght of the backswing dictates how far the ball is going to go, so as long as you have that right (through practise) you can accelerate through the ball at a nice little forward angle without having to worry about flying past the green and should get some nice backspin too.

Su Campu

BiffoGooner wrote: »

The closer people get to the green, they tend to commit less to the shot, and tend to decelerate through the ball, frightened that they're gonna over-hit the shot.Leaving shots short of the green would suggest that this could be your problem.Might sound like a small thing here, but it really is massively important.I used to do it myself when I started playing first.The lenght of the backswing dictates how far the ball is going to go, so as long as you have that right (through practise) you can accelerate through the ball at a nice little forward angle without having to worry about flying past the green and should get some nice backspin too.

+1.

I've found that too, my short game has come on leaps and bounds since I started varying my backswing and accelerating through the ball. Again we have another case of the mind dictating the body and trying to take over.

Next time you're at the range forget the long shots. Try to get close to the 50yrd sign. Shorten your backswing and experiment to see what gives you the right distance, probably the clubhead back to shoulder height should do it. But it's crucial that you don't lose your natural swing rhythm. It's easy to quicken your swing and try to whip it off the mat. Remember the pendulum motion - back - stop - forward - and through. You should start to see results pretty quick.

Mr. Larson

I've been using my 19° & 24° hybrids from around the green where I don't need to get 'over' something to good effect. Once you get the distance control sharpened you're in business as you will rarely be offline with them and you are more or less eliminating the chances of a duff. If the ball needs to get airborne for a foot or 2 I'll use the 24°. If I've a tight lie with mostly fairway/green to navigate I'll use the 19°. I go down the grip with both and use a putting stroke.

Have you tried that?

G1032

BiffoGooner wrote: »

The closer people get to the green, they tend to commit less to the shot, and tend to decelerate through the ball, frightened that they're gonna over-hit the shot.Leaving shots short of the green would suggest that this could be your problem.

+1
Commit to the shot. Above all else this is what you must do. Picture the shot you want to play, commit to it, then play it.
It's the same for putting. Poor putters tend to decelerate through the ball.

Mr. Larson

ronaldochokes wrote: »

Poor putters tend to decelerate through the ball.

I can vouch for that having been a piss poor putter for a long time who decelerated through the ball.

Unconsciously, I changed my stroke from a very pendulum-esque long backswing and pronounced, rigid follow through to a more natural stroke where I just take the putter back a small bit, way less than before and accelerate through the ball. Never holed as many putts since the change happened.

G1032

Jabberwocky wrote: »

I can vouch for that having been a piss poor putter for a long time who decelerated through the ball.

Unconsciously, I changed my stroke from a very pendulum-esque long backswing and pronounced, rigid follow through to a more natural stroke where I just take the putter back a small bit, way less than before and accelerate through the ball. Never holed as many putts since the change happened.

Used to do it myself. Still do more often than not:mad:

MasterKZG

Jabberwocky wrote: »

I've been using my 19° & 24° hybrids from around the green where I don't need to get 'over' something to good effect. Once you get the distance control sharpened you're in business as you will rarely be offline with them and you are more or less eliminating the chances of a duff. If the ball needs to get airborne for a foot or 2 I'll use the 24°. If I've a tight lie with mostly fairway/green to navigate I'll use the 19°. I go down the grip with both and use a putting stroke.

Have you tried that?

No i havent tried that!!! Might do that next time im praticing!! Yeah i think its a mental thing that i ahve to soften the downswing whereas i shd be accelerating as normal as i would do with the longer irons!!! Better get onto the course and practice some of that!!! Will do it after i play Druids Glen tomorrow.

PhilipMarlowe

The hybrid from off the green is fine and useful at times, particularly if you struggle with chipping but you mentioned in the OP that you struggle from 40-80 yards and the hybrid won't do much for you from that far out.
You need to find an area where you can practice, and not at a range off a hard mat because this won't teach you much about your striking... catch it a little heavy off a driving range mat and you'll still get a result whereas out on the wet fairway you'll know different

I always use a 53 degree gap wedge from that kind of distance, hitting it low enough, one hop forward and then stop (all going to plan)... others don't so it's all about practice and getting to find the shot you like with the club you like.

A simple tip if you struggle with distance control is to take a practice swing that is obviously too soft to reach the green... then take on that is obviously too long... then go with one in the middle, stand over the ball and trust yourself and let fly. Like the lads said, you need to trust yourself and commit... if you're second-guessing yourself in mid-swing then you know it's not going to be good!

The odd time that I do go to a practice area, it's about the only shot I'd practice. Stick a closed umbrella down and step out a few different distances from it like 40, 50, 60, 75 yards... give yourself 10+ shots from each distance... then try and get it close from each distance first time with one ball.
Practicing from this type of distance should help the handicap come tumbling down.

Jasonw

The missus got me a copy of Dave Pelz's short game bible for Valentine's day (Bless - It's true love.)

Exactly what you need for everything from 100 yards in.

I started a version of what he teaches myself a couple of years ago - writing down distances for different 'finese' shots. It worked well enough up to a point. The trouble was that pacing out distances slowed my game right down and I gave it up to try and become more of a 'feel' player. Now with the widespread use of DMDs I can simply walk up to the ball, fire my rangefinder and say ok 60 yards that's a 3/4 sand wedge.