| Copyright (c) 2007 Jack Moorehouse | | | | pace of your swing should never slow until after |
| Golf is a thinking man's game. You've probably heard | | | | impact. Below are some other key principals I discuss |
| this said a thousand times. But when they talk about | | | | in golf instructions sessions on the short game. |
| golf being a thinking man's game, they're primarily | | | | Never swing hard with a short club. |
| talking about the short game. Shots beyond 125 | | | | With rare exceptions, you should never swing the |
| yards are rather basic. You select a club, pick a | | | | 8-iron, 9-iron, or wedges with full force. The short |
| target, and hit the ball with a full swing. Shots from | | | | game is about control. If you need more distance use |
| 125 yards in are more varied. Two balls lying 5 yards | | | | a longer club. |
| apart and just 30 yards from the hole may require | | | | Survey the land before hitting. |
| different shot strategies and techniques. | | | | Hitting accurate shots from 125 yards or shorter |
| Understanding the short game is the key to golf. It's | | | | requires you to understand things like slope, types of |
| also key to lowering your golf handicap. A shot from | | | | grass, sand textures, the effect of moisture, and the |
| 150 yards out requires one or two decisions. But a | | | | type of bounce and roll you'll get in various areas of |
| shot from 20 yards or 30 yards away requires | | | | the green. |
| several decisions. Considerations include lie, pin | | | | Don't be cute. |
| placement, type of shot, type of swing, and so on. | | | | When faced with a high, floating shot over a bunker, |
| That's why I tell players who take my golf lessons | | | | creek, or ridge, don't try to hit it close to the pin. Hit |
| that if they're serious about improving their game, | | | | it up on the green and settle for a 20-foot putt or |
| they must delve deep into the short game. | | | | even a 40-foot putt. Good short game play is about |
| Two Ways to Go | | | | strategies, skills, and percentages-not hitting miracle |
| Two types of shots dominate the short game-low | | | | shots. |
| running shots and high floating shots. Low running | | | | Concentrate on centered impact. |
| shots are preferable to high floating shots because | | | | Because the clubs are shorter, centered impact with |
| they're easier to control. They're also easier to hit. | | | | the scoring clubs is easier than with the long irons and |
| High floating shots can lead to mis-hits, so you want | | | | woods. But you still have to concentrate on it. |
| to stay away from them, if you can. | | | | Almost ever shot you hit in the short game requires |
| To hit a low running shot, take a slightly open stance, | | | | solid, square contact. |
| play the ball back in your stance, square the clubface, | | | | Visualize the shape of your swing. |
| keep your hands ahead of the clubhead, and swing | | | | The shape of your swing gives you a mirror image of |
| shallow and U-shaped. Also, maintain firm wrists | | | | the shot's trajectory. A steep, V-shaped swing tends |
| through the swing, don't release the clubhead at | | | | to produce a high-arching shot. A shallow U-shaped |
| impact, and finish low and abbreviated. | | | | swing tends to produce a lower, humpbacked shot. |
| To hit a high floating shot, take a slightly open | | | | Loft is the essence of the short game. |
| stance, play the ball forward in your stance, open the | | | | The loft angle of a wedge or short iron has complex |
| clubface, keep your hands even with the clubface, | | | | effects on your shot. When your high lofted club isn't |
| and swing steep and V-shaped. Also, keep your wrist | | | | sending the ball high in the air, it's doing something |
| actively hinging, use a full release at impact, and finish | | | | else-it's softening the force of your swing by turning |
| full and in balance. | | | | launch force into spin, and installing a set of brakes |
| Work on hitting both types of shots in practice, as | | | | on your shot, again through spin. |
| I've said in my golf tips. Learning to control these | | | | Keep these basic short game principals in mind next |
| shots is the foundation of a good short game. Also, | | | | time you play. Use them as the foundation of your |
| don't throttle back or try to hit a three-quarter- | | | | short game. |
| swing with these shots. Take a full swing. Some | | | | Learning to play the short game well is a challenge. It |
| players need to practice hitting these shots with a full | | | | takes time, patience, and practice. It also requires |
| swing to convince themselves of that. | | | | you to think about every shot you take near the |
| Basic Principles | | | | greens. But the pay-off is worth it. It's the quickest, |
| In my golf lessons I breakdown short game play into | | | | most effective way of cutting your golf handicap |
| a few basic principals. The most important of these | | | | down to single digits and becoming the player you've |
| are probably that your forward swing should match | | | | always wanted to be. |
| your backswing in length and speed, and that the | | | | |