Getting better

[Chris]

Ive now been playing golf for a few years, and now that i have developed quite a consistent swing i now realize that the short game is the answer to getting better scores. I have always put a large emphasis on my pitching and chipping. I have a small field in front of my house which is on a slant but i dont mind. I spend hours out there almost everyday, but the thing is i dont seem to be getting much better. I work on shots from 60 yards and down always to a specific target. And the thing that gives me the most problems is distance control more then accuracy. So if any of you can help, what am i doing wrong, maybe i am not practicing specific things?

Thanks for your help.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Getting better

Practicing the chipping is great and you are doing it right by going to targets. Concentrate on only the landing spot, not what the ball does after because the inconsistencies in your back yard's grass will be different from a courses grass and greens.

To regulate your distances in chipping, you can use 3 basic elements in the swing: How far you rotate your shoulders back, how far you take you arms up, and how much you cock and release your hands. Combinations of these elements produce different results.

The best way to know the differences is to, as Nike likes to say, "Just Do it".

Play to a distance using 1 type of chip, then move to a different distance. Go back to the first distance. Go back and forth until you can hit each one on demand. You will notice what the difference was in the amount of distances you changed in the particular part of the swing element.

Now change to a different style of chip. And repeat the exercise. After a while you will feel and predict the differences needed for the elements of swing needed to change desired length's shot.

Its not easy, and takes a long time to get it all right. Sometimes just sticking to 1 type for a while is the best approach. Get comfortable with that one type and you will see the results on the course. When you get upset at a chip that you hit cleanly but ended up with a bad result, you are probably ready to add the different type of chip in your practice routine.

I would work on getting the chip that does not use the hands first. Only use your shoulders and arm raise first. Timing is easier. The ball will fly lower and run farther but the distance control is much easier.

When you get those distances down, start to introduce your hands in the shot. The ball will fly higher and run shorter, but the distance control will be harder to get just right. Only use this shot (the flop shot) in the extreme cases where you have a hazard/difficult area in you landing zone that will catch the ball.

When adding the hands, you will have to take your shoulders and arms back farther because more energy is being applied to the downward angle getting the ball to go higher, so to make the ball go the same distance as a simple "no hands" chip, you have to swing harder and this introduces more potential errors.

Always use the "no hands" chip when ever possible. Meaning that if you have the room to land the ball in a reasonable clean spot that will get you a consistent roll (like the green/fringe or nice fairway) then use it. You will be happier with the results.

I use this formula to help me chip:

PW = Half and Half
7I = 1/3 - 2/3.

This means that a pitching wedge chipped without the hands and arms and just using your shoulders (as in a putt) will fly the ball the same distance then it will run (on a normal flat surface).

The seven-iron will throw the ball one third the distance in the air, and run the ball two thirds the rest of the way.

Practicing these 2 clubs around a green and playing with the distances will grant you 85% of all the work needed to get the ball close to any hole.

The rest is going to be the special SW, or 5I work.

Key to remember is that you want to use the club that gets you to land the ball closest to YOU as possible = Minimum flight, and maximum roll. Take 10 balls and try each club at each distance and you tell me which one you were able to consistently able to repeat.

The shorter you can make you swing, the better you are going to be able to repeat that stroke.

As for the 60/50/40/30 yard shots. It is very much the same as the drill for chipping. Your full swing with a SW will get you to, say 100 yds or so. You start to take some of one of the 3 elements away and this will begin reducing the distance. I like to use my arms first. I only take them up to 3/4 of the way. That is my 75 yarder. To drop that to 60, I take my hands out a little. I like to keep my shoulders going at 100% up to 50 yards. It helps me in my tempo and keeps my hands from taking over hitting those pesky thin shots that go 125 yards. At around 40 yards, I take my hands out completly whenever possible, all depending on the landing area. My shoulders and arms go each to about 50%. But all this depends on lies and landing areas. Rough will cause you to have to put the hands back in the shot making you have to swing more with the arms and shoulders.

Like I said, its not easy but what makes this game so much fun.

[LowPost42]

Re: Getting better

Might I suggest buying Dave Pelz's My Short Game Bible?

It certainly added a ton to my short game - and immediately took 4 strokes off my score.

[Chris]

Re: Getting better

Thanks Greg its really nice to have a proffesionals opinion and advice. I appreciate now having some things to practice as i think its really important to practice with a purpose. I think it may take a while but like you said you just have to experiment. Once i get a feel for these swing elements i think wedges and chipping will be a lot easier.

Thanks again