Short Game

Seve Ballesteros was my hero as a kid and I believe that the short game can be the most fun to practice. There are multiple ways of getting the ball up and down and the variety of different shots that can be played are almost endless.

Learn to play different shots with different clubs. It stretches your imagination and you might find more effective ways of playing shots.

The keys are controlling distance, trajectory and spin. Ask the questions where do I want to land it? How quickly do I want it to stop? What club and trajectory will allow me to do it?

Set up in order to play the shot you intend to. You never had any doubt with Seve if he was going to hit a low runner or a high lob shot because the way he set up to the ball really helped him to achieve the desired impact. Poor chippers and pitchers tend to stand to the ball the same way, with the same ball position whatever the shot. They also tend to practice the same shot from the same place over and over again. It’s boring and ineffective!

Be creative and have fun. Don’t be afraid to try and hit a lob shot with a 9 iron, it will teach great technique and make the shot seem a doddle when you have a 60 degree wedge in your hand!

Learn to play different shots with different clubs. It stretches your imagination and you might find more effective ways of playing shots.

The keys are controlling distance, trajectory and spin. Ask the questions where do I want to land it? How quickly do I want it to stop? What club and trajectory will allow me to do it?

Set up in order to play the shot you intend to. You never had any doubt with Seve if he was going to hit a low runner or a high lob shot because the way he set up to the ball really helped him to achieve the desired impact. Poor chippers and pitches tend to stand to the ball the same way, with the same ball position whatever the shot. They also tend to practice the same shot from the same place over and over again. It’s boring and ineffective!

Be creative and have fun. Don’t be afraid to try and hit a lob shot with a 9 iron, it will teach great technique and make the shot seem a doddle when you have a 60 degree wedge in your hand!