Add more distance control in your short game

For most players, they are able to build the confidence and comfort to be able to hit a shot that is one hundred and fifty yards away from the hole but rely on total feel when missing the green. Even the best players in the world miss greens in regulation during their rounds, so they have to depend on their recovery shots just off the green to help post low scores. Sure driving the golf ball long and straight is an advantage but if unable to save strokes when missing greens, your score will sky rocket. Chipping is the best way to lower stress during a round as well as help build confidence when aiming at flag sticks from the fairway.

The first step in helping your distance control in short game occurs by taking out the guess work done with our eyes. What “looks” like the shot you practiced yesterday or before the round and what the specific shot required at the moment on the course are normally different. This is a problem for most amateur players due to the poor warm up or practice habits. This lack of discipline in preparation is caused by the players being more excited from seeing one out of dozen shots almost chipped in rather than eight out of twelve land near the same spot.

While on the course most players struggle with what I refer to as the “reaction” of the ball. Meaning what the ball does after it lands. To help with improving the judgement of this reaction we first have to practice from a flat area. This is because the topography or the lay of the land while playing is constantly changing. Once aimed at a relatively flat landing area next is picking out something tangible to have your pitch shot carry to. For my players this landing area is always our "blue towel". No matter if you use a towel, coin, or tee this added practice regiment will turn what was eight or nine completely different chipping “guesses” to now the added confidence in attempting the same chip three of four times during a round.