Control Distance with body turn.

[RoverRick]

I was reading another thread (Goals for this season) were someone said they wanted to get better at the short game.  My short game has simply been awesome this past year, and I decided that I would share it with you.  Heck, I may have even read about here on this site, because I did not create it, just implemented it.

 

I just read that the average approach shot by an amateur golfer from 150 yards is 35 yards from the pin.  I totally believe this.  I find myself this distance from the flag far more often than I would like.  35 and in have turned into my money shots.  From inside 50 yards this past couple of months, I average 8.3 feet from the pin and make most of these putts from inside 9 feet.  I get up and down more than 90%, not counting sand bunkers.  So here is how.

 

How many of us can pitch a golf ball underhanded onto the green and let it roll to the hole and get it with in 5 feet or so?  Probably all of us.  It is not that hard.  Yet when we get here on the partial wedge shots we blade it and chunk it and jump at the ball.  Relax, there is no need for concern, just pitch the ball at the hole.

 

The first key in playing this shot is club selection.  This is determined by how much green there is to work with.  I carry 3 wedges, 52* is my normal wedge for this shot.  It is the easiest to use and will roll out 15-20' after it lands.  My 58* will roll out about 10' or so after landing, and I have a 64* that I use only when I can't have any roll.  I do not recommend a 60 or more wedge for anyone.  

 

I have seen how much green I have to work with, and determined which club to use.  I walk to the ball and read the green like I would a putt.  I pick a spot where I would need to land the ball and let it run into the hole. 

 

Ok, now I have that as my target.  I then imagine the ball in my right hand, I am right handed, keeping my upper arm close (not locked) I mimic taking the ball back and through to the target rotating my body and get the feel for how fast I need to turn and how high I need to raise my hand.  I actually do this with nothing in my right hand, just to get the feel of the rotation.

 

Then I take my grip and mimic hitting the ball and watching it fly to that spot I picked out earlier.  If I am having trouble getting the right feel then I will take one that I know is too hard, and another that I know is too soft, then a couple of more that I feel are just right.  This is a very smooth swing, with virtually no hand or wrist action.  The body rotation controls the distance.

 

Now I simply step up to the ball and do the same thing again, this time striking the ball. 

 

Try this approach, and stay relaxed.

[Paul S]

This makes 10000000000% sense to me. Great post!

[Salmon]

funnily enough this is what i used to do to some degree and have changed it somewhere along the way and have been really lacking in my pitches at the moment. I know what I'm doing this Saturday when I play Thank you for reminding me how to do this properly