Looking for simple short game tips to quickly improve your score? These expert short-game tips cover everything from reading greens to mastering bunkers.
Golf only gets more challenging as we age. Swing speeds start to slow down and you may start to lose distance off the tee.
The ability to recover from a poor lie is only more complicated. However, one area where seniors can actually learn to dominate is in the short game.
The short game in golf is the most essential part of the game, regardless of your handicap. This is where all of the scoring happens, and if you want to shoot low, your short game must be solid.
As a golf instructor, here are some of my best short game tips to help you become a short game expert.
1. Simplify what you do
One of the best ways to get better at your short game is to simplify what you do.
For example, in your pitching and chipping stroke you should avoid too many moving parts. If you have more of a putting-type stroke with a lofted club, it can work as a chip and help to keep the game more consistent.
For example, in the short video, Brett demonstrates a how master your short game with two practice drills that will help you with this.
2. Learn more than one shot
Not all pitch shots and chip shots are the same. When you watch a professional golfer play, chances are they will have four or five different shots that they hit consistently.
Professional players realize that it takes a variety of great shots to get the golf ball in the hole.
As a senior golfer, you should have a few shots with a higher loft and a softer landing and a few shots that are kept more along the ground.
When walking up to the green, you can think about what club to hit, how you will play the shot, and where you want it to land. This is not as simple as grabbing your pitching wedge each time you have to chip.
Chip Shot vs Flop Shot vs Pitch Shot: Which to use?
The more variety you can learn, such as flop shot, bump and run, lower lofted shot with spin, higher lofted shot with spin, etc., the better you will be at scoring.
The difference between these types of golf shots is best explained visually.
Senior Golf Source’s professional golf coach, Brett Francisco, demonstrates the difference between these golf shots in a short video that fully explains the key differences.
Pitch shot vs chip shot vs lob shot breakdown
3. Don’t be afraid of speed
One of the biggest mistakes is slowing down as they approach the golf ball. Instead of accelerating through the golf shot, many seniors slow down and try to help the ball along its way.
This is not effective.
If you want to hit great short game shots with plenty of spin and accuracy, you need to have some clubhead speed.
Don’t forget that even short game shots need a little turn in your body. This helps to increase the speed at which the golf club moves and creates more control.
Swinging the club faster does not mean you will hit the ball further; you can adjust the backswing length if needed and use clubs with a little extra loft.
4. Bunkers: Pick the right club
Many golfers are terrified of bunkers.
We get it, bunker shots are less than ideal, but they don’t have to be feared. The first part of becoming a great bunker player is finding a bunker club that you can trust.
For some golfers, this is a trusty sand wedge. Others will find that the lob wedge increases overall loft and makes it easy to get out of the bunker.
Other golfers purchase a wedge specific to rescuing you out of a bunker. These usually have a wide sole, plenty of bounce, and enough loft to get over any lip in the bunker. The bottom line is that whatever club you hit out of the bunker, you have to be confident in it and choose something with the look and feel you need.
In addition, anytime you can find a practice sand trap, take a moment to throw a few golf balls down and hit some shots. This is an area of the game that players often struggle to practice, and it shows in the results on the course.
5. Keep the ball low when possible
The safest shot around the greens is typically the lowest shot. When you get the golf ball up in the air, other factors are involved, and it could end up causing you higher dispersion rates and higher scores on a hole.
Choose a club like your nine iron or eight iron to keep the golf ball low. Those who struggle with these shots sometimes prefer using a chipper as this generally has a lower loft as well.
With these lower shots, you will take a more abbreviated golf swing, try to hit the ball just a few yards, and have it roll the rest of the way. Keeping the ball low means that you have to prepare for some rollout on the shots that you hit.
If you are hitting out of the rough or have a large slope of thick grass to go over, hitting the ball up higher may be your only choice. However, whenever you have the chance to keep the ball low, take it, and you will notice more consistency in your results.
Phil Mickelson’s Chip Shot Demonstration
Phil Mickelson does an excellent short video on consistently hitting chip shots. He discusses key details that include weight and hands forward that make a huge difference.
Chipping Basics Video
6. Help yourself out on the approach shot
The approach shot to the green should be more than just trying to hit the ball on the putting surface. Having a shot land in an area that makes the next putt makeable and ensure you don’t need to chip again is a tremendous advantage.
When hitting your approach shot, take a look at the entire green. Try to think about not just getting close to the pin but where you might miss it as well.
Let’s say that the pin is just on the green with a bunker in front, but a wide opening in the middle of the green allows you to roll a ball up. In a situation like this, I recommend hitting a shot to the center of the green.
You may have a 15-foot putt, but there is also very little chance you will end up in the bunker. Somewhere around the green is much better than off of it.
If the pin is in a more approachable spot, think about going right at it and getting the ball as close as you can to the pin.
7. Green reading
Don’t under estimate the importance of green reading. There’s a big difference in handicaps when you regularly 3-putt.
Take a second before you putt to access the low and high side of the green. And look always want to anticipate and check break and speed.
8. Think about the putt you are leaving
In addition to trying to help yourself out on the approach shot, you must also think about the putt that you are leaving yourself. If you hit your approach shot past the pin and it’s straight downhill to the hole, this could be opening the door to a three-putt.
Whether chipping onto the green or lag putting, think about the putt you are leaving yourself.
Find a range of putts that you know you are confident with. For instance, I like a 4-8 foot uphill straight putt. I know my chances of making something like this are considerably higher, and I’ll take advantage of that every chance I get.
9. Short-game improvement takes practice
Hopefully, these tips have helped you realize that the short game is a bit more involved than you may have thought initially. However, one final step here is an unfortunate truth about the short game.
You must hit the ball to get better. Practice is key.
The golfers who play professionally will tell you that the short game is an area of their game that requires a good portion of their time.
When you practice the short game, always work on hitting different types of shots from lies that you may get on the course. In addition, don’t stand and hit the same shot repeatedly; this is not realistic of what will happen on the golf course.
Instead, change things up a bit, work on one type of shot for just one or two swings, and then change the lie or the club so you don’t become too complacent. This will pay off tremendously on the golf course.
How can I improve quickly improve my short game?
Hopefully, you have some new ideas to go work on your short game. If you haven’t gotten a lesson from a golf coach, that’s is an ideal place to start so they can look at swing techniques specific to you.
Also, we provide a variety of free video content for senior golfers on YouTube to help get you started. So if you haven’t seen it, it’s ideal for those needing help with wedge shots.
Unless you live on a golf course, one of the quick ways to improve the short game is to purchase at-home short game practice tools, such as a chipping net and an indoor putting green.
If you can spend 15 to 20 minutes a day working on your short game, it will go a long way.
Final Thoughts
Short game practice should feel fun and help build your confidence.
This is the area especially for senior golfers, where you can put in extra effort and actually have it pay off to help you score. While you may not have the fastest swing speed or longest drive, having a killer short game can save par and enjoy a less stressful round of golf.
This is where your time should be invested.
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