Southern California's No. 1 Golf Source
SITE
SEARCH
GOLF RESOURCE GUIDE:
Instruction
|
||||
Scoring shots require feel. The more mechanical you get, the less touch you’ll have. Implement these fundamentals for 5- to 10-foot putts, 30- to 50-yard pitch shots and 100-yard approaches and your short game should improve. If you still struggle with them, take a short-game lesson from your local PGA teaching professional to make sure your fundamentals are solid.  5- to 10-foot putts These putts usually have a little break, so you need to have the correct speed and line to have success. • Determine the speed you plan to roll the putt — firm, medium or soft — as this will dictate how much break you play. • Pick a spot 6 inches in front of your ball where you want it to start (pictured). Set up to the ball and make sure you have your putter lined up to your intermediate target. • Take a last look down the target line, return your eyes to the ball and make your stroke. Only look up when your putter’s follow-through is complete.  30- to 50-yard pitch shots It’s tough to create spin from this distance, so use your most lofted wedge unless you’re hitting a long bump-and-run shot. • Set up with your hands slightly ahead of the ball. • Take the club back nice and smooth until you feel like your hands are hip-high (far left). If you swing back too quickly, you’ll find it hard to go back as short as needed and you’ll be prone to deceleration on the downswing. • Accelerate on the downswing so your hands are ahead of the clubhead as you hit the ball (middle). Don’t be afraid to take a divot past the ball. If you try to help the ball up, you’ll likely end up flipping your wrists, which can create additional problems. • Make sure your hands are quiet in the impact zone as you rotate to a balanced finish. Since you’re accelerating into the golf ball, the follow-through should be longer than the backswing (far right). • To control the distance, make a shorter backswing or open the clubface for more loft.  100-yard approaches From this distance, you get to make a full swing, which means a shot with more height and more spin. If you’re in-between clubs, either choke down on the shaft with your lower-lofted club or move the ball back 2 inches in your stance with the higher-lofted club, which delofts the club and adds a bit of distance. • Tempo and balance are important. If you swing in balance with a smooth tempo, good things will happen from this distance. Make a smooth takeaway and focus on holding your finish to achieve more consistency (pictured). • As you become more precise, you can shift your target from the center of the green to toward the flagstick. Glenn Deck is PGA Director of Instruction at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast. For information on lessons and programs, call (949) 467-5810 or e-mail gdeck@pelicanhill.com. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
