Struggling with your short game around the greens? You’re not alone.
Many golfers find consistently (and accurately) getting the ball close to the hole one of the more challenging parts of golf. But what if we told you there was a simple, effective way to improve your chipping and pitching around the green?
Performance Golf coach Eric Cogorno teams up with short game expert Derek Deminsky to share their easy to use techniques that can help make those tricky short game shots much easier. You can follow along with the video below, and save this post for your next practice day on the green.
Simplifying Your Setup
One of the key takeaways from Derek’s expert short game approach is the importance of setup. Unlike a full swing, where technique and power are emphasized, the short game requires a more relaxed and controlled stance. Derek recommends standing tall, close, and comfortable to the ball. This setup reduces the chances of mistakes and offers better control over the golf swing.
Key points to keep in mind when setting up for your short game:
- Stand closer to the ball than you would on a long shot
- Keep the ball positioned under the sternum
- Distribute your weight slightly forward (60/40 or 70/30) to maintain control throughout the swing
Understanding Swing Plane and Club Face Control
With a proper setup in place, the next step is to focus on the swing plane and club face control. You should aim for a neutral swing plane when setting up pitch and chip shots, where the club stays close to its original line (see photo below). This part is essential for consistent contact. Avoid the common mistake of swinging too much inside or outside the target line, which can lead to mishits.
Let’s recap the swing techniques and club face control:
- Aim for a swing plane that is slightly on top of the line, staying close to neutral
- Keep the club face neutral and avoid excessive wrist hinge or manipulation
- Practice staying on the plane with alignment sticks to help with consistency
Practicing Ground Interaction
Ground interaction is another crucial element of a solid short game. You’ll want to focus on consistent turf contact during practice swings, and not focus solely on the ball. We know this seems a bit counter intuitive, but for tricky chips and pitch shots, this is crucial!
Be sure to practice this enough where you can implement some sort of muscle memory. By ensuring the club interacts with the ground correctly, you’ll improve your chances of solid contact during the actual shot.
Mastering Landing Spots
The final piece of the puzzle that is the short game, is learning how to pick and hit landing spots on the green. This skill is vital for controlling distance and spin. By practicing landing the ball in a specific spot, you can better predict how it will roll out toward the hole and how the ball will land in future shots.
To practice this, you can use a simple ball landing drill.
- Place a towel or marker on the green to practice hitting precise landing spots.
- Aim for a club-length radius around your target as a measure of accuracy.
- Build your routine around visualizing and executing shots to your landing spot.
Your Short Game Just Got Simpler
Improving your short game doesn’t have to be complicated. By focusing on a few key fundamentals—setup, swing plane, ground interaction, and landing spots—you can start seeing better results around the green.
Keep practicing these elements, and over time, you’ll find yourself more consistent, confident and successful in your short game.
For those interested in diving deeper, check out Stealth Spin Secrets, which offers an in-depth look into mastering the short game. Whether you’re struggling with chipping, pitching, or both, these techniques can be a game-changer on the course.
