What Can I Do To Improve My Game?

Question

I shoot anywhere from a 77-83 when I golf. My strong assests are long and straight off the tee and the ability to shape shots with my irons(fade-draw, punch, lob). However, my short game is very up and down. Some days I can have under 30 putts and others I'll go well over 36, Any tips on how to improve my short games, especially chipping and lag putting.

Answer 1

I would start by heading to a local course near you and take your wedges and a putter along with you to the putting green. you can practice some shots from the fringe or you can practice other shots from the first cut of grass as well. One thing for me is that I don't let go of a bad shot or bad hole that well, but if that doesn't apply to you I would still suggest trying to win by mastering the 6 inches between your ears. Note-Bobby Jones said that golf is a game that is won and lost between the 6 inches of your ears. Instructors also do help to give you more direction and helpful tips if you don't mind paying a little bit of cash for that though.

Answer 2

Use all shoulders and pendulum for fringe or greens.  For all short game shots from pitches to putts, keep your wrists relaxed but as if they were locked.  This will improve consistency greatly.  I use the triangle (keeping my arms in the same position at all times and using rotation/shoulders) for short game and all my shots actually, though it is not really necessary and I wouldn't disturb your long game.  Another tip for long, big-breaking putts: read the overall green and then at the angles of the breaks (the tangents to the curve), so you can see it all the way to the hole.  I am a 3 handicap by the way, and the wrists are your best bet, with pendulum emphasis for putting.

Answer 3

With chipping and putting, there are many ways to “skin the cat”.

It’s really all about feel and practice.

Drill #1; Go to the range, in the short-game area, throw 3 ball in the rough, pitch onto the green and make the putt. Repeat form different locations, longer shots, short-side your self, use a 60, 56, PW… Sometimes the simplest answers are the best.

Putting; try a line on you ball. Even if you don’t like to play with the line on your ball it’s a good practice aid.

Drill #2; Set up for a putt, from you stance put the line to the target, check yourself from behind the putt. Are you lined up right?

Tip; try putting two lines on you ball, creating an X at the top. Line your self up and square the blade to the parallel line. When you hit the putt look at the middle of the ball, to a spot just in front of the ball.

Good Luck, I am basically the same type of golfer you are. It’s tough cutting the last 10 strokes off, to get to a scratch.

Answer 4

Go to a pro and let him(her) help you develope a strategy on how you will execute your short game. Pratice helps, but without direction, results are at best mixed. Once you get a game plan as to what you want to do when as far as your short game  is concerned, you could be headed toward being a scratch golfer. Good luck!

Answer 5

try out these lessons. Good luck

Answer 6

The best drill I know for lag putting is as follows:

Go 20 feet away from the hole to start with (and move back as you get better) and place 3 balls down. Putt all three. If you leave any short, you much re-putt all of them. If you are more than 2 feet past the hole on any of them, you much re-putt them all. Move all the way around the hole at this distance until you are getting it 100% of the time. Once you have this mastered, move back a few feet and try again. This drill is the best I know of.

Another good lag putting drill is to take three balls and set yourself up with 20 or so foot putts (once again, ranging depending on where you need work). If you every 3-putt, you must remove one of your balls (hence, you will only have two left, then one, then eventually zero). This game can also be played with a partner as it becomes last one with a ball.

A third and in my opinion the most fun of these lag-putting drills (however can be the least effective if not done seriously) would be a putting contest against an evenly matched (or preferably a better matched) foe. Play as many holes on a putting green as you would like, playing holes anywhere from 10 feet to 100+ feet (when you get really good). Generally 18 mini-holes are played (play all as a par 2) and whoever has the best score at the end wins. This is an effective way to learn to putt, as good competition makes things more fun, as well as makes you focus more and take things more seriously.

I hope these tips help you out a little bit, and good luck with your game!

Answer 7

Your best bet is to stay off the driving range and get on the green.  This isn't meant to sound rude, but consider how many strokes a golfer takes from 50 yards in in a round compared to driving off the tee and long iron play.  Practice chipping from several distances as well as practicing flopping them on the green and running them on the green.  As far as putting, practice different length putts with different breaks.  Work on your feel and work on getting the ball to the hole on the right line.

Answer 8

Sometimes lessons are overrated.  There are several drills you can do for both chipping and putting:

1) putting-

keep your head as still as possible

keep your wrists as straight as possible

aim for a spot 6inches behind the hole, the putt cant go in if it never gets there

determine where abouts you think the putt will break in your line and try to pick a spot half way towards the hole

Just try to get it close on long putts, if it goes in alright, but dont leave yourself with a 5footer back down the hill.  I would rather be a foot short than have to putt 6 feet back down the hill again.

2)Chipping

Master chipping with just one wedge first, I chose the 60*

Keep your head still

Shorten your stance

Choke up

always accelerate

hand in front of the ball except on flop shots

learn to predict your spin

play for break and roll out

dont try to hit a miraculous shot.  just hit is close, and knock it in.  Trust me a bogey after a 7foot par putt miss is much better than a triple after leaving it in the bunker, or three putting from 75feet.

Try to watch some quick tips on the golf channel, they always run short game tips.  Also, watch the pros when you can on TV, that is usually the best part of each of their games, either chipping or putting.