Are you the typical golfer looking to lower your scores? Their is one thing that can do this and all it involves is dedication. By improving your short game, you will soon see your score dropping 2, 3, 4, 5 and as you improve more strokes depending on your current handicap. When struggling off the tee I seek my short game to pull me through and finish what could be a horrible round into an average score. If you are wondering how to do this look no further.
Go to your local golf course and start off with chipping to loosen up. Next set up a circle of tees around the hole, this way you have a target where you will be comfortable with a tap in. I like to make a 1 and 1/2 to 2 foot cirlce in diameter. Although I am a good putter as well I have become an excellent chipper where I should be inside that distance 9 out of 10 times. Now that you have the circle set up practice different shots. Expierement with what you can do! Soon you will learn new shots with out even noticing you are learning them. Try hitting real low shots with a lofted wedge to get the ball to check and roll as well as flop shots when you need the ball to stop. Already believe you do stuff like this? Well have you ever used an 8 iron or 7 iron to chip those long green side rollers. The only way to get better at chipping is if you try different shots from different lengths but stay within the 120 yard range down to the 5 foot flopper depending how far you hit your wedges. That is one of the many drills I use when working on my short game.
Next is possibly one of the most important attributes of an excellent golf... A good putter. Now most amateur golfers ask themselves how do i hold it? how far do i bring it back? where do I put it in my stance? The answer to this can simply not be answered. If you turn on the golf channel and watch the pros putt their is not one person who has the same exact putting stroke as another. Here is how to figure this out. Find a grip that feels comfortable and then experiment. Get a really good read of a 10 foot putt and putt 5 different balls start at the front of your stance and work your way back until you find a comfortable position. And last do not get tense! Stay relaxed.
Next for the drill. Set up tees 2 feet away, right behind it 5 feet away, then 10 feet away, and last 25 feet away. Before starting the drill I reccommend taking a few lag puts to get a feel of the green. Lag putts are the easiest way to get the feel for a green and is what the majority of scratch golfers do before working on the 5 footers. Now start at the 2 footer and make 5 putts in a row and keep going until you finish. Or start by making 1 from each without missing in between to get yourself used to consistency. For the next practice routine I use as well as many other players is set balls around in a 3 foot diameter around the whole and do not leave until you can make 10 in a row. I know it may be hard at first but soon you will be making them 19 out of 20 times. The 3 foot putts are what will save you par or even bogey. If you truely want to be a good putter you will have to learn to be strict on yourself. Tell yourself you can not go golf 9 holes with your buddies until you make the 10 putts in a row. Eventually when you master that go ahead and move it back to 3 and 1/2 feet until your comfortable with that. I promise you if you practice, practice, PRACTICE..., you will soon be a much better golfer.
