# The importance of the short game



## stevel1017 (Apr 30, 2007)

Played today, only 9 with the wife. I only hit 3 out of the 9 in reg, still shot a 1 over 37. By chipping close and one putting, I was still able to score. If I had chipped and 2 putted on those greens I missed, it would have added 6 strokes to my score. Practice the short game !!!!!


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

I have to agree with you. That's exactly what I did today. I went the to practice greens and practiced my pitching, chipping, and putting. My short game handicap has gone up to 2.76 per missed GIR. Over 10 missed GIRs, that would equal an extra 7-8 strokes over par. Not a good thing.........


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

as they say drive for show chip and putt for dough. I added the chip bit in lol.


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

My scores have been coming down over the last couple of weeks because I made a small change in my stance for short pitches and chips, and it gives me a freer swing. I'm hitting balls closer and getting a more consistent release, which means that the ball is rolling when it gets to the hole, giving it a better chance to fall in. I chipped in for a birdie last week for the first time in more than a year, and that is something I used to do fairly regularly. I hadn't realized that my stance had changed so much until I started fooling around with it.


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

I am going to go work on my short game today. Plus, I want to try something I heard Trevino talk about yesterday about aiming more right with the shoulders-feet, and playing the ball back in the stance. Club face aimed at the target. Yeah I know, he hits a fade with that set up. So do I. It's something to do, plus the 19th has $5 pitchers. :thumbsup: Supposed to blow like crazy here tomorrow. Already 98*F in my back yard.


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

I spent about 3 hours at the practice area yesterday. I was getting some "work" done on the driving range. I say work because I "work" on my game when practicing, and just "play" when I hit the actual 18 holes. 100 balls, using all my clubs, and spent some time hitting 1/2-3/4 swing, low running shots with my long irons. 

After that I moved to the short game area for some pitches, chips, and putts. Even used the hard pan green side bunker a few times. It is hard for me to hit the correct distance needed when hitting of a hard, bare surfaces, such as watered down, sun baked, thin layered sand. But, this time of year that's what my home course has to offer if you find your self in one of their green side bunkers. 

It was warm, in the sun, and windy, which meant I was pretty much alone on the practice greens. I was able to hit balls from various lies, distances, then putt them. This, to simulate making "ups & downs" when they would count. Spent almost an hour doing this. 

I then spent some time working on on Toski's method on club selection when chipping just to see if it would work. (Before I go any further, please no remarks about Toski being a cheater when he played on tour. There's a lot more to that story than just simply cheating)

Toski's method involves a mathematical formula for iron selection for chipping. I suppose it could be used for pitches, but it's main value is in chip shots. Pitch shots require carrying something which this formula is not designed for. I'll give you the info, and have fun with it, and even incorporate into your game if you wish. It does work to a high degree. It's more of a flight to roll ratio for choosing specific irons, while using the same stroke.

First off there are two constants you need to remember. One is the landing area, which is always 1 yard on to the green, regardless how far from the green your chip shot ball might lie. (For me a chip shot might be 5 yards or less from the green) The second is the number 12. There are also two variables. One is the distance the ball must fly in the air, and how far the ball needs to run after landing on the green. So here's the scenario. Your ball lies 2 steps off the green from your (constant) 1' landing area. The pin is located 6 steps from the 1' landing area. You now have a fraction of 2/6, which reduces down to 1/3. 1 part carry, and 3 parts roll. You then take the number 3, and subtract it from the (constant) number 12 which of course equal 9. The number 9 corresponds with a 9 iron. If the ball was 3 steps from the 1 foot landing area, and the pin was 15 steps from the 1' landing area, you would have a fraction of 3/15, or 1/5. 12 minus 5 would be 7, or a 7 iron. Of course if the pin was located up hill, or down hill from the ball's off the green position, you would then have to subtract, or add a club number to make up the difference. If the shot had a break, then you would measure to the high point of the break, and not the pin itself. 

Like I said, the formula does work to high degree. It will get the golfer into very makable one putt range, most of the time. It just depends if the golfer wants to mentally do all the calculations, while stepping off distances. Of course, for a golfer who uses only one club in their chipping game, this won't work. I also think there is a third variable that Toski did not take into account. Not all golfer's strides are the same. My normal steps cover about 2.5 feet on avaerage. Others' strides could be more or less.


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## Cajun (Jan 17, 2010)

Interesting post Frog, thanks for the info. I'll have to give that a try, I'm not a single iron chipper and I use the same basic idea for club selection, but now I'll have to try that formula. I think with just a little practice you could get pretty good at judging the distances too instead of pacing them off.


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

You are quite right Cajun. Do something enough times and it becomes second nature, and/or "feel" begins to set in. Pacing the distance off is not that big of deal. I don't normally pace any distances off when on, or near the green. I look at the shot at hand and decide on the club I need to use, based on past experience. Now, I do walk and look at my chosen line to the hole, looking for any debris, or slope that might interrupt the roll of my ball. Sometime ago I was playing at a course that had a short game contest. First place was a set of Mizuno irons. I had paid $100.00 to enter this contest. On the last day, in the last event, I had a lead over another guy for first place honors. All I had to do was make a 20 footer in 2 putts or less. I pretty much had the win in the bag. Well, for what ever reason, I did not check the line of my putt. I putted the ball right on my intended line, with enough force to lag the ball up close to the hole for a tap in. Problem was I missed a pebble, and my ball hit it, bounced a bit to the right, and found a down slope, My ball rolled down the slope leaving me another long putt. I took 3 more putts, and lost the 3 day contest by 1 stroke. Now when important, I look at everything. So I guess pacing off distances, while looking at my line would not be a big deal, and I could use use it to check my own chipping club selection.

One thing I did notice was sometimes when reducing the fraction down, I might wind up with something less than a whole number. If the denominator turned out to be, say 2.5, I just rounded it off to the lower number "2" which would equal 10, or a PW. Another issue is, if the golfer is carrying 4 wedges, 10=PW, 11=AW, 12=SW, then you would think #13 would equal a LW. Chances are the golfer would seldom see the #12, and never see the #13. So I am assuming Toski was working with a 2, maybe a 3 wedge system for this formula. At any rate those instances would be few, and far between. The golfer would most likely be using their putter "Texas Wedge" style from off the green anyway.


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

Way too much work for me. And too mechanical. I do it by feel.... sink or swim. And I'm usually a fairly good swimmer.  

I'm as likely to putt through 6 or 8 feet of fairway if I don't like the "feel" of the chip. Every greenside shot has a "feel" to it, and I play it by that feel. I can't really describe my approach any better than that. I see a spot where I want the ball to land, and I play to that spot. It might be a foot onto the green, or it might be 15 feet onto the green. Generally if I hit the spot, I get close to the hole. 

Once I pick my spot, then its all about execution, and that is true for anyone's method.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Because of our discussions last year on the bump and run and the short game things are improving for me now,but I'm drowning with my long irons mainly 4&5 irons. I know the topic is the short game but this two to three strokes if I can make good contact on the ball. I'm hitting behind or topping the ball. any pointers to try?


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

The low point of your swing is changing both forward (topping), and backwards ( hitting behind) the ball. That's the main cause of those poor shots. There may be more than one cause that moves your swing's low point backwards, or forward in your stance. First place I would look is your weight shift. Try hitting the ball with your weight on your front foot as a drill. Keep the weight there from the start of your back swing, to past impacting the ball. Much like those guys who promote the "stack & tilt" swing. I am not a fan of that swing method, but it does help with keeping the low point of the swing in the same spot for the amateur golfer. Also, while doing this drill, make sure to take a "one piece" back swing. And, to solve another possible issue, be sure to hold your posture during your swing. In other words keep the same posture you had at address. Focus on keeping your sternum the same distance from the ground though out your back, and down swing. Another issue is sometimes the golfer loses their "lag" to soon. They release the club too soon, which causes fat shots. A lot of things to look at, but focus on your weight shift first, and see if that helps. 


broken tee said:


> Because of our discussions last year on the bump and run and the short game things are improving for me now,but I'm drowning with my long irons mainly 4&5 irons. I know the topic is the short game but this two to three strokes if I can make good contact on the ball. I'm hitting behind or topping the ball. any pointers to try?


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

FrogsHair said:


> The low point of your swing is changing both forward (topping), and backwards ( hitting behind) the ball. That's the main cause of those poor shots. There may be more than one cause that moves your swing's low point backwards, or forward in your stance. First place I would look is your weight shift. Try hitting the ball with your weight on your front foot as a drill. Keep the weight there from the start of your back swing, to past impacting the ball. Much like those guys who promote the "stack & tilt" swing. I am not a fan of that swing method, but it does help with keeping the low point of the swing in the same spot for the amateur golfer. Also, while doing this drill, make sure to take a "one piece" back swing. And, to solve another possible issue, be sure to hold your posture during your swing. In other words keep the same posture you had at address. Focus on keeping your sternum the same distance from the ground though out your back, and down swing. Another issue is sometimes the golfer loses their "lag" to soon. They release the club too soon, which causes fat shots. A lot of things to look at, but focus on your weight shift first, and see if that helps.


You just made me realize that in my stance the weight distribution is balanced and I'm swinging as if I'm driving. I'll look at my set up and swing again at the range today


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

Well we all start our golf swings from a balanced position. As we swing back our weight shifts to the inside of our rear foot, and as we we swing down our weight shifts to our front foot. The idea I proposed to keep your weight on your front foot though out your swing is more a practice drill to see how a consistent weight shift to the front foot aids in determining the consistent low point of your swing. On your down swing, if you transfer your weight to your front foot properly, if nothing else is wrong with your posture or swing, you should develop a consistent low point in your swing. Once you have that low point located, you then set up with ball just in back of that low point. Myself there are shots that I do start my back stroke with my weight on my front foot, but those are chips pitches, and low runners, that I have just learned to hit that way. I even putt with most of my weight on my front foot. With my longer clubs, on full swings, if I don't shift my weight to my front foot correctly, the low point of my swing will not match up with where my ball is in my stance. When that happens, depending on which way my low point moves, I will either top the ball, or hit it fat shot.


broken tee said:


> You just made me realize that in my stance the weight distribution is balanced and I'm swinging as if I'm driving. I'll look at my set up and swing again at the range today


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

FrogsHair said:


> Well we all start our golf swings from a balanced position. As we swing back our weight shifts to the inside of our rear foot, and as we we swing down our weight shifts to our front foot. The idea I proposed to keep your weight on your front foot though out your swing is more a practice drill to see how a consistent weight shift to the front foot aids in determining the consistent low point of your swing. On your down swing, if you transfer your weight to your front foot properly, if nothing else is wrong with your posture or swing, you should develop a consistent low point in your swing. Once you have that low point located, you then set up with ball just in back of that low point. Myself there are shots that I do start my back stroke with my weight on my front foot, but those are chips pitches, and low runners, that I have just learned to hit that way. I even putt with most of my weight on my front foot. With my longer clubs, on full swings, if I don't shift my weight to my front foot correctly, the low point of my swing will not match up with where my ball is in my stance. When that happens, depending on which way my low point moves, I will either top the ball, or hit it fat shot.


I understood what you were driving at and I meant that I stay balance in my swing there is no weight shift I caught my self doing this and number 2 I found myself over swinging. once I backed off of trying to knock the cover off and let the club do more of the work I was getting better contact on the ball. I seem to do this only on the long irons.


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