St. Johns January 2019 Newsletter P3_STM77850 January Newsletter | Page 5

NOTE FROM THE TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
WINTER 2019
From the Lesson Tee: Short Game
With the New Year here and the Short Game facility open, it is a great time to examine
why a few extra strokes could be accumulating on the score card. We have all heard
how important the short game is and probably discussed at one time or another how
approximately seventy percent of our strokes come from one hundred yards and in. Over
the course of a round, a great short game helps us capitalize on our good shots and
minimize the impact of our less than superior shots. With a few minor adjustments and a
few practice strategies, we can turn our short game into a great asset.
The very nature of this shot, and the fact that it requires less than a full swing, presents
the majority of issues when it comes to consistency. In a full swing we have a significant
amount of force and energy to help transfer our weight towards the target, this is not so
in a chip shot. The two primary adjustments to make in your address position would be
favoring your lead side with approximately seventy percent of your weight and positioning
your toe line “open” or to the left of the target line. The combination of these two
adjustments will increase rotation and promote a downward strike to ensure a higher level
of contact. As contact begins to improve, it is time to think about distance control and
a system to hit yardages on demand. The most consistent way to control distance is by
varying the length of swing, not by adjusting effort. The tempo and the speed of the stroke
should always be constant, with the length of swing being the variable. A great practice
strategy is to hit several shots with varying lengths of swing and
begin to associate yardages with each swing (ex. Knee High=25
yards, Waist High=50 yards, Shoulder High=75 yards). Finally,
regardless of the distance, the final goal is to finish facing the
target. This is a great piece to feedback to demonstrate the swing
is relying more on the body to deliver the club to the ball versus
the hands. Let’s Make 2019, “The Year of the Short Game”!!!
John Mousley
PGA, TPI
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