The Gate February 2017 | Page 14

Short Game Mastery

By Jonathan Yarwood , BGGA Master Coach
At the higher levels of golf , where many of our students aspire to be ; the landscape changes . The game gets harder and the examination more intense .
The short game is a crucial part of an elite player ’ s game . It can hold a poor ball striking round together and can enable low scores when the ball striking A-game is on . As alluded too , at the higher level of golf things come under greater scrutiny and are more demanding . In the short game , the lies get tighter , greens faster , pins more tucked ; as a result an average short game just will not cut the mustard .
To climb the ladder to elite and professional status a player needs a ‘ Tour quality ’ short game . By this I mean they need to have total control of the strike , spin and trajectory . Even a slight five hundred RPM change in strike can be the difference between two feet and 20 from the pin .
A bullet proof technique then , is not negotiable in this arena . Once this has been achieved through a variety of proprietary tour tested methods learned by the BGGA coaches over the years , then the artistry can be added .
The short game is art , for sure . Picture some of the finest exponents like Seve Ballesteros or Tiger Woods , they make the impossible possible through not only skill but incredible artistry and imagination .
At BGGA we spend time with each student arming them with a bullet proof short game technique . We then spend time gluing it together with artistry and imagination to allow ‘ Short Game Mastery ” using a variety of demanding skill challenges and tasks .
As with all areas of skill acquisition , the short game requires patience and application in order to be truly mastered . The skills learned at this level will be the foundation of their game for years to come and stand them in good stead against any competition , as most have never been exposed to a tour quality short game .
At BGGA we go the extra mile in all areas of a student ’ s game to give them the best opportunity to have the skills to become the best player they can possibly be .