The Short Game
A good short game can be a great equalizer, especially to a junior golfer who doesn’t have the
size and swing speed to compete with the longer hitters. For me, golf was always about the
short game; about figuring out a way of turning three shots into two.
While keeping your
eyes on the ball is good
advice, it is easy to get
too fixated on this and
the body is unable to
turn through the shot,
resulting in flicking of
the wrists. You should
feel the body rotate
through the shot, turn
your head and eyes to
where you want the
ball to land.
Golf is a game of
opposites. In chipping,
you must hit down on
the ball to make it pop
up. Effective chipping
starts with your weight
favoring your front foot
and maintaining your
weight here as you
strike the ball with a
descending blow. Set
up with your hands
and club where you
want them to be when
you return to impact—
hands slightly ahead of
the clubface. Open the
stance slightly so that
your body is pre-rotated
toward the target.
The following drill
will help you:
1 Keep the hands
ahead of the clubhead
2) Maintain weight
through impact
3) Rotate the body
correctly through impact
Start the downswing
with your lower body,
feeling your weight
pushing onto the front
foot; resulting in solid
contact. Leaving the
weight behind at impact
will cause the club to
swing up into the ball
instead of descending
into it on the
downswing; resulting
in a thin shot.
MICHELLE HOLMES
A good youth golf program
offers a balance of competition
and fun.
IMAGINATION IS FUN
As a junior golfer, playing links golf in Ireland, it was inevitable that my
short game was going to be inventive. One of my favorite drills to do
with my Dad: Chip three balls from one spot, using three completely
different clubs. Watch your imagination, creativity and feel unfold.
vsga.org
Grip an iron about
mid-shaft so that the
butt end is pointing
up and just outside
your target side hip,
and make your normal
chipping stroke. Start
your downswing by
rotating your body
toward the target. The
goal is to avoid having
the butt end of the club
touch your body during
the swing. If the club
bumps your body, you
either let your wrists
break down or you
failed to turn your body
through the shot. If it
doesn’t, then you’re
turning through the shot
and leading with your
hands through impact.
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