Most golfers tend to overlook their short game when they practice. But, having a well rounded short game can really help lower your scores and make up for bad approach shots.
Joe is looking to improve his wedge play and is tired of hitting the ball "fat." He's not alone because I've seen first hand that many golfers have no idea how to hit consistently good pitches, chips, flop shots, or bunker shots. I'll discuss a few different reasons why you might be hitting the ball chunky, such as where your hands must always be.
I know about fat, but hitting fat shots with my lob wedge off a tight lie is really driving me nuts!
-Joe
We've got to talk about setup and technique. In this case, one will often dicatate the other. For example, if you are trying to hit a flop shot but you're set up to hit a low pitch and run, you'll never hit the ball where you want. You've got to know what the shot calls for and then how to accomplish it.
If you're trying to hit more of a pitch and run type of shot, you don't want to come down steep enough to the point that you can stick the club in the ground. When Joe says he's hitting it fat, I'm assuming he's hitting behind the ball. This can be caused by coming in too steep.
To hit low shots, you have to get your weight a little more left, but your nose still has to be at the ball. You have to remain still because your nose must stay at the ball, not behind it or ahead of it. Next, you want to nip the ball off the ground and finish low.
In order to get the ball higher, you've got to decrease your forward shaft lean. When golfers get too much shaft lean, it causes a lot of chunking as well. The higher you want to hit the ball, the higher you need to finish. But, you can't start falling backwards to help the ball get up because this, again, can lead to chunks. You've got to stay in the shot.
One thing that you've always got to remember is that your top thumb must be directly under the top of your sternum. Your arms always swing back to a point directly below your sternum, so that's where they must be at setup and impact. Most golfers will set their shaft lean after they've already set their feet, so their hands are naturally going to be out in front instead of under the sternum. Some shots do call for you to use a bit of shaft lean, you've just got to remember to adjust your setup accordingly afterwards.
Since it's so important, I will say it once again. Your top thumb never gets out of line with your sternum! The next time you're out practicing, hit some chips and pitches. While you're doing this, make a mental note of where your hands are in relation to your sternum while in your setup. If they are not directly underneath, you may have just figured out why you've been hitting it fat.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
Wedges
Surge, great stuff. I have 5 wedges and that means one mechanical swing thought for any of 5 shots, ie PW, TW, SW, 60*&64*lobs. My only variation to your analogy is that I have a slightly open stance and feet closer together.
To me the secrets of chipping are:- compact stance, firm wrists, no head movement and last but not least, FUS greater than BUS.
One more Secret ? Weaker Grip
Neil, Smith, et al.
Any one out there go with a slightly weaker grip, specifically with short chipping? Never heard Don mention it. Don't remember if Kenny K mentioned it in his short game video. But I use it. Not sure why.
Maybe tradition. I sometimes have elements in my swing that have no real logical reason I can think of, I just do. Hmmmm.
Maybe my short chip mimics, in some way, a putting motion, lower body movement notwithstanding. Butt at the belt buckle....tick tock....simple.
My grip is often strong, usually 3+ knuckles, so clearly I am not palms perpendicular, with this set-up element present. I guess my PP friends don't have to think so much about the weaker grip.
Grip
I have lots of kinds of chips that I use. One of them is no different from my putting stroke on a long putt and on those my grip is completely neutral (which is weaker than my normal grip).
On all other chips, flops, and pitches I use the exact grip I use on all other shots.
Wedges
I'm pretty much the opposite of Neil. Unless I am really on top of my game and the course conditions are perfect I leave the lob wedge at home so I won't be tempted to use it.
If the course is very soggy (especially on dormant Bermuda) I even leave the sand wedge in the bag as much as possible and try to get by with a pitching wedge.
Funny that on closely mowed and firm and/or dry ground I am much better than average with a lob wedge but in bad conditions I am MUCH worse than average with it.
Sort of the same way with flop shots. When I am playing well there I never see a flop shot that I think I can't pull off but when I'm playing badly I better find another way to play the hole (losing one stroke is better than losing two).
I like Surge's advice of keeping the thumb under the sternum. I'm often guilty of pressing it too far forward. Most of the time it doesn't affect my shot but sometimes it does (once again especially on dormant Bermuda).
P.S. You can probably tell by now that I absolutely HATE playing on wet, dormant Bermuda, and even worse when the shot is against the grain and what looks like 1/2 inch long grass turns out to be 2 inches long and is just matted down.
Wedges
Steve, I think when it comes to the very short part of the game, ie chipping/lobbing around the green and from/over bunkers etc, things are tailored more to the individual, like putting. My comments above lean more
towards this concept, however on full lob/wedge shots from 50/60/70 out, then I revert back to the basic setup/swing principles. I wish had your knack
of playing on hard lies, as I think most people would prefer soft grassy lies.
Steve, Was wondering why we
Steve, Was wondering why we hit our best shots when we are in trouble with little chance for success if we don't hit the absolute perfect shot. I know you and I have described several occasions where you hit your best shots at those times. Same for me and likely many others. Today I had that kind oof a shot with my 58* when only an exact shot would do. I talk about it in my comments further down.
Any way I have concluded it is because (in my case), I have to visualize and focus with such precision that my senses are heightened at that moment. I actually see the ball going where I want it and doing what I will it to. Too, we have talked about the times we have been dead perfect in the middle of the fairway and then miss the green. Why? Because there is less to narrow our focus and make us be precise.
Hmmmnnn......
I think I am going to experiment and see if I can fool my mind and eyes to see trees and obstacles that will force me to be precise from any where.
Impossible shots
Everything you said plus:
Total commitment to the shot both physically and mentally, with nothing to lose, and no bailout.
A verbalized "game plan". If someone else is around we probably talk about the plan and if we are alone we STILL probably talk about the plan. Haha!
There is more going on with player/caddie conversations than just information exchange.
Once again yesterday my best shot of the day was when I pulled my tee shot on a par 5 and my second had no option but to hit a low hook (to stay under the limbs) but HAD to hook at least 40 yards (lake on the right) and HAD to carry at least 200 yards (to clear a ditch across the fairway).
No reason for a lack of total commitment on that one and both the ball flight and the distance was absolutely identical to what my mind saw before the shot. Happens WAY too often to be luck.
Yes
Crazy stuff Steve,
I had a similar scenario just three weeks ago. 186 yards (by laser or as the crow flies) but certainly closer to 200+ with the hook needed. Tree directly in front of me. Either had to hit a perfect slice or hook. I rarely can pull off a long accurate slice/fade on purpose so chose the hook. Had to clear a valley and stream and land up on a raised green. I often miss this dang green from a perfect spot in the middle of the fairway from 125 yards or less. But from 186 under stupid circumstances pulled off the shot of a life time and ended up 2 feet from an eagle. tap in birdie. Again Why? All those reasons we both mentioned. To be able tp tap into that kind of focus on normal shots from a good lie with NO obstacles would make me shoot par golf or better most of the time. Crazy talk indeed!
Golf is 99% mental ...
- the rest is between your ears. My dad said this a lot growing up (scratch golfer) and just now I am starting to understand.
Steve et al - you have really hit upon something here. Focus and intensity, which we all have at times, needs to be present on every shot. Put something on the line, or whatever you need to do mentally to make THIS shot count.
I verbalized this yesterday to my friend who was walking with me. Uphill shot to a protected green about 200 yds off. He asked where am I aiming, and I answered given the conditions - ANYWHERE within 20 yards of the green. No real focus on what and where and even how, and of course just thunked a 3w about 150 and it went up and back down somewhat. Got exactly what i planned for .. zilch. A few holes later, same 3w, similar lie, had to get over trouble, and boom because I had a precise mental picture.
Surge has shown us how to swing the club - we just need to execute. When ever I follow what he says and execute - rock solid. Thanks again Surge and nation!
Down the middle,
Jon
audio quality
Surge, the audio quality on your daily videos is sub standard and doesn't match the high value of your advice
I suggest you look at this and all other video production elements.
At the moment, you are falling behind your competitors.
Wedges
Had a good day with the wedges with full shots, pitching and chipping.
Both of my two birdies came after well played wedges. I had two trees in front of me on one where I had to hit the ball high and then clear a bunker to a pin that was just 12 steps from the bunkers edge. A blind shot really from 65 yards. Used my currently most lofted the 58*. Needed to fly between tree limbs through about a 4 foot gap.
My wife was on the green and hollered as it landed and rolled just 3 feet by. Fun! The good news is I made the putt:) The other shot was on a par 4 too after hitting a good 56* from 75 yards to 20 feet and made that putt. Used the 58* 3 times, 56* 3 times, the 53* twice, my gap maybe 4 times and the pitching wedge 5 times. All came off fairly well today so I am happy with my short game progress.
Lately I have found that if I have a choice from closer in, say 3-10 yards off the green I will use the 9 iron for chipping.
Consistency is coming along and I think this is going to be a great year for golf:)
BTW Cindy had a birdie today after a good drive, a 6 iron to 4 feet and a nice putt for a 3 on the par 4 ninth. Hitting off the ladies tees she had her ball past mine several times today. Hmmmnnn...! She loves the warmer weather. Suppose to be close to 70* tomorrow. Should we do yard work or "Go Play!"??
Top thumb position
Top thumb directly below sternum obviously makes sense but does this hold for all shots or just for chipping?
Ian
Thumb
Not exactly.
P.S. Surge has his thumb closer to under his sternum with the long clubs, while stil keeping his hands slightly ahead of the club, than most of us because he starts the takeaway with the club head further back from the ball than most of us. It's almost like his set up stays very close to the same in relation to his sternum but the ball gets further ahead of the club face at the start of the takeaway as the clubs get longer. Similar to Moe Norman but not quite as drastic.
(Something to experiment with).
That slight head start into the takeaway and having the hands and shaft angle position closer to the same as it is for the clubs in the middle of the stance is a bigger advantage than it appears at first glance.
Thanks for your advice Steve.
Thanks for your advice Steve. I shall experiment with getting the best position tomorrow.
Ian
Too
Yes and along with that it is good to notice that Surge sets his club and forward lean position as he settles into stance and not after. As he showed on this vid and others, many get the hands way past the sternum because they set a forward lean after they are otherwise set and that gets the hands and lean too far forward.
Course Management "Surge" ?
Is there a Surge-like equivalent for learning course management? I'd like to hear some proper information on proper course management, which is the other half of the game. My swing is getting better and more consistent, and now the questions is not "how to aim" but "where", not "as far as I can" but "how far is the best option".
Thanks,
Jon