Archive for the ‘Golf’ Category
Golf: Short Game
The short-game stroke, or swing, if you like, is not much different from the putting stroke. It is mostly a wrist-and-arm motion, and that goes even for “arm” putters. In that respect, my putting and short game technique go hand in hand and lend an element of solid consistency to my play around and on the greens.
In the stroke, the blade must be kept square throughout, as in putting. And, as in putting, it is not a very long swing, or stroke. Swing length is determined by the length of the shot you have. Again, the left hand is the main operative. It “pushes” the club back on the takeaway and leads into contact. The right hand goes along for the ride, so to speak, providing a stabilizing factor in the overall action.
Because the setup over the ball pretty much assures hitting the ball first, it is not necessary to apply “extra” force in hitting these shots. This is a fault so many golfers have with their short game. They feel they must give the ball an extra punch to make sure it gets going, and they bring their right hand into the action. But as I’ve already said, the short chipping and pitching stroke, as in putting, is a touch stroke, not a power shot.
The address position I’ve recommended is good insurance against hitting these shots either fat or too cleanly. But it is not foolproof. A slow, rhythmic stroke is essential, no matter where you line the ball up in relation to your feet. Hold the club with comfortable, natural pressure, keep your eyes on the back of the ball, and don’t move them until the ball is away.
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