3 Biggest Short Game Mistakes

In this article, I’m going to talk about the three big errors that recreational golfers often make, which may be causing you to struggle around the greens.

The short game is without a doubt one of my favorite areas to teach. The reason being that with a few small adjustments you can radically change the quality and consistency of your short game. I will highlight these errors and present you with the solutions.

1. Addressing the ball with too much tension in the body
   The error – Many recreational golfers address the ball with too much tension in their bodies; their arms, legs, and toes are too straight. When you do this you build up a lot of tension through your upper body and it makes it difficult to have any feel or finesse around the Greens. It will limit your ability to rotate correctly and you’re going to hit some poor shots as a result.
   
   The solution – Loosen up. Soften your knees. Grab the golf club in your hands, move the club back in towards yourself, pumping your arms. Waggle the club head around. Imagine your shoulders to be in your chest; they ought to be very relaxed throughout this motion, especially when you put the club head down onto the ground. It should look very different from the stiff, rigid position that many players adopt. All these things are going to help you generate a little more feel around the Greens.
   
   
2. Addressing the ball with the club handle too far forward The error – Many golfers address the ball with the club handle too far forward. This lofts the club and exposes the leading edge. The leading edge is the part of the club which is going to stop and dig into the ground and it’s going to lead to a lot of fat shots, causing you to “duff” the shot.
   
   The solution – Move the handle from a forward position to a more neutral one. A good reference point is to have the end of the golf club pointing towards your belt buckle, a little nearer the centre-line of the body. This will encourage the club to glide through the grass more easily rather than sticking the leading edge into the ground.
   
   
3. Incorrect body position after the follow-through The error – Far too often, players end their follow-through with their chest facing down towards the ball and their arms pulling and folding around the body. What this means is that they’re not reacting and moving towards the target and neglecting the actual outcome they want to achieve. This leads to a lot of inconsistent shots.
   
   The solution – If you were to freeze your position at the end of the follow-through, your hips, chest, and the end of the golf club should be pointing in the direction you want the ball to go. 

Summary: Be a lot softer through the arms, wrists, and knees. Hold the handle further towards the center-line of your body, and when you make the follow-through, focus on getting the chest, the belt buckle, and the end of the golf club pointing in the direction in which you want that ball to go. By combining these three key moves you will eliminate a lot of the errors that many recreational golfers make. They will loosen you up, encourage you to use the bounce of the golf club more, and help you build a consistent feel for getting distance control.

Watch the full video here: