5 Pro Tips to Perfect Your Short Game

A little while ago we shared some great pro tips for improving your swing. This week, we’re going to be looking at boosting your short game! Putting is one of the trickiest parts of the game, so we’ve pulled together a list of pro-tested advice to help you get into your groove on the green.

1. Lead with your left. Your right hand isn’t the only star of the show – your left hand is your guiding hand, and has an equally important role to play. Top golf instructor Dave Stockton recommends practicing using only your left hand, or by having someone hold a club in front of you while you bump the grip with the back of your left hand. Vice versa if you’re left-handed.
2. Read the green. Texture, moisture and topography are vital attributes that can completely change the way that your putt will turn out. It’s important that you have an understanding of the green, and that process starts long before you get there. Eric Alpenfels, Cary Heath and Bob Christina, the authors of “Instinct Putting,” say to start analyzing the green from the fairway, since the distance will help you get a good look at the topography.
3. Don’t underestimate break. “With a curling putt, always allow for more break than you see”, says Sports journalist Charlie Lemay. “Pros know that a ball die-ing into the hole from side has more chance of dropping into the cup.” For example, on a downhill left-to-right break, aim way out left of the cup.
4. Adjust your stance. Are your knees moving as you complete your putt? They shouldn’t be. Professional putting coach Philip H. Gazeley says that in order to keep your lower body still, you should make yourself knock-kneed: “Try putting a toilet roll between your knees and practice your stroke.”
5. Don’t rely on tech. Forget about scopes and GPS when it comes to measuring the distance of your shot. No matter how accurate the numbers are, when it comes to making your brain understand the distance and the force needed to bridge that distance, there is no substitute for pacing it yourself, says NZPGA pro instructor Ian Hardie. “I generally go around behind the hole for every putt I hit and it’s walking back from there to the ball when I take the distance.”

If you need more assistance with your short game, call the Pro Shop at 760-771-0707 – we’ll be happy to arrange for lessons. Happy putting!

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