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Short sided

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  • #1

    Short sided

    I took up this beautiful game after retiring, and seven years and many lessons later, I feel like I am improving, but, and it's a big but...time after time, the little shots under thirty yards just ruin my round,
    I will hit a chunk shot two feet or a knee high missile as often as a good chip.
    I am more comfortable playing a high shot or a downhill shot with just my right hand, or a low or uphill shot with just my left hand on the club.
    As soon as I try to marry two hands on the club and do anything less than a half swing I get the yips.
    I am left handed but play right handed and I really struggle around the green and in the bunker if the sand is less than perfect.
    For a while, I carried a left handed wedge. I have tried to chip left hand low.
    If the grass is short I will putt with my hybrid rather than try a wedge or an 8 iron, but usually the grass is too high, rough and wet for that.
    Any thoughts? Is there a drill that you can think of that might help me.
    Thanks
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Short sided

    Many years ago I read Pelz's Short Game Bible, and adopted his "no hands" swing-the-forearms method for short shots.

    (It's probably all on Youtube now. )

    That's really what you are doing when you hit shots one-handed. (Swinging with the fore-arms leading, hand, reacting.

    A key thought I use these days, is to focus on making a smooth swinging motion (of the fore arms), and therefore of the clubhead. I.e. regardless of where the ball might end up, the focus is on the motion of the clubhead.

    I also focus on being very still with the spine and head, as much as I would with a putt. BUT, allow a slight weight transfer, and lower body move.

    And .. (though I don't need to think about this after long ago making it a standard part of my short shots (including putting) ) ... I keep the "triangle" (arms / club / shoulders) together throughout the shot

    tldr ; Swing the arms, varying the backswing / follow through length ;don't hit with the hands (varying the "hit force")

    And ... don't let the left wrist "break down"

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    • #3
      Re: Short sided

      I try hitting down on everything, even the short ones.

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: Short sided

        Originally posted by nearace View Post
        I try hitting down on everything, even the short ones.
        You're describing the exact shots I hit for 3 years. The fear of failure you experience before even standing over the ball adds to the problem.

        Two unbelievably simple things 'fixed' me. First you'll have to relax your shoulders (trapezious muscles) and actually involve your shoulders in the shot. As I tried harder and harder my hands and fingers would completely take over the shot with zero shoulder involvement.

        Second....make sure your feet and shoulders are open to your target with the ball behind your sternum, back towards your back foot. If your shoulders are square you have to collapse your left elbow as you approach impact resulting in, at first, that bladed shot and then the fattie when you overcompensate.

        Make sure you actually turn your shoulders during the shot.

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        • #5
          Re: Short sided

          Thanks for the help. I wanted to try out these tips before writing.One swing thought at a time.
          For the moment, I find this idea " focus on being very still with the spine and head, as much as I would with a putt." very useful. I was moving my head on the backswing like a seesaw.
          I have opened my stance a little. I just have to work to ingrain this stuff now.
          I'm feeling better about my chances now. Cheers.

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: Short sided

            Originally posted by shizzngiggls View Post
            You're describing the exact shots I hit for 3 years. The fear of failure you experience before even standing over the ball adds to the problem.

            Two unbelievably simple things 'fixed' me. First you'll have to relax your shoulders (trapezious muscles) and actually involve your shoulders in the shot. As I tried harder and harder my hands and fingers would completely take over the shot with zero shoulder involvement.

            Second....make sure your feet and shoulders are open to your target with the ball behind your sternum, back towards your back foot. If your shoulders are square you have to collapse your left elbow as you approach impact resulting in, at first, that bladed shot and then the fattie when you overcompensate.

            Make sure you actually turn your shoulders during the shot.


            This is awesome advice. Fixed it for me. Many years of round wrecking short shots. So far so good. Simple explanation but very clear to follow with amazing results.
            Thanks

            Comment

            • #7
              Re: Short sided

              Originally posted by shizzngiggls View Post
              If your shoulders are square you have to collapse your left elbow as you approach impact resulting in, at first, that bladed shot and then the fattie when you overcompensate.
              Huh?

              Do you play all your full shot iron shots with open shoulders for the same reason ?

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              • #8
                Re: Short sided

                Originally posted by mstram View Post
                Huh?

                Do you play all your full shot iron shots with open shoulders for the same reason ?
                Talking about a pitch/chip shot...

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                • #9
                  Re: Short sided

                  Great points about opening your stance above.
                  This alone helps you get a lot of slack out so you don't have to tense up to compensate for it and 'yip' it.

                  when you go one handed, you naturally take slack out and keep the arm somewhat connected with the body. With two hands it is easy to let slack creep in, especially in a square stance.

                  Any time you have contact issues, the firs two things to check are alignment and GRIP. if your grip is off and your two hands want to release in different ways you will have no problem with either hand alone but problems with both on the club as they work against one another instead of as a unit.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Short sided

                    Originally posted by mstram View Post
                    Huh?

                    Do you play all your full shot iron shots with open shoulders for the same reason ?
                    Full shots use the lower body more and the lower body has a chance to get out of the way

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Short sided

                      For me the posts suggesting an open stance for chipping highlight the difficulty golf presents. For myself an open stance for anything other than a sand shot is bad. I end up hitting it straight left or putting a slice on it and ending up to the right. When I use a normal stance the ball goes straight to the target.
                      What works for one person has the opposite effect on someone else.
                      Aim at nothing and you will hit it every time.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Short sided

                        When opening the stance u need to slightly open club face

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Short sided

                          Originally posted by Golftime View Post
                          For me the posts suggesting an open stance for chipping highlight the difficulty golf presents. For myself an open stance for anything other than a sand shot is bad. I end up hitting it straight left or putting a slice on it and ending up to the right. When I use a normal stance the ball goes straight to the target.
                          What works for one person has the opposite effect on someone else.
                          Your feet and body are open to your target line but the clubface is square and your club travels along the target line. You're simply getting your body out of the way before you start.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Short sided

                            Originally posted by shizzngiggls View Post
                            Your feet and body are open to your target line but the clubface is square and your club travels along the target line. You're simply getting your body out of the way before you start.
                            I understand the mechanics of the shot. Getting my body out of the way is not an issue. I was just trying to say that it does not work for me because there are too many variables. The further left your body is aimed the more 'inside' the backswing must be. Those two must cancel each other out to get the intended direction. Even though it is a slow swing I do not want to train my body to swing back inside for fear that it will creep into full swings causing huge issues there.
                            Aim at nothing and you will hit it every time.

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Make a tight turn around your body with your right shoulder and the golf club. You'll be amazed at how much more power you can put into your shots because the ball really flies high in the air, even on the short side.

                              Comment

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