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Harvey Penick, one of golf's greatest instructors, always said the best way to improve your score was to improve your short game. You can see this week in and week out on the PGA Tour as the players who win usually have the best short game stats for that week. Here are a few tips to help you lower your scores.

On chips and pitches around the green use a club that gives you confidence. I play golf with a friend who is very good around the green, and he always uses his eight iron for these shots. He opens and closes the face according to the type of shot he wants to hit, so I have suggested he try wedges instead of that one club.

On occasions when he does use a wedge, he very rarely gets the results he does from that trusty old eight iron. Why? Because he has confidence in that club, he relaxes and hits good shots.


Phil Mickelson uses his high-lofted wedges around the green for most of his chip shots for the same reason. The lesson here is play the club or shot you feel most confident with and you will be more consistent.

When chipping or pitching from around the green the first rule to follow is "always get the ball on the green." How many times have you been faced with a pitch shot, over a bunker, with a closely tucked pin, only to flub your pitch shot into the bunker? Better to have a 25-foot par putt than be in the bunker with double or triple bogey staring you in the face. Always play the safe shot; in the end it will save you many strokes.
Practice that short game!

Practice that short game! Before each round go to the putting or chipping area and practice. Get your golf buddies to engage in some short game contests. Be creative and practice unusual shots. Practice in your backyard. The players with the best short games practice these shots more than others. That's why they usually shoot the lowest scores.


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Getting up and down consistently from around the green is critical to improving your golf game, no matter what level of player you are. The three basic shots you need to know are high lob or flop shot, medium pitch and low chips. Master these three short game shots and see that handicap tumble.
Short game tip: The high lob or flop

This shot can seem intimidating for the average player, because it's easy to hit heavy or thin. It's all about proper technique: Start by placing the ball forward in your stance, open the clubface and address the ball with your hands a bit behind it. Next, on the takeaway, break your wrists fully on the backswing and keep your hands slightly behind the ball so they can release through impact.
Short game tip: Medium pitch shot

Place the ball in the middle of your stance and have your hands directly over the ball. Break your wrists slightly on the takeaway as you bring your arms to waist height. From this position feel as though your right hand is throwing a ball underhand to the follow through (right handed golfers).

Short game tip: Low chip shot

For the low pitch shot play the ball off your back toe and allow your hands to lean slightly forward at address. Make a short backswing with little or no wrist hinge and keep the club low to the ground on the follow-through.

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There are times when you have to play a lob shot to get the ball near your target, (playing over bunkers, water or when the pin is on a tier or on the front edge of the green). If you want to improve your game, you've got to be good at this shot.

To play a lob shot - the kind you see the pros play on TV - practice the following tips and see your game improve:
Improving your stance

Take a wider stance than normal with your feet slightly open. Next, lower your body by bending from the knees (like you're sitting down). Then, lower your hands a little from your normal grip position

Setup for lob shots

First, open the clubface so you are aiming to the right of your target, then adjust your feet, shoulders, hips until they all point in the same direction, to the left of your target.

The ball should be played forward - opposite your front foot - with the grip of your golf club pointing toward your belt buckle. This keeps the hands behind the ball, where they help keep the clubface open upon impact. .
The swing

The lob requires an outside-in swing, which is why you have to set-up with an open stance. As you start your backswing, cock your wrists early and aggressively rotate your hips and your shoulders, but keep your lower-body action to a minimum.

The key is to make sure your swing is from outside in as you hit the ball creating a motion where the toe of the clubhead never turns over the heel. In other words, do not allow the hands to rotate during the swing.

You want to feel as though your right hand is throwing the ball high in the air, at the target.

Practice these tips and see your scores improve.



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