KEEP YOUR SHORT GAME SIMPLE

Think about how many shots you throw away during a round from mis-hits played around the greens. It’s very frustrating when you waste good shots in your long game by making mistakes in your short game.

You should keep things simple around the green.

Only with lots of practice should you tackle the fancy shots that you see the Tour professionals play on TV. Just get the ball on the green at all costs and by any means necessary. It doesn’t have to be pretty, just effective.

If you regularly take three or four shots to get your ball into the hole from inside 10-15 metres of the green, here are some rules you should let govern your play and you can get up-and-down in two shots more often.

RULE 1: Putt whenever the green surrounds make it possible. If it’s a good enough option for the pros, like Lexi Thompson, you should try it too. As you can see, the well-trimmed surrounds make it easy to put a good roll on a putt, rather than risk a duffed chip.

RULE 2: Chip only if the ground condition or hazards between you and the green make it impossible to putt.

RULE 3: Pitch only if a chip will not stop on the green. RULE 4: Hit a lob shot only as a last resort. In the meantime, here is a drill that will help you improve your short game technique. Only after you have mastered this drill should you consider hitting pitch and lob shots as a first option when you’re out on the course.

Place a ball bucket about 70 to 80cms in front of you, directly on your target line, with the opening of the bucket facing you.

Set up with more weight on your target side foot. While hitting a ball, swing through so that the clubhead finishes in the opening of the bucket. When you do this, the clubhead will stay low to the ground but the ball will fly over the bucket. This drill teaches you how to get the ball in the air by improving the consistency of your impact. Never try to scoop the ball up – just stick the club in the bucket.