Golfing: The Short Game.

by Rhys Jones.

We have all the seen the fantastically long, but very accurate drives of Tiger Woods. When he hits the ball, it sails through the air and lands smack in the middle of the fairway, some 300 yards away. He even makes it look as if everyone should be able to do it.

How can you not become jealous as you wonder if you could ever dare to hope to drive like that? It is a small consolation to know, that long drives are not the only part of the game that is crucial to playing a good round of golf.

This then brings us to what is called the 'short game' because without pretty good short game skills, all those great long drives are not worth a light.

The short game is made up of those shots that get you onto the green from about one hundred feet out, be it from the fairway, a bunker, the rough or a drop zone and includes chips, sand shots and pitches.

It is in this middle stage of the game of golf that you get to use the higher numbered clubs, your pitching iron and sand wedge or lob wedge, because they are short distance lobbers, which produce very little roll on.

Most golf courses have practice areas as well as a driving range. You should spend some time working on hitting the ball onto the green from different distances. Aim for a ten-foot circle in the center of the green at first. Experiment using your wedges, but what works for someone else, might not work for you and your particular stance and swing.

After you have got into the habit of being able to perform this skill consistently, it is time to start practising in a sand bunker. Being able to get the ball out of a sand bunker can cut your score dramatically.

Plant your feet firmly into the sand with your left foot turned toward the hole. Imagine a 4-inch circle around the ball and try to hit the edge of the circle that is furthest away from the ball.

Kick up lots of sand with the ball and swing completely through as normal. Do not slow down the swing at all when or after you hit the ball. It should jump up onto the green and stop almost dead. This does not work very well though unless the sand is soft and dry. On hard, compacted surfaces, you might need to avoid actually hitting the sand at all.

However, being proficient at the short game is the same as in every other skill in the game of golf, it is only continual practice that will help you to improve your short game.