Improving Your Short Shots Around the Green by Jim Wagner of Spring Hollow Golf Club

With April being Master’s month, let’s start with some shots you will see at Augusta National and how they can help your game. A common decision to be made when facing short shots around the green is whether to lob the ball or hit a bump and run shot. A general rule of thumb is that the faster you can get the ball on the ground on a smooth surface, the easier it is to control the distance. For example, if you are facing a lie just off the green (2-6 feet) and not in high rough, the best shot is to keep the ball low and get it rolling as soon as possible. In order to do this, you must remember a couple of things. First, play the ball in about the middle of your stance, and use a less lofted club (6,7, or 8 iron). Then, with a swing that resembles a putting stroke, accelerate through the ball trying to land it about one third of the way to the hole. The ball will then stay on the ground and act like a putt the rest of the way. This shot is very effective and will be used often around the tightly cut fringes and lightning fast greens of Augusta.

Obviously, the bump and run shot can not be used when there is something in your way (a bunker, water, high grass, etc.). These situations call for the lob shot. The lob shot will fly higher, land softer, and stop much more quickly than the bump and run. To execute this shot, you must play the ball forward in your stance and use a higher lofted club such as a pitching or sand wedge. Then, open your stance slightly while keeping the clubhead aimed at the target. With about a half of a backswing, swing the club along your body line (out to in) and follow through generously. It is very difficult to get the ball close to the hole with this shot, so don’t be discouraged. The goal here is to get over the trouble and onto the green and give yourself a chance to one or two putt. If the players at the Master’s leave themselves this shot too often, the results could be disastrous.

Keeping in mind the different shots needed for different situations, you can improve your short game which will in turn lower your scores, and that’s the bottom line.

Jim Wagner is the Golf Professional at the Spring Hollow Golf Club in Spring City. He is a graduate of the PGA Professional Golf Management program at Ferris State University located in Michigan. He has also worked at various courses in Naples, FL, Morgantown, WV, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and Ambler, PA. For individual lessons, please call Jim at (610) 948-5566.