Everyone talks about their drives but what about your short game?

Can drive it to a corner on a dog leg left par 5. Big whoop! What about your short game? What do you guys use to get a up and down? personally, I will use my 3 wood down to my putter depending on the lie and such! So How about you?

My short game sucks.   ...but not as much as my driver!

As They say, More fairways More Birdies! How many fairways do you hit with your driver?

My short game is normally solid. This year for some reason I just haven't had the feel I've always had. My short distance hurts me on longer courses but I normally still shoot a good score because I score well and can normally capitalize well with a wedge in my hand.

Nice! I usually have those types of rounds with my driver, but I am trying to play smarter off the tee, because I can hit my 3 Iron 250. So because of that I am trying to use my 3-6 iron off the tee more and It has really helped! But I read you struggle with the irons which really hurts haha I've been there loads of time! So what are your Irons doing?? I might be able to help you out.

Zach.

I am actually very happy with my short game. Since my GIR percentage is about 2% I get plenty of practice. Some days its the Niblick that's hot, others it's the gap to lob wedge. It is all a matter of picking the club I feel comfortable with that day.

That's good! as long as you can get up and down, you are set! I would honestly have short distance with all my clubs, and have a great short game!

Well That's good! Next time when you go to the course try using a pitching wedge or a nine iron to chip around the greens, in some cases going a lower loft will help! like lets say you are on a green with the length of a a good sized mobile home and lets say a 25 yard width. and you are on the opposite side of the flag, a lot of people have a hard find the spot where to land it and come up 10-15 ft short or long. and just doing a short putting like stroke with a less lofted club and having it just roll up to 10 ft and closer! Try it out, it just might improve your game even more!

What is going on with your short game?

Thanks for asking!

My aim isn't great, and I have really bad distance control --- especially on my 7-iron (anywhere from 140-165 yards).

I'm actually okay with the 8i-P on full shots, but under 100 yards, my game is incredibly inconsistent.  I've got a 70 yard shot and a 35 yard shot, but put me even 5 yards off those numbers, and whatever my brain tries to do to compensate is usually wrong.

Within 20 yards of the green, I'm likely to end up further from the pin than if I were 100-130 yards away.  I have no sense (or consistency) for how much my ball will roll out after it hits the green, and I usually alternate between watching the ball roll about 15-20 feet past the pin and watching it stop 20 feet short.  I've been spending a lot of time at the chipping green lately alternating between my pitching wedge, a 52 and a 58.  I'm starting to get a better sense for roll out, but I guess I'm a slow learner.  (I'm consistent with the pitching wedge, but I typically leave myself about 10-12 feet. With the 58, I have bigger misses, but I also leave the ball close to the pin as well.  The 52 is half-way in between.)

My putting is atrocious.  I basically have to be within 4' to have a chance to sink a putt.  On the other hand, I lag fairly well, so I usually two-putt (whether I'm 6' or 26' from the hole).

My driving?  It's worse.  I actually shot an 85 a few weeks ago without hitting a single fairway. I usually only hit 3 or 4 fairways.  I used to be a consistent slicer. Now I miss big both ways. I used to hit it about 240, now I'm inconsistent --- 190-250 --- usually on the shorter side.

This part of what Roblar said is pretty much me as well...  My short game gets better when I try to focus on where to land the ball over where to let it finish but I forget to focus on this a lot of times.  A work in progress for sure... but I think I'm improving slowly.

Yeah that really has to do with a lot of feel with those touchy shots, but depending on the flag placement if it is in the front, I would use a 54,50, or lower to pitch it because its much stronger in degree and there for more roll to get the ball there. With the 58 degree you have to be very very precise with on how or where you want to land it for the shots that are bout 60 and in always go with the 54 degree or lower, easier to judge and easier to hit. and With a middle or back pin placement, I would use the 58 degree to lob it to the front of the green if you don't have that great of spin, its really hard for amateurs, even tour players to spin it from 75 and in and make it stop within 3 feet, if you pay attention they will most of the time depending on the placement lob it to the front and let it roll out, or pitch it to the fringe even sometimes the fairway. The sad thing is, they never show it on tv haha you will see them do that when watching them in real life a lot if they are 75 an in.

With your putting, which side do you miss it the most on? and do you align your putts with the alignment aid thats with the ball? cause that helps a lot.

Now with the atrocious driver haha well it might be that you out grown the shaft, does the ball go really high? if it is, you are needing step up to a stiffer shaft. And if its not that, I would take a serious look at your alignment. Most problems will solely come down to that, You should buy two snow plow sticks, you will see that most tour pros have them in their bags, and never buy the golf alignment ones. those are a total rip off haha two sticks for $20 and buy the same thing at a home improvement store for $2. Okay now look where you want to aim Place one right against your feet and see where you are aimed, you might be shocked to where you thought you were aiming to where you actually are aiming  and the other one overlapping like this pic That will help too! and lastly if thats not the case then try taking a shorter back swing. I would try options two and three first before trying a new driver out.

My short game needs work and I have been practicing almost every day.  I did try my first flop shot the other day with amazing results 3 feet from the cup but the two follow up flop shots not so good.  Need to practice practice practice yes I am talking about practice my short game it is the most important part good thread.

I use anything from my 3-hybrid to my LW to get up and down.  A lot of people only seem to think about their wedges when it comes to short game but you have to think outside the box sometimes.  A chip with a hybrid is a much safer and much smarter shot than trying to flop it up next to the hole with a lob wedge.  It might not be as sexy but it is more effective.

My short game is fairly good but needs work... I need to perfect my chipping stroke (sometimes I'll duff a shot completely), work on my bunker play, and let's face it, putting can always improve, lol.

I also need to dial in my approaches with my wedges...