Anyone Ever Take Short Game Lessons?

[Marty2019]

It seems like most lessons are focused on the full swing, at least that is my impression.   I am wondering, have any of you guys ever taken or given short game lessons?   What are they like?   What did you do?   I'm thinking of getting short game lessons this year. 

[dennyjones]

Two winters ago, during my lesson package, two of the lessons were chipping and putting lessons.   They were insightful.   I could see the concept and have a printed lesson plans for each.   I have to remind myself to go back and look at the lesson information because that is where I could improve the most.  

 

[gregsandiego]

1 hour ago, Marty2019 said:

It seems like most lessons are focused on the full swing, at least that is my impression.   I am wondering, have any of you guys ever taken or given short game lessons?   What are they like?   What did you do?   I'm thinking of getting short game lessons this year. 

I take regular lessons and added putting last week. It was helpful to correct some basics.

I've had group pitching and chipping before.  Is it just me, or does technique vary so widely between instructors that it just gets confusing ?

 

[Patch]

I took some short game lessons from a teaching pro several years ago. The lessons were a Christmas gift from my family. 

First part of the lesson was a conversation on the importance of the short game, and how it complimented a golfer's long game. We talked about reading greens, and how to determine landing areas for chips,  pitches, and sand shots.  We also discussed the concept of a "short game handicap" golfers could use to monitor that part of their game.  We also discussed how/why various clubs could be used in a golfer's short game. It was at this time I also learned about flop shots. 

Next the instructor had me putt, chip, and pitch. He also had me hit a few balls out of a sand trap. From there he came up with his teaching plan for me. Short game distances ranged from on the green (putts) to 50 yards off the green (pitches). 

He showed me some poor stance issues I had. We also worked on my grip, and back swing lengths. 

After the 8 hour lesson spaced over 4, non consectutive days, ( actually closer to 10 hours) I was given a written lesson plan to work with, and a narrated video of some of our practice sessions

I did leave with a better understanding of my own short game, and was able to see some improvement in my green side scores. 

[iacas]

I love to teach short game and putting lessons. Dave and I are considering using a good chunk of our space downtown to create a virtually separate putting performance area.

We teach putting and the short game well, and it's one of the areas of the game - the only areas, almost - where golfers can very quickly learn to save shots.

• AimPoint
• Learning to pitch properly
• Distance control
• Aiming their putters

[alleztom]

I had a putting lesson. From my rudimentary strokes gained stats it's been worth 1.8-2 putts per round. Amazing.

[nevets88]

You can pick up a lot of short game stuff during a playing lesson, which is great if you have questions on very particular situations.

[Rainmaker]

I took a series of group lessons that covered short game basics . .one lesson on putting and one on chipping/pitching.  

In private lessons I've had one on chipping.  

All of it was really helpful.  I am the biggest offender when it comes to disregarding short game practice so it's actually odd that I've even had the lessons I have .. but they were tremendously helpful and probably equated to several strokes coming off my score immediately.  Really . .if your goal is to shoot lower scores - a short game lesson is probably your biggest bang for the buck.  My goal is to hit a 7iron 180 yards so . . . . my scores will most likely continue to disappoint me.  

 

[Golfingdad]

5 hours ago, Marty2019 said:

It seems like most lessons are focused on the full swing, at least that is my impression.   I am wondering, have any of you guys ever taken or given short game lessons?   What are they like?   What did you do?   I'm thinking of getting short game lessons this year. 

Yes I have, and as a matter of fact, it was very helpful.  I went to a half day clinic where we spent a couple of hours on the full swing and then a little less time that that learning how to pitch properly.  It was with @mvmac and this guy:

3 hours ago, iacas said:

I love to teach short game and putting lessons. Dave and I are considering using a good chunk of our space downtown to create a virtually separate putting performance area.

We teach putting and the short game well, and it's one of the areas of the game - the only areas, almost - where golfers can very quickly learn to save shots.

• AimPoint
• Learning to pitch properly
• Distance control
• Aiming their putters

I have also taken an Aimpoint lesson from them, and Dave Wedzik.  I couldn't put a number on how many strokes those two classes took off my handicap, but it was substantial.

[billchao]

I've taken multiple lessons on the short game and putting. I found them both helpful and enjoyable. I've taken AimPoint classes, worked on chipping/pitching techniques, and my putting stroke. The best part about them is the skills are relatively easy to pick up, or relearn if you find yourself regressing a bit.

[boogielicious]

I've taken AimPoint and submitted a bunch of short game videos to my Evolvr instructor including pitching and Sand shots. Very helpful. 

[RH31]

Yes. I've taken a few short game(pitching/chipping) lessons over the years. Most were not that good. One guy focused on body rotation, another said focus on where to land the ball. The last one I had a few years back and it was helpful. She focused on different lies and different clubs, even so I still don't use her technique of various clubs for shots.

The best lesson for me was Paul Azinger's short game on Golf Channel academy. That was the first time I've ever heard a pro explain how to use the bounce on a sandwedge.  Specifically, how to hit a pitch shot by getting the shaft vertical at impact. It has helped me tremendously.

[The Recreational Golfer]

When I have a short game shot during play that I don't know how to hit, I write it down. When I get four or five of those, I have a playing lesson to learn how to hit them. As I have these lessons, there are fewer and fewer problems the course can give me that I don't have a solution for.

Four years ago I had a chipping lesson that started off by me saying to the pro, Pretend I've never hit a chip shot and show me how to do it. He taught me a stroke I have been using ever since and I am now a real good chipper because of it.