There are many golfers out there who will agree with us on the importance of the the short game. Sure, maybe you can blast it 275+ yards down the fairway, but what happens when you get close to the green? How’s your pitching? Your chipping? Your putting? If you can get it on the green in regulation but are still 3-putting every hole, you’re missing out! So, we’ve got 5 quick short game tips that you can use to help your game.

First, here’s a simple putting drill to make sure you’re taking your putter straight back and straight through.  Lay a club (maybe a 6 iron) down on the ground. Then take your putter and try to take your putter back while keeping it directly over the shaft of the club. This gives you a visual LINE, basically, to focus on. If you can master this. you’ll have a straighter take away and follow through with your putter.

Number two of our short game tips is to chip with a putting motion. Use a slow backswing and a very light grip, but take your club back as if you were putting.  Accelerate through the ball and of course, don’t move your head! This takes practice, but if you’ve got time to head to the putting green, practice this with all of your short irons and your pitching wedge. See which you like best and use that as often as you can. If you’ve got a nice clean area between you and the pin and you really like the 8 iron “bump and run” go for it!

Here’s an example of a similar putt chip:

Tip 3: keep your lower body still when putting.  If you get too much sway with your hips, you’ll end up off line. Try to use your shoulders for putting and eliminate any unnecessary movement. We’re not saying you have to take a Bryson DeChambeau stance, but try to be still and calm.

Tip 4: For lining up the ball, we recommend finding a spot between you and your target and using that. Many people like to use the line on their golf ball, but then when you stand over that ball, the line is going to look wrong to you. You’ll start to distrust it and end up trying to correct it when you actually putt. Find a ball mark, a discolored spot, anything, and use that to work on your aim.

Finally, focus on your tempo.  We find the mantra, “Be like Sung Jae” to be helpful.  Sung Jae Im has the slowest backswing on ALL of his shots, and remembering this for our pitches is especially important. It helps us finish our backswing and THAT means we’re ready to hit “down” on the ball and rotate our hips and shoulders.

Watch Highlights from the final round of the 2020 Honda Classic and see Sung Jae’s swing in action!