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Our Favourite Golf Tips to Improve Your Short Game

For many of our golfers, arguably the fastest way to lower scores is to focus on the short game. A high percentage of your shots during any round will encompass chipping, pitching, bunker play and putting, so you must spend time sharpening your short-game skills.

To help you in that quest, we've listed some of the best short-game golf tips below to give you a nudge in the right direction.

Chip Vs Pitch: The Differences

Many beginner golfers struggle to get an accurate understanding of the critical distinctions between a chip shot and a pitch shot. Clay Ballard from Top Speed Golf goes through the main differences in great detail below.

Pitching Fundamentals

Sir Nick Faldo was one of the finest short game exponents, and below, he further explains three absolute fundamentals when it comes to pitching: correct set-up, a downward strike and as neutral a grip as possible.

'Throw' the Golf Ball When Chipping

In the video below, Danny Maude suggests that you avoid 'hitting' down at the golf ball when chipping. Instead, you should feel a motion similar to throwing the ball towards the target.

Stay Low to Go Low

When the opportunity arises, a low bump-and-run style shot can be a fantastic, low-tariff weapon to get you close to the pin; you'll generally get a better result than flighting one high. Chris Ryan shows you how to play this style of shot below.

Learn the Flop Shot

Though staying low is generally preferable, sometimes you'll be faced with an obstacle which forces you to go high. Having the confidence to play a flop shot will help you immensely in situations where you're greenside and short-sided.

The boys at MeAndMyGolf show you how to master one of the trickier shots in golf below.

Escape the Sand Every Time

To improve your overall short game and start shaving shots off your total score, you need to become comfortable in bunkers. It's pretty common to fear the worst when your golf ball finishes in the sand, but by following Chris Ryan's tips below, you'll learn to get out every single time.

Banish Those 3-Putts

There are few more infuriating feelings in golf than 3-putting after you've managed to find a green-in-regulation. Quite often, amateur golfers struggle with lag putting due to not having a size of stroke large enough to cover the total distance. A short backstroke is often poorly compensated for in the forward stroke.


Eric Cogorno speaks with Preston Combs below to help your putting stroke and tempo below.

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