Ged Walters
I have developed a love-hate relationship with my short game recently, or perhaps I should say that I love to hate my short game.
Like many amateurs who struggle with the most common chipping and pitching faults, I invest as much time as I can into the best short game tips and drills, but for some reason consistency still eludes me.
But, everything changed after one round with Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach and PGA Pro Ged Walters. In among the plethora of practical tips that Ged provided over 18-holes, I was blown away by the transformational impact of one particular short game shot.
Quite frankly, it wasn't one that I had tried much before, but you'd better believe this gem will be getting wheeled out at every possible opportunity moving forwards...
One Transformational Short Game Shot I Never Knew I Needed
When thinking about how to chip in recent months, my default has always been a safety first approach to negate most of the wide-ranging spectrum of undesirable outcomes that my short game produces.
That typically resulted in me unwaveringly opting for a low chip and run shot, which rarely resulted in the tap in putt I desired, so Ged encouraged me to try something different... and it worked!
As I approached my ball, just off the 7th green at Sand Moor Golf Club, Ged advised me to grab my most lofted wedge.
Tentatively, I obliged - and I was glad I did. The instructions he offers are a great lesson for any amateur golfer who struggles with their short game, or their confidence around the greens, but I will let the expert explain those himself...
My short game would often let me down at crucial moments in the round, but this new technique has bolstered my confidence with a wedge in hand
Using different styles, teaching aids, technology and games to measure improvements, Ged is keen to make the learning process educational and fun. He's worked with a number of top local, national and international instructors, including Adrian Fryer and Jeff Ritter, one of the most prominent golf instructors in America. He's also working hard on his own game with the aim of playing on the senior tour.
The high-floated chip shot can help you to get more spin and increased control when the ball lands on the green, but this is also a shot you can vary depending on your distance to the target.
If you need to send it a bit further, you could move up to a 54 degree, a pitching wedge or even a 9-iron, but the technique remains the same.
Follow these five steps in the video and step-by-step tutorial below and you will not go far wrong...
- Take your most lofted club
- Stand slightly taller and closer to the ball than for a normal shot
- Set up with a narrow stance and weight 70% on your lead side
- Open the clubface a fraction but keep the shaft in a neutral position (minimal shaft lean)
- Take the clubhead straight back and through, similar to a putting stroke, committing with speed through impact
This simple five step process from Ged Walters is a game-changer for amateur golfers who struggle around the greens
Common Misconceptions And Faults
Obviously, at least to me, this was never going to be an immediate quick fix. While encouraging, this will need some time on the short game area.
There were, however, definite signs of improvement on the course and an increased sense of confidence each time I tried to play this shot.
Trialling this technique, from differing distances and lies, taught me a lot about the importance of focusing on the fundamentals, so I thought I'd share some of those lessons to close out this piece in the hope that you can chip your way to success.
1. Old habits
On a couple of occasions, in terms of how far to stand from the golf ball, I set up too far away and therefore the shaft of the club was not as upright as it should have been.
This encouraged the sort of path you might expect to see with an iron, and my old chipping action, but as Ged reminded me - this shot is all about straight back and straight through.
2. Weight moving away from lead side
On one memorable occasion, from just off the green, I allowed myself to fall back ever so slightly onto my trail side in the backswing. This changed the angle of attack and caused me to blade my chip shot straight over the green to the other side.
To prevent this, keep your weight distribution on the lead side (around 70%) throughout the swing.
3. Not committing with my lead arm
This is a very lead arm led shot, but early on I was quitting on it a little bit. That meant the speed at the ball was tentative and the result was a plugged ball in the greenside bunker (or two) when it didn't quite reach the putting surface.
This isn't necessarily about power, but it is about punching the lead arm through the ball and trusting the loft to produce a soft landing on the dance floor.
How Did You Get On?
If you tried Ged's tip and want to share how this has impacted your game, drop us a comment in the box below.
Alternatively, if you have found something similar (or not so similar) that works for you, feel free to drop us a line and help other amateur golfers to play their best on the course.
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