Short Shots

I have long had the challenge of how to accelerate on short shots, chip shots and pitches inside of 50 yards. I have a few things about my swing which have made it difficult to do so. I have a longish back swing and I move off the ball slightly making it necessary to move laterally and downcock on the front swing. this creates too much "power" and makes it easy for me to stop or slowdown going through.

I think of Claude Harmon's image of riding a bicycle across a 2x6 and wanting to accelerate so that you do not fall off. This is very similar to playing a pitch shot.

At Pine Needles the other day I had a different sensation practicing these shots. By keeping my left wrist position constant and by setting the angle of impact in my pre-shot routine I was able to visualize/ feel where my left arm and wrist position would finish at the end of my swing.

This swing feeling "instructed" my body not to move laterally or stop but I instinctively accelerated to that finish position and it caused me not to manipulate the club with my hands through impact. I had good rotation around which kept the club face in the same slightly open position that I started with at address.

The heel of the club stayed ahead of the toe and there was a shallow divot.

Later on the course I had a short pitch where trajectory was everything because if the ball came off low the ball would hit into the hill and not get anywhere near the hole. I needed the ball to fly high enough to clear the hill and be able to run down the slope to the hole. So it was an uphill / downhill challenge where I often decelerate and then downcock and trap the ball which comes off the face low and spinning. By using the swing feeling / visualization from my earlier practice I was able to make a shorter back swing and accelerate through. The ball came off soft and high and rolled down the slope and into the hole.