Short Game Magic

John Williams
Certified Personal Coach
GolfTEC Oxnard

Saving strokes around the green can be as easy as using one of two key mantras: “none-none-none” and “some-none-none”.

When around the green and given the opportunity, the safest and most conservative shot to play is a bump and run. Get the ball on the ground and rolling toward your target as quickly as possible. I think of “none-none-none” when using this technique.  After setting up with the ball in the back of my stance and situating my weight 65% on my foot closest to the target, I then use the shoulders and lateral muscles to create the stroke; very similar to a putting stroke. 

During the stroke there is no wrist break or hinge on the way back, on the way down, or the way through, hence the name “none-none-none”. Because we do not hinge the wrists, the club head should stay low throughout the stroke. Judge the distance of the shot by the length of the backswing, not how hard you might swing. I prefer to use a 7-iron with this shot and, after you have perfected the technique, I urge you to try it with other clubs with more loft.

Many times we do not have the luxury of playing the ball on the ground toward the target, or the lie of the ball dictates that you hit down on it. In this case switch to a club with more loft and use “some-none-none” technique.  Start off by opening your stance by two to four inches and flaring your lead foot open two inches. This allows the body to face more toward the target and your weight to situate more on the foot closest to the target before even starting the stroke. 

Use the same muscles to make the stroke as before but, this time, impart some wrist break or hinge during the backswing. This will allow you to elevate the clubhead on the way back and to hit down on the ball. This is a high to low technique rather than a low-to-low technique such as “none-none-none”. It is very important in this stroke that the club head is never allowed to release or to pass the hands.  When done properly the ball should come out of the lie on a higher trajectory and land softer. Use this technique when in the rough or if you need to carry the ball over something before landing.

With a little practice with both of these techniques you will be on your way to lower scores. Improving the short game is one of the quickest ways to lower scores and you can bet that in my next tournament I will be thinking of “none-none-none” or “some-none-none” when I need to get up and down.