4 Quick Strategies to Improve Your Short Game

As the late, great Arnold Palmer once said, golf is a game of inches. This is never truer than when it comes to the chips and putts that make up a golfer's short game. With short game shots, the margin of error is higher, and often, the pressure is much greater.

This is why, especially for beginners, short game can be difficult to master. It can take years of practice and running drills to get it to a place you're happy with. But don't despair, there are some quick tips any golfer can apply to instantly improve short game shots. 

1. Measure Your Putts

Although putting might seem simple enough to an outsider, golf beginners often find it to gauge exactly how hard they need to hit the ball to get it to the hole. Luckily, there's a simple method you can use to help you gain a little more accuracy for putting shots.

It might not be a perfect system, but it will go a long way toward helping you figure out how hard to hit. Add one inch to your backstroke for every foot away you are from the hole. This method was developed by Bryson DeChambeau and his team, and by the looks of things, it's certainly working for them. 

2. Look Out for Your Left Arm

When it comes to pitching and chipping, it's your left arm you've got to be most aware of. This is the arm that controls these types of shots, and if it's not doing what it's supposed to, you could be sabotaging your short game.

Let your left arm and hand begin the backswing together. Then, on the downswing, make sure your left arm is leading the clubhead right to the ball and through the contact.

3. Get to Grips With Chips

Those starting out can find chip shots particularly hard to master. This type of shot you'll only really be able to improve through a lot of practice, but there is one tip that can help.

As most golfers will tell you, your grip is everything, and it has the ability to make or break your game. When chipping, you might tend to instinctively grip tightly onto the club, but this isn't doing you any favors. Instead, try to keep a softer grip when attempting this shot, this will lessen the tension in your shoulders, allowing for a cleaner chip.

4. Use This Tip for Shorter Chips

Learning to chip is one thing, but learning to control a chip shot is something else entirely. Especially when chipping shorter distances, it can be hard to strike a balance between power and precision.

If you're finding it hard to make those shorter chip and pitch shots, there's an easy hack you can use. The lower down on the grip you hold your club, the shorter a distance the ball will travel. For particularly short shots, you may even want to come off of the grip and on to the top of the shaft. 

Improve Short Game and Long Game Too 

Whether you're a beginner or you've been playing for years, there's always room to improve. While these tips can be helpful to improve short game in the short term, in general, to improve your game overall, only practice makes perfect.

All that practice will require a tee that's durable, long-lasting, and customizable. Check out our range of Telos premium golf tees for a tee that will last you all season long.