The long game with the driver turns heads, but it is the short game around the green that saves your score. If you want to protect your score on the course, you need a wide repertoire of approach shots. Often a few centimetres decide whether you walk off the green with a par or pick up unnecessary strokes. In this article you will learn everything about the most important golf shots, how to avoid typical mistakes and which technique gets the ball closest to the flag.
The short game
The short game is all about precision and feel. As soon as the ball is near the green, golfers have to choose the right strategy. Every situation calls for a different balance of flight and roll. While maximum distance counts with the drive, pitching and chipping are about maximum control of direction and distance. If you master the different types of shot, you can secure the coveted up and down: getting the ball into the hole with a single approach shot followed by one putt.
Chipping
Chipping is the most fundamental form of approach when the ball lies just short of the green, for example on the fringe or in the first cut of rough. The main goal is to fly the ball only a short distance and then let it roll towards the flag as controlled as a putt. A perfectly executed chip can even drop straight into the hole, which golfers celebrate as a chip-in. To refine your feel for this shot, almost every course has a dedicated chipping area on the practice ground.
Correct execution is the key to success. When chipping, take a narrow stance with your feet only about one foot-width apart. Deliberately shift your weight onto your front leg (around 60 to 70 per cent). The ball position is slightly right of centre (for right-handers), so rather towards your back foot.
Your arms and shoulders form a stable triangle together with the club. Grip down the club a little, with the handle pointing slightly towards your front thigh. The movement itself resembles the pendulum motion of a putt: your wrists stay completely firm and stable throughout the swing. If you make the mistake of scooping with your wrists, you risk poor contact or hitting the ground well behind the ball.
The chip shot
Which club do you use for a classic chip? Golfers have plenty of choice here. Traditionally, you take a mid to short iron such as a 7 or 8 iron. Thanks to the lower loft, the ball launches low and makes the most of the roll. A popular variation of this shot is the bump and run: the ball is played very low into a slope or bank in front of the green, bounces there in a controlled way (bump) and then keeps running low (run). If you want less roll, use a pitching wedge to get a little more flight.
Pitch
If the distance to the green is greater, or an obstacle such as a bunker or thick rough lies between the ball and the flag, a low chip is no longer enough. This is where the pitch comes in. Unlike the chip, the pitch flies high and far but rolls very little after landing on the green.
The pitching technique is clearly different: the stance is slightly wider and the ball is positioned in the middle. As it is a mini swing, the wrists may, and indeed must, hinge slightly in the backswing to generate the necessary power and height. As a rule of thumb, a pitch flies about 70 per cent of the way and rolls the remaining 30 per cent. The clubs of choice are high-lofted wedges, above all the pitching wedge or a gap wedge. An extreme form is the lob shot, where the clubface is opened right up so that the ball climbs almost vertically and stops immediately.
Sand wedge
When the ball lands in one of the greenside bunkers, you rely on the sand wedge. This type of club has a special sole with what is known as bounce, which prevents the club from digging into the sand.
The classic bunker shot, also known as the explosion shot, uses a very special trick: you do not hit the ball itself but deliberately strike the sand one to two centimetres behind the ball. The force of the sand gently lifts the ball out of the bunker. Your stance is wide, the clubface wide open and you swing through powerfully. Swing tentatively and you will stay in the sand: having the courage to swing through is the best training here.
Conclusion: practice makes perfect on the pitch and putt course
The short game does not forgive haste. Use videos to check your technique visually and spend time regularly on your club's pitch and putt course. Once you have internalised weight distribution, ball position and wrist control, your score will improve dramatically in your next round.
FAQ: common questions about short game shots
What is the difference between a chip and a pitch?
A chip is a low shot with a short flight and a long roll, played with firm wrists. A pitch is a higher shot for longer distances with noticeable wrist hinge, where the ball flies a long way and stops quickly after landing.
Which club is best for chipping?
There is no single best club. For a low chip with plenty of roll, a 7, 8 or 9 iron is ideal. If you have less room for the ball to roll, the pitching wedge or sand wedge is the better choice.
Why do I often hit the ground before the ball when chipping (fat or chunked shot)?
This is usually caused by poor weight distribution or overactive wrists. Make sure your weight stays on your front leg throughout the shot and that your hands lead ahead of the ball through impact.
What does up and down mean?
Up and down means that a player gets the ball onto the green from off the green with exactly one approach shot (up) and then holes out with a single putt (down).
How far behind the ball should I hit the sand in a bunker?
With the classic explosion shot using a sand wedge, you should enter the sand roughly two to three centimetres behind the ball. The sand then carries the ball gently out of the bunker.
Can I use my putter from off the green?
Yes, and it is often the safest option. If the fringe is cut very short and well kept and there is no long grass to slow the ball down, a putt from the fringe is often less risky than a chip.
What is a lob shot and when do you use it?
A lob shot is an extremely high, short shot with maximum loft. You use it when you have to carry an obstacle (such as a bunker) from very close range and the flag is right behind it, so the ball has to stop immediately.