Struggling to turn three shots into two around the green isn't just frustrating, it's a huge reason why your scores are higher than you'd like. The good news is that a reliable short game has less to do with natural talent and more to do with having a solid plan. This guide is designed to give you that plan - a clear, easy-to-follow set of techniques for chipping, pitching, bunker play, and putting that will help you slash strokes and stand over any short shot with confidence.
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First, Understand the Difference: Chip vs. Pitch
Before we can fix anything, we need to know what shot we’re trying to hit. Amateurs often use the terms “chip” and “pitch” interchangeably, but they are fundamentally different shots with different goals. Getting this right is the first step to better scores.
The Chip Shot: Think low and run. This chip shot gets the ball onto the green as quickly as possible and lets it roll out like a putt. It has minimal airtime and maximum ground time. You’d use this when you’re just off the fringe or have a lot of green between you and the hole with no obstacles in your way.
The Pitch Shot: Think high and stop. This pitch shot carries over an obstacle (like a bunker or rough) and is designed to land softly with less roll. It has maximum airtime and minimal ground time. You’d use this when you have to carry something or have very little green to work with.
Once you’ve identified which shot the situation demands, you can apply the right technique.
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Your New Chipping Formula: Consistency Off the Green
Bad chipping comes from inconsistency, which is usually caused by too many moving parts. Simplifying your chipping motion and setup will give you a repeatable, reliable shot that you can count on under pressure. Think of it as a putting stroke with a more lofted club.
The Set-Up: Build a Stable Foundation
Tension and complexity are the enemies of good chipping. This simple setup will promote a clean, descending strike every single time.
Narrow Your Stance: Bring your feet close together, only a couple of inches apart. This limits lower body movement and encourages your upper body to control the shot.
Play the Ball Back: Position the ball off the inside of your back foot. This helps you strike down on the ball, ensuring a clean "ball first, then turf" contact.
Lean Forward: Put about 80% of your weight on your front foot and lean the shaft of the club forward so your hands are ahead of the clubhead. Your arms and the club should form a small letter 'y'.
Your goal is to create this setup and maintain it throughout the entire motion. Do not try to help the ball up.
The Motion: Rock Your Shoulders
Once you’re set, the motion is simple. It's a one-piece movement controlled entirely by your shoulders. There is little to no wrist hinge.
Imagine your arms and shoulders have formed a solid triangle. To make the stroke, you just rock that triangle back and forth. The clubhead stays low to the ground on the way back and low on the way through. The key feeling is to accelerate gently through the ball. Many amateurs make the mistake of making a long, slow backswing and then decelerating at impact, which leads to fat or thin shots. A shorter, more positive strike is much more reliable.
Choosing Your Club
Don't be the player who only chips with their sand wedge. Using different clubs for different situations is the real secret to great chipping. A simple rule is to always use the least loft necessary to get the ball rolling on the green.
Long chip, lots of green: Grab a 7 or 8-iron.
Medium chip: A 9-iron or Pitching Wedge is perfect.
Short chip, short-sided: This is where the Gap Wedge or Sand Wedge comes into play.
Practice hitting chips with each of these clubs to see how much they fly versus how much they roll. Soon, you'll be able to confidently choose the right tool for the job.
Pitching with Confidence: How to Control Your Distances
For pitches from 20 to 60 yards, the biggest challenge is distance control. A mishit here can leave you with another tricky pitch or, even worse, put you in a bunker. The key is to build a system that produces predictable distances.
The "Clock System" for Dialed-in Distances
The Clock System uses the length of your backswing to control how far the ball goes. Imagine you are standing in the middle of a giant clock face, with the ball at 6 o'clock.
Establish Your "Stock" Swings: At the driving range, take your most lofted wedge and make smooth swings, stopping your lead arm at different points on the clock.
Take the club back to 7 o'clock. This is a very small motion. Hit ten balls and see how far they carry on average. Let's say it's 20 yards. That's your 7 o'clock number.
Now take the club back to 9 o'clock (lead arm parallel to the ground). Hit ten more balls. This might be your 40-yard shot.
Finally, take the club back to 10 o'clock. This might give you a 60-yard shot.
Finish the Swing Every Time: The length of the backswing controls the distance, but the follow-through should always be a full, committed motion. No matter how far back you take it, always accelerate through to a complete finish.
Write these numbers down. The next time you're on the course and have a 40-yard pitch, you won't have to guess. You'll know that you need to make your "9 o'clock" swing.
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Conquering Bunker Play: It's Simpler Than You Think
For many golfers, the greenside bunker is the most intimidating shot in golf. But it doesn't have to be. The secret to bunker shots is realizing you're not actually trying to hit the ball. You are hitting the sand, and the sand throws the ball out.
Your Bunker Setup for Success
Open the Clubface First: Open the clubface before taking your grip. This exposes what's called the "bounce" of the club and allows it to glide through the sand.
Wiggle Your Feet In: Dig your feet into the sand about an inch deep. It promotes stability and lowers your hands closer to the sand, ensuring you get underneath the ball.
Aim Left (for Right-Handers): Open your stance by aligning your feet and body well left of the target. This helps you swing across the ball and use the clubface's loft properly.
Draw an Imaginary Line: Mentally draw a line in the sand about two inches behind the golf ball. This line is your target. You want the club to enter the sand here.
The Swing: Splash the Sand
The bunker swing requires commitment. You need speed to displace the sand and propel the ball out. A short jab will result in the club digging in and leaving the ball in the bunker. Make a relatively full backswing and follow-through, focusing solely on splashing the sand you visualized. A confident, accelerating strike is all it takes.
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Your short game fix isn't complete without addressing putting. Nothing saves a hole like a clutch putt. Good putting boils down to two things: starting the ball on the right line and hitting it with the right speed. Speed is far more important.
Adopt a Pendulum Stroke
Great putters have quiet hands and bodies. The power and motion come from the rocking of the shoulders. Your arms and shoulders should form a triangle that stays intact throughout the stroke. The clubhead swings back and through like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. Make your stroke the same length back as it is through to ensure a smooth, accelerating motion through the ball.
The Ladder Drill for Speed Control
To end three-putting forever, you need elite speed control. The Ladder Drill is the best way to practice it.
On the practice green, place a tee 3 feet from you. Then another at 6 feet, 9 feet, 12 feet, and 15 feet, creating a "ladder".
Start with the closest tee. Your goal isn't to make the putt, but to get it to stop just past the hole - no more than a foot or so by it.
If you succeed, move to the next "rung" of the ladder (the 6-foot tee). Continue this process.
If you come up short or blast it more than a couple of feet by, you start back at the beginning.
This drill quickly trains your brain to feel how big a stroke is required for different length putts, turning stressful lags into simple tap-ins.
Final Thoughts
Fixing your short game isn't about finding a magic bullet, but about building simple, repeatable techniques for chipping, pitching, sand play, and putting. By focusing on a solid setup and a clear game plan for each type of shot, you can turn a major weakness into a reliable strength and watch your scores tumble.
Of course, for those situations when the textbook shot doesn't seem to apply - like a nasty lie in thick rough or a bare patch by the green - it helps to have an expert opinion in your pocket. I've designed Caddie AI for exactly these moments. You can snap a photo of your ball's lie, and we’ll analyze it to give you a simple, smart way to play the shot, taking the guesswork out of tricky situations and helping you play the course with more confidence.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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