- For those who want to essentially eliminate hitting the ball heavily on short games within 30 yards
- If you want to know how to practice so that you can avoid getting “too heavy hit” for the rest of your life.
If you have a problem with your approach within 30 yards, it can be very damaging.
When you are watching Youtube golf lesson video, there are too many myths.
If you want to be able to hit the ball straight, you need hit the ball like a putter stroke. Or, no, face turn!
Place the ball closer to your trail foot. No, if you put the ball to the trail foot, you’ll hit the ball too hard!
It’s just too confusing.
I personally think that no matter how much you watch Youtube videos of famous lesson pros and tour pros, you will not improve.
The reason is that there are too many videos that recommend the exact opposite method.
It is impossible for us amateurs to pick out the best videos from this jumble of Youtube videos.
I digress.
The essential way to avoid hitting a heavy shot is to shift your weight.
The basic mechanism is the same as in this article.
First, let’s take a look at the setup and near impact of short game of the best short game player, Jordan Spieth.
Spieth’s setup.
Near the impact
The difference looks so subtle that you can’t tell unless I draw a line like this, but the center of weight shifts to the left near impact.
Let’s take a look at Tiger Woods’s setup and impact.
The ball is set up a little to the trail foot side compared to the Spieth, but the center of weight is still shifted to the lead foot by one ball near impact.
In Tiger’s case, the center of weight is directly above the ball at impact.
Both Spieth and Tiger move their center of body to the lead foot side by about one ball (about 2 inch), although not so much that the center of their bodies overtake the ball as in a full shot.
This is a small shift of weight, so if you watch a video or something like that, it may seem like you are not shifting their center of body, but the reality is that they are shifting their entire body to the lead foot side by about 2 inch.
Most amateur golfers don’t do this, and shift their weight to the trail foot side, the opposite of what Spieth and Tiger do.
This will naturally result in a too heavy hit because the lowest point will be too behind the ball.
You must always shift your weight to the lead foot side, even on very short approaches.
The way to practice is basically the same as in this article, but stick the stick about 2 inch outside the lead foot side of where you set up, and practice so that your lead side hip hits the stick on impact.
If you can’t stick the stick in the grass when you are practicing at the driving range, use these tools.
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