Alright so today’s thing is short game practice. You know, those pesky shots around the green? Couldn’t hit ’em worth a darn last weekend. Felt like throwing strokes away into the bushes. Decided enough’s enough, found this video about how the pros nail those short shots. Figured, why not try it myself? Here’s exactly how it went down.
Starting Off: Trying to Copy the Pros
Honestly, my usual “method” was just kinda swinging and hoping. Saw the video show that smooth little swing where the club brushes the grass. Tried it in the backyard first, no ball. Grabbed my trusty old 56-degree wedge. Felt weird standing there making practice swings without actually hitting anything – probably looked ridiculous. Focused on keeping it super short, like shoulder-high back, shoulder-high through. Kept telling myself: “Slow, smooth… slow, smooth.”
Key things I forced myself to think about:
- Weight Stays Forward: Leaned my weight onto my left foot (right-handed golfer here) and really tried not to let it slide back on the backswing. Felt unbalanced at first.
- Choke Down on the Grip: Grabbed way down near the metal. Felt like I had way more control over the club head.
- Quiet Hands: Biggest mental shift. Tried to pretend my wrists were locked solid. Harder than it sounds!
The First Actual Hits (Spoiler: It Wasn’t Pretty)
Took my setup to the practice range later that afternoon. Setup meant aiming at a target maybe 20 yards out. Used those bright yellow practice balls – easier to see where they go. Placed one down. Took my smooth little practice swing thought… whiffed it clean. Yeah, actually missed the ball. Laughable. Next one, way too handsy – chunked it maybe five feet. Dug a nice trench in the turf. Got frustrated fast.
Focused back on the “slow, smooth” feeling. Another try. Scared I’d chunk it again, so subconsciously flipped my wrists. That was worse! Skulled it like a rocket – bounced low and hard right past my target and nearly took out a guy walking to the next bay. Mortifying. Apologized profusely. This pro stuff felt impossible.
Figuring Out What “Brushing the Grass” Actually Means
Stepped away. Thought about the “brush the grass” tip. Had been focusing so much on the swing length and hands, I forgot about the turf part. Placed another ball. Instead of trying to lift it, just visualized the club head gliding through the grass right after the ball. Really committed to that feeling.
Okay, setup again: weight forward, hands quiet, choking down. Smooth back, smooth through. Focused ONLY on that brushing the grass after impact thought. Took a breath.
Smack. Felt completely different. Solid contact. Ball popped up nicely, landed soft, rolled out a bit and stopped reasonably close to the target. Not perfect, but hey! No chunk. No skull. Progress! Repeated it. Same feeling – that clean swish sound just after the ball left. Hit a bunch more focusing solely on replicating that brushing sensation. Started getting consistent flights.
Boom! That was it. The pro secret sauce wasn’t some magic move – it was committing to the swing and trusting the loft to get the ball up while making that smooth, shallow divot after the ball.
Where I’m At Now
Took this out on the course last weekend. Those little 10-30 yard chips caused way less stress. Still not perfect every time – caught one heavy once, overcooked another – but way better. Saved my butt a few times actually getting up and down near the green instead of hacking around. Felt like I finally unlocked something basic but super powerful. Biggest lesson? Force the wrists to stay quiet and focus on brushing the turf after the ball. Game changer.
