[PHOTO: Adam Riding]
When you’re inside 100 yards with a good lie, it’s pretty deflating to not hit the green. A poor shot from short distance is often the result of being a little careless with your planning or strategy. I like to call this area the “red zone” because you should be thinking like a football team that gets inside the 25-yard line – it’s time to score. There are a few things you can do to make sure you get it over the goal line. First, don’t try to max out distance with whatever club you choose. You’ll end up overswinging and probably produce poor contact. You have to hit these shots solidly, so go with a club where you can make a smooth, three-quarter swing and still get the distance you need.
Next, commit to playing for the centre of the green or, at least, aiming away from trouble areas, like water hazards, deep bunkers or thick rough. There’s certainly nothing wrong with knocking it on and two-putting, and you can’t afford to make a double from inside 100 yards.
Finally, work on these shots a lot on the range or short-game area. I can’t stress enough the importance of quality contact. A great drill for this comes from the late Ken Venturi. Place three balls in a tight row on your target line and set up like you were going to hit the one furthest from the target. Instead of hitting it, kick it and the middle ball away and try to strike the remaining ball. That forward ball position forces you to stay down longer and promotes the swing bottom you need to hit these shots solidly. That’s how to score in the red zone.
David Armitage is director of instruction at the Shell Bay Club in Hallandale Beach, Florida