Flaw #1 - Setting up for power & not finesse
The #1 flaw I see with players struggling with their short game is that they set up for power and not finesse.
If your upper body tilts away from the target, you have set yourself up for a power shot and not a finesse shot. Setting up for power will shallow your angle of attack and shift your low point further back, leading to both fat and thin shots.
To see if this is your tendency, observe yourself in a full length mirror and look for the following:
Is your trail shoulder lower than your lead shoulder
Is your spine tilted away from the target
Are your feet wider than 4 inches at the heels
Is your chest square or closed
Is your head behind the ball
How to reverse any of these scenarios:
Make sure your shoulders are level (See this link and scroll to #5)
Chest should point in front of ball (See this link and scroll to #6)
Feet narrow (See this link and scroll to #1)
Head positioned in the middle of your body (Scroll to #7)
Your bottom hand (trail hand) should be rotated so that the V is pointed to the centre of your body (Scroll to #3)
My mentor James Seickmann showed me that a great way to practice this is to use your putter to get the feel of what the proper grip should feel like. The putter grip is flat on the front and forces you to have your hands in a neutral position. Having your trail hand over in this neutral position helps you to get your body “stacked” more over top of, or even slightly in front of the golf ball, allowing you to steepen your angle of attack and move your low point forward.
Written by:
Ryan Rinneard
Director of Instruction
Mad River Golf Club
