Why all the Pressure?

A few weeks ago, I played a little golf in Florida and as a snowbird golfer there is one shot that scares us more then any other. 

The short pitch off the tight lie. Even though we northerners run into a similar shot at our latitude, it's just not the same. 

I've seen hours of video tips and read hundreds of articles covering this shot (as I'm sure you have as well), yet without fail the moment we find ourselves in a tight lie predicament we seem to forget everything (or remember too much) and havoc ensues. 

So let's try something new. It starts of course with a drill and some practice. Now whenever I give a student a drill, I try to stress to them the importance of remembering what it FEELS like when they execute what we are working on. Don't stress too much about the details. It's OK if you are a little fuzzy on ball position, set up, and posture. 

For me, it's finding a place of confidence and peace before hitting a shot that reaps the most rewards. So that's what I like my students to try to find when practicing. What are you feeling (physically and emotionally) when you execute that short pitch as you would like. What is the tension in your hands and body like? How fast or slow are you breathing? Which hand needs to be softer at address? It could be a number of things, but I want them to find one that will trigger the confidence we built during practice to kick in when we need it. 

Here's a great drill for those who get a little handsy or quick with these little shorts. Grab that wedge (the one with the correct bounce for your neck of the woods), wrap a thin towel around the grip, and hit a couple hundred (or more) pitches with the towel on the grip. The towel's purpose is to take some control out of your hands and better engage your big muscles (shoulders, back, arms).  It will also force you to feel a smoother overall tempo as you won't be able to man (or women) handle the club through the swing.

Give this a try and I promise that you'll save a few shots next time you are around the green.

JL