If you're wondering how to improve your short game in golf, read these 5 tips below and take your game to the next level. After asking a few pros in the local Bangkok area, here are the Fore’s top 4 short game tips to help you take shots off your round!

1. Soften Your Hands for Chip Shots

Your grip is often considered the key to it all. A common mistake most novice golfers make is having too tight a grip. your short game. Of course, you can’t have your grip so loose that the club falls out of your hands but on a scale of 1-10, you should try and aim for a softness level of roughly 4-5.

This will reduce the tension in your arms and wrists and you can concentrate on the chip itself - keeping your chin high and your back straight will help.

2. Find the Right Tempo

How much speed do you need? Another common mistake amateurs make around the green is coming at the ball with too much speed.

Of course, you need that speed and power off the tee. But when you’re around the greens, it's a different story. Your short game requires a more gentle touch and sometimes keeping things simple can yield the best results.

A slow acceleration through the ball is what we want to achieve. How can you do that? Ease your grip, soften your hands, and take a deep breath. Count off "one and" in the top of your backswing, followed by "two" in your downswing. Relax, don’t rush it and you will soon see some improvements, especially in your striking of the ball.

3. Choke down on it

Those really short chips and pitches can often be a big challenge when it comes to getting your distance control right. Here is a wonderful opportunity to use physics: shorten the lever, and less power will be delivered. The lower you hold on the club the shorter your golf ball will travel. It’s as simple as that!

4. Putt, Chip, Pitch

One of the quickest ways to improve your score and your short game is to limit your risk by choosing the least risky shot when possible. And if you have been around me at all, you understand that this is such a key to success.

Your priority order for short game:

1. Putt whenever you can.

2. Chip when you can’t putt.

3. Pitch only when you have to.

In summary, improving your short game is going to be the quickest way you will cut the numbers on your scorecard. Whilst getting to the green is important, if you can’t put the ball in the hole then it really doesn’t mean much.

Good luck and happy golfing!

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