Proper short-game practice will help you post lower scores and improve every club in your golf bag. Despite that fact, according to Keith Reese, head professional at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, site of the 2008 Ryder Cup, most people spend 80-percent of their practice time hitting shots with a 7-iron or longer. "It’s stating the obvious, but golfers just love to hit the ball far on the practice range," says Reese.
That doesn’t make sense when you stop to think about it, because in an 18-hole round of golf, nearly 70-percent of our shots are the "scoring-shots," those from 100 yards and closer. That being the case, Reese encourages his students to use 80-percent of their practice time on short-game shots inside of 100 yards. One of his most highly recommended drills is what he calls the "10 to 60." In this drill, you simply hit pitch shots from 10 to 60 yards in 10-yard increments. It’s a straightforward drill with amazing potential to improve ball-striking. Here’s how Keith describes the drill:
"Start by picking a target and pace off 10 yards from the spot where you think the ball should land in order to stop close to your target. Hit 15 to 20 balls from that spot, paying close attention to the swing length it takes to make the ball fly to your landing spot. Move back in 10-yard increments, hitting 15 to 20 balls from each spot. The mechanics of the pitching swing are virtually the same as the full swing, especially when you get to 40, 50, and 60 yards. Most of my students who do this drill on a regular basis have not only improved their short-game shots, but also their full swing and overall ball-striking."
According to Reese, golfers should always keep in mind that it is not the quantity, but rather the quality of practice which promotes improvement. He places a great deal of emphasis on closely examining the statistics of your rounds of golf, such as fairways hit, greens in regulation, number of putts, and the number of opportunities you have to get the ball up and down, and of those, how many were successful. "These statistics will give you a clear idea of where you need to improve and place your focus," says Reese. Make this drill a part of your regular practice and your pre-game warm up. You will definitely see improvement in your ability to hit the scoring-shots and your scores will go lower and lower.
For another of Keith Reese's short-game drills, see this article, "Short-Game Practice: Putting."
