Short game shame

My last round continued the saga of short game shame - quite poor execution of chip-shots at times and generally fairly scrappy short irons. This is not to mention my putting, which continues to be a bit of a problem.

I plan to do more chipping and pitching practice over the coming months, but in the shorter term I am definitely going to try to stick to a left hand low putting grip (right hander) for the shorter putts. For longer putts I will use a conventional right hand low grip so that I can maximise my distance feel. I have found left hand low difficult to use when trying to lag the longer putts.

Left hand low for the inside ten footers does seem to work. It levels the shoulder, keeps the wrists a little more passive and makes sure there is no unnecessary loft on the putter. I can't be sure it makes a huge difference, but even if I can go from 35 putts per round to say 33, that's a win.

If I get more comfortable with left hand low for shorter putts, I might even try something that I discovered the other day for longer putts, that is, closing my putting stance. Closing the stance, that is taking the right foot back up to six inches, does make it easier to make a longer and free-er backswing, which is what's needed for the fifteen to forty footers. If my distance judgement is no good, I won't persist with that however.

I need to take advantage of the extra distance and control I've acquired with the longer clubs by adopting a one-plane swing and stop throwing away so many shots around and on the green. As a weekender I may not be putting for dough, but I am putting for a decent score. No shame in being ambitious about that.