These 2 shots are essential for competing at Augusta National

What’s the key to success around the greens at Augusta National? It all comes down to finding a way to stop the ball. To do this effectively, I think you need two essential shots in your short-game arsenal: a high-trajectory, soft-landing pitch and a bump-and-check.

The high shot comes in handy because the greens tend to be firm. So, in order to hit a shot that stays on the green, players need to blend a steeper angle of descent with some spin — kind of a floaty, spinny pitch. To do that, you need an open clubface coupled with some speed and a fair bit of release.

The other shot you need — which I think is a very unique shot to Augusta — is a bump-and-check using the hills around the greens. This is an important one because there are some greens where you simply cannot land the ball without it rolling off. You need to use the hills to bump the ball up on the green, then make it check.

To hit that shot, I recommend moving the ball farther back in your stance with your hands forward. Open the clubface and use an out-to-in swing path.

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