10 brilliant short-game tips from teaching legend Dave Pelz

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we have 10 short-game tips from legendary instructor Dave Pelz from our August 2006 issue. For unlimited access to the full GOLF Magazine digital archive, join InsideGOLF today; you’ll enjoy $140 of value for only $39.99/year.

The golf world lost a teaching great Sunday when renowned short-game coach Dave Pelz died at 85.

Pelz was an all-timer in the instruction space, with his Short Game Bible becoming a best-seller in the late 90s and his theories and studies powering several GOLF Magazine cover stories. He worked with many pros throughout his career, with 11 of his students winning major titles. (For more on his career, check out this touching remembrance from GOLF Magazine editor-in-chief David DeNunzio.)

Phil Mickelson, one of Pelz’ most successful pupils, posted a heartfelt message about this late coach Wednesday.

Pelz was a regular GOLF contributor, and in August 2006, we published a piece featuring some of his best short-game tips. Below, you’ll find 10 of them you can apply to your own game. For the full list, check out August 2006 issue in the GOLF Magazine digital archive.

Dave Pelz’ best short-game tips

If you’re familiar with my philosophies, you know how seriously I take the scoring game, and how important it is to your overall score. My research on putting and wedge play is now stretching into its fourth decade, so that’s the area where I can help you the most.

Of course, there isn’t enough room here to cover everything I’ve discovered in more than 30 years — we’ll save that for future issues of GOLF Magazine. What you can learn right now, however, are the must-have elements of creating Tour-like touch from 100 yards and in. It’s the same information I give to students in my Scoring Game Schools, and it can help you, too.

It’s your bad shots and weaknesses — not your strengths — that largely determine your scores. Take what I know, make it your own, and turn this into your best season ever.

1. Let the putterface be your guide

Golfers spend a lot of time practicing stroke path because it seems to make sense — move your putter in the direction you want your putt to roll. This is wrong, however. Research data shows that where the face angle of your putter is aimed at impact determines where the ball travels. Study the two factors of a solidly struck putt and you’ll discover that face angle determines 83 percent of the starting line while putter path direction determines 17 percent. In other words, a square face angle is five times more important to starting putts on line than putter path.

2. Try a “chip putt” on long lags

The longer the putt, the more likely you are to leave it short, because your stroke (and everyone else’s) naturally evolves to favor accuracy over power. You can overcome this tendency by adding a chipping motion to your putting stroke — think of it as “chipping with your putter.” On super-long putts, stand upright for a better perspective on distance, and then putt with the same body motion you use to chip with a 5-iron. On 75-to 110-foot putts, every golfer I’ve tested, including Tour professionals, lags closer to the hole with the “chip putt” method.

3. The perfect speed for every putt

Speed affects the line, and good speed is critical for success.

News

So, what do you do? You must find a way to roll putts 17 inches past the hole (when they miss). Research proves that putts have a greater chance of finding the cup (regardless of putt length) when the ball rolls at this speed.

My advice is to add a “speed evaluation” to your analysis of missed putts. For every missed putt, determine if the ball rolled short or long of the preferred 17-inch-past distance. Over time, using this analysis will help you adjust your putting touch for good speed control.

4. How to eliminate 3-putts

The odds of holing a putt longer than 35 feet are not high, but the chance of three-putting from this distance is good. Here’s how to avoid those round-killing three-putts. 

On all putts longer than 35 feet, imagine that the hole is a 6-foot circle and try to get your ball within the circumference of it. This makes the putt look much easier, and you’ll actually end up holing one every once in a while.

You can also use this circle rule on putts from less than 35 feet, but make sure you get the ball past the cup. I call this region the “safe zone.” When you’re rolling the ball into the safe zone, you’re rolling it great.

5. Control wedge distance with backswing length

After extensive testing and research, I discovered that the best way to control the distance your wedge shots fly is with the length of your backswing. If you use the same rhythm and a full follow-through, then the shorter you make your backswing, the shorter your shots will fly.

That’s my mantra: shorter backswings for shorter shots and longer backswings for longer shots. Imagine your left arm as the hour hand on a clock, with the 12:00 position above your head. If you use the same rhythm and follow-through, your wedge shot distances will increase as you lengthen your backswing from 7:30 to the 9:00 and 10:30 positions.

Instruction

This distance-control system guards against the biggest short-game killer: deceleration. It also creates three repeatable distance for each wedge you carry.

6. Should you carry 4 (or more) wedges?

Absolutely! More than 50 PGA Tour players carry four wedges, and you miss more greens than they do. Different wedges with different lofts and bounce angles create more varied shots around the greens. Make short-to-long swings and accelerate through impact to eliminate the 40-yard weakness from your game.

7. Avoid wrist hinge

Using your wrist muscles and hinging your wrists while hitting a chip shot is like asking for trouble. Both fat and skulled shots are the typical results. By swinging your hands, arms and club together as a unit, you can keep the club from outpacing your hands and achieve consistency in your chipping performance.

8. Learn the cut-lob shot

When you need a high, soft shot to a tight pin position, only a cut-lob shot will get the job done. Aim about five steps to the left of your target, then open the face of your wedge so the lead edge points just right of the target. Keep your ball position centered in your stance and swing much harder than you would normally from this distance. If you accelerate through to a full finish, you’ll see a nice cuHob shot land and stop near the flagstick.

9. How to escape a buried lie

When your ball is completely buried in the sand, using a standard wedge swing won’t get the job done. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have options. In fact, there are at least three reliable ways to extract your ball from this lie. Each varies in the setup and hand action through impact, but they all share the common need to slap down sharply into the sand with ample force.

1. Cock-and-pop: With a square clubface, cock your wrists to the max and beat down on the ball. The ball will pop out of the sand with lots of roll.
2. Heel in first: Open the clubface at address, but force it closed as it passes through the sand. Supply plenty of power and expect medium roll.
3. Toe in first: Point the toe of the club at the ball and keep your grip light. The resistance of the sand will open the face and scoop the ball out softly with little roll.

10. Divots in the sand

To internalize the feel of a good sand swing, draw two lines in the sand about 5 inches apart. Set up with your front foot instep on the front line (proper ball position) and practice making normal wedge swings until you can consistently break into the sand on the back line (at the middle of your stance). This is one of my most effective bunker drills. Don’t bother with hitting actual shots until you can create consistent divots in the sand (not too deep!) without a ball.