1 crucial shot needed at Augusta National — and how to hit it

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Augusta National is a course that requires every shot in your bag — and that’s especially true around the greens. When an approach caroms off the slick putting surfaces, those who have creativity with their wedges are the ones who find the most success.

No one knows this fact better than GOLF Teacher to Watch Parker McLachlin. McLachlin — aka the Short Game Chef — is a former PGA Tour winner who now works as a short-game instructor. He’s worked with various pros over the years, and on Tuesday he could be seen at Augusta’s practice facility working with five-time Tour winner Sam Burns.

“The firmness of the greens, the speed of the greens, and the slope around the greens makes for a huge challenge,” McLachlin says. “That’s the difficult part.”

With such intricate green complexes highlighting this famed Alister MacKenzie design, players need to have tons of tools in their arsenal to get up-and-down. However, there’s one shot players need that is crucial for competing at Augusta — and it’s unique to this tournament.

McLachlin explains more below.

1 crucial short-game shot for Augusta

Most people have heard of the bump-and-run, but around Augusta, that shot doesn’t work as well as in other places. With how quick the greens are, you need a bit of spin to keep your ball from racing off the surface. For that reason, McLachlin says it’s crucial to know how to hit what he calls the “bump-and-check.”

“Think about long of No. 15,” he says. “You’ve got to bump it into the hill, but it can’t be a bump-and-run. If it is, it’ll roll off into the water on the other side. And you can’t hit it high and stop it because you’re into the grain and you can’t spin it as much and landing on a downslope. So you have to hit a bump with a little check.”

So, how do you hit a bump-and-check? It’s a bit like a bump-and-run, but with a few key adjustments.

McLachlin recommends playing the ball a bit back in the stance with your weight and the handle of the club leaning a bit forward. Open the clubface a bit and then make an out-to-in swing path. If you catch it right, it should come out a little low and check on the second bounce.

You may never get a chance to play Augusta National, but with this shot, you can at least play a shot that the pros use.

ShortGameChef.com, created by PGA Tour winner Parker McLachlin, provides golfers with a comprehensive resource to improve their short game. Through personalized tips, drills, and expert insights, Parker helps players of all levels gain more confidence and a deeper understanding of their short game to lower their scores. You can browse membership options here.