Short game (Feel)

[One Planer]

Is "feel" something you can learn (I.E be taught) of is it something you gain over time?

Played Saturday in the club medal and was a little confused to say the least. Off the tee fine, Iron play and wedges fine, short game around the green..... woeful!! I either knocked it 20ft short or 15ft past.

Normally I'm pretty good with this aspect of my game but it just left me Saturday.

So, back to the question. Can "feel" be taught of do you have to learn it for yourself?

 

[G1BB0]

bit of both I reckon. was same as yourself yesterday, decent off the tee, decent 2nd shots but pants just off the green, just couldnt judge them right all round and probs cost me around 10 shots if not more.

Practice will ingrain some distance control and shot types but I think if on the day its not really there feel wise then its just down to 'one of those days'

 

[StrangelyBrown]

This describes me as well. I put it down to only playing 3 times in 6 weeks.

 

[jammydodger]

You can be taught a decent technique but to actually have a 'feel' for the shot needs to be learnt over time. Hours of repetition on shots with a good technique will give you the feel for the many shots encountered around the greens. You see a shot in your mind and then recall the feel for distance , the technique should be automatic by then.

 

[brendy]

Playing the correct shot for the conditions is also important, there are plenty of ways to get the ball to the hole but some are higher percentage than others.

 

[Doh]

You can be taught a decent technique but to actually have a 'feel' for the shot needs to be learnt over time. Hours of repetition on shots with a good technique will give you the feel for the many shots encountered around the greens. You see a shot in your mind and then recall the feel for distance , the technique should be automatic by then.

Is the right answer work on your technique and the Feel will come.

 

[Aztecs27]

You can be taught a decent technique but to actually have a 'feel' for the shot needs to be learnt over time. Hours of repetition on shots with a good technique will give you the feel for the many shots encountered around the greens. You see a shot in your mind and then recall the feel for distance , the technique should be automatic by then.

So that's where I went wrong at blackmoor

I wish my local club (and my home club) had a short game practice green, makes practicing short game very difficult. Only so much you can do from a range mat.

 

[Oddsocks]

Playing the correct shot for the conditions is also important, there are plenty of ways to get the ball to the hole but some are higher percentage than others.

Exactly.

Lob shots from 10ft off the green are more risky than short bump and runs. To me 80% pull of rate with bump and runs is better than 30% in lob chips. if i am close enough to the green now gone are the days of jumping straight to a 52*, look at the green, look at where you need to land for the best roll, breaks etc, and play the percentage. its this that will equal better scores.

 

[Snelly]

Feel comes with time, hitting hundreds of balls.

I reckon I got to have a great level of feel for short pitches as a kid by practising on the club practice pitch rather than at a driving range. This means taking a practice bag, hitting the balls between say 80 and 250 yards. You then get your sand iron or wedge (lob wedges weren't invented yet!) and hit them all back to the centrally placed practice bag. You can practice low, high, hard and soft shots with the same club and your feel for distance with it becomes ingrained. The other advantage is that you only get one chance from that point to get it right. Unlike a driving range where you are aiming at a flag or a net over and over so can get it wrong and refine your level of power for the required yardage.

Worked for me anyway. Shame I don't have the time to do this any more......

Snelly.

 

[jammydodger]

Worked for me anyway. Shame I don't have the time to do this any more......

Only cos you're swanning off playing golf at all the plush courses in Surrey

 

[Region3]

I think a lot of it is being able to 'see' the shot before you play it.

Set yourself up with a shot from a few yards off the green on a flattish path to the hole. Pick your favourite chipping club and picture the shot flying through the air, landing on the green and rolling to the hole.
Does it seem realistic to pitch where you imagined and stop at the hole? If not, adjust where the ball will land or change club to alter the flight.
When you're happy the shot can work, take practice swings trying to feel the right strength to land the ball where it needs to in the shot you saw.

It sounds long winded but once you get used to how far each club flies/rolls and can see the shots it only takes 15-20 seconds, and you can start the process before you reach your ball.

It also might sound like garbage. I'm not great but I'm not bad and it works for me.