Touch/Feel - can it be taught/learned?

[njt1986]

Just a quick one that may or may not stir up some debate;

Can touch/feel around the green be taught/learned? Or is it just a natural thing?
To quote my regular playing partner: I have the finesse of a sledgehammer to the head. Which is a pretty accurate description.

Been trying for the last few months to get more control and feel around the green but I just aren’t getting it. My regular playing partner has unreal touch around the green, rarely leaves the ball more than 4-6ft from the hole from within 40-50yds and he said it’s just something he naturally has.

I’m always saying how I wish I had that element of his game because it would make a huge difference to my game, and he wishes he had my long game and he’d shoot much lower scores. I just don’t know if touch, feel, finesse - whatever you call it - is something that can really be taught.

Thoughts?

 

[chrisd]

Absolutely yes!

I think its about finding a technique that you feel comfortable with for the various types of shot you're trying to play then go out and practice practice practice.

 

[Blue in Munich]

It can, to a degree; the natural will always be better than the mechanical, but the mechanical can improve their feel and their short game.

Do you try to play the same way as your mate, or is your approach different?

 

[njt1986]

It can, to a degree; the natural will always be better than the mechanical, but the mechanical can improve their feel and their short game.

Do you try to play the same way as your mate, or is your approach different?

In terms of technique or approach to the game in general?

In technical terms i know my technique is completely different to his, plus he’s been playing for 32 years, I’ve been playing for 3! So he’s got a lot of time on the course behind him and a lot of practice to (as much as possible) perfect his technique.

In terms of an overall approach to a round, again my approach is very different. I don’t necessarily think of it as a sport when I go to play a round, and I’m certainly not competitive in golf as I know my skill level is, for lack of a better way of putting it, gutter tier!

So my approach is one of just enjoying being out in the sun (occasionally) with a mate, catching up on things and going for a pint and a curry afterwards. It’s more of a social thing to me - at the moment.

However I would like to improve in certain areas and one area that really lets me down is that <50 yard distance. A simple bump and run can be anything from a complete duff, to skulling it over the back of the green and everything in between. It costs me a lot of strokes per round, I’d hazard a guess at something in the region of 7/8 shots a round, which at my skill level is huge.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I was actually thinking about how you would play around the green; do you automatically reach for the wedge or do you consider other alternatives?

Given the advantage your mate has in terms of experience I would expect him to be considerably better, and I’m taking that he’s a competitive animal where you are more relaxed? I think you’re always going to struggle a bit in comparison if you aren’t taking it as seriously as he is. I’m not saying that’s wrong, I sometimes wish I could take it less seriously, but I believe that there’s a balance between how seriously you take it and what you can accomplish.

How do you try and play your bump and runs?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As someone with well documented short game issues over the years I would say feel can be improved with correct technique but that a lot of it is inherently natural. I have found (through trial and error) that my natural feel is actually quite good and the times where I feel I can trust my technique and stand there without any swing or technical thoughts in my head is where I can simply trust the shot, pick a landing error and let it flow

As for the OP wanting to improve inside 50 yards, this sounds like a perfect winter programme. I'd be looking for a pitching lesson to ensure I have a good technique and then finding somewhere at a range with lots of targets at short distances to aim at and then working on different clubs and finding ways to hit different shots (high/low, spin and stop and running) and really get a feel for how different length swings go different distances. if you can dd some chipping work around the green too then you're set up perfectly for the start of next season

 

[bobmac]

I suggest you have a lesson on pitching.
30 mins would be enough and after a bit of practise, you'll be knocking them in close.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Around the green I mostly use a putting grip and stroke with any iron or even hybrid. I find that the best way for me to play those small chips or bump and runs.
Keep the ball on the deck as much as possible is my thought process.

 

[Orikoru]

If you don't have a natural instinct for it, I'd say it just takes a lot more practise and experience of chipping from different lies and distances to gain the 'feel'. Like muscle memory.

 

[Coffey]

It doesn't sound like your have a touch/feel issue.

If you are duffing it/skulling it then it is most likely technique based.

As Bob says, get a lesson to get the technique right. Then you need touch/feel to get the distance and flight right and work out what happens out of different lies etc.

 

[Dibby]

I think there are 2 parts to this:

1. Actual touch or feel is a very instinctive human thing. Some people are better than others, but if you were throwing the ball, rather than hitting it, you would with repetition get better at getting it near the target and just know how much power, direction etc without being mechanical about it. This part just comes from experience.

2. For 1 to apply your technique must be somewhat sound. If you are hitting the ball all over the clubface, thinning it, fatting it etc.. then you can't learn from previous experience, as even with the exact same direction, power etc a shot out the middle of the face will behave differently from one that is bladed or the turf is hit 2" before the ball.

If you fix 2, then 1 will come with repetition and time.

 

[patricks148]

i don't see why not, a bit of knowledge, experience and plenty of practice anyone should

 

[Lump]

I don’t think you can learn feel. It’s much the same with lag in a Swing.
Touch is something different, that can be taught/learnt.
I always think of it as Lowry Vs Westwood.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

If your friend is normally 4-6 ft from 40-50 yards, then he is much better than tour standard and you are very unlikely to ever match that standard.

You can find all the stats here(surprising how 'poor' even the top tour players are in these stats, as I always thought they would be much better) :-

https://www.pgatour.com/stats/categories.RARG_INQ.html


I would say next to the green(ie within a few yards), then getting it consistently within 4-6 foot is good and then with improved putting you will get up and down say 50%-60% of the time you are half decent.

I am not naturally talented with feel, I just learnt distance control and technique.

You can learn how to get better at chipping/pitching and putting, by practicing a lot. Used to be a strong part of my game, then gave up and came back to the game 3-4 years ago. Taken me to now to start get near where I was and I play more now than before.

Have practised over 6 months on my putting stroke(dry strokes and hit the ball strokes), to make it solid and straight/back and tho, so 2-3 footer are rarely missed and 4-6ft putts I sink a fair amount. Outside that percentages drop massively.

Have also practised a lot of chipping around the green, with various clubs, flights, strikes over the last year. This helps to learn technique and touch/distance control.


It takes time to learn distance control or 'touch', practise, practise practise, after making sure your technique is solid with chipping and putting and slightly different half swings like pitching.

From what you posted, it sounds like you need to improve the chipping technique, your swing, your putting to get it all more solid.

Edit Just read the post, hope it comes across okay, just trying to help and best of luck in improving

 

[patricks148]

I don’t think you can learn feel. It’s much the same with lag in a Swing.
Touch is something different, that can be taught/learnt.
I always think of it as Lowry Vs Westwood.

i think you can learn lag, true not as much as if it came naturally.

some people find it easy to learn and pick things up other will never get it

 

[njt1986]

I was actually thinking about how you would play around the green; do you automatically reach for the wedge or do you consider other alternatives?

Given the advantage your mate has in terms of experience I would expect him to be considerably better, and I’m taking that he’s a competitive animal where you are more relaxed? I think you’re always going to struggle a bit in comparison if you aren’t taking it as seriously as he is. I’m not saying that’s wrong, I sometimes wish I could take it less seriously, but I believe that there’s a balance between how seriously you take it and what you can accomplish.

How do you try and play your bump and runs?

Ah right, I get you now. I tend to switch it up dependant on the lie and what I’m trying to achieve. If I’ve got a decent lie but have to get it over a ridge I’ll go for a wedge. If I’m at the front of the green and the pin is at the back I might reach for an 8 Iron and bump it up and try to get it close with a putting stroke. It just varies shot to shot really.

The difference between mine and his seems to be the control. He seems to be able to get his to check up and slow down much closer to the hole, whereas mine don’t check 9/10 so I then have to try and factor that into my decision making and try and land the ball further from the hole to give it chance to run out, it all has a knock on effect

 

[njt1986]

If your friend is normally 4-6 ft from 40-50 yards, then he is much better than tour standard and you are very unlikely to ever match that standard.

You can find all the stats here(surprising how 'poor' even the top tour players are in these stats, as I always thought they would be much better) :-

https://www.pgatour.com/stats/categories.RARG_INQ.html


I would say next to the green(ie within a few yards), then getting it consistently within 4-6 foot is good and then with improved putting you will get up and down say 50%-60% of the time you are half decent.

I am not naturally talented with feel, I just learnt distance control and technique.

You can learn how to get better at chipping/pitching and putting, by practicing a lot. Used to be a strong part of my game, then gave up and came back to the game 3-4 years ago. Taken me to now to start get near where I was and I play more now than before.

Have practised over 6 months on my putting stroke(dry strokes and hit the ball strokes), to make it solid and straight/back and tho, so 2-3 footer are rarely missed and 4-6ft putts I sink a fair amount. Outside that percentages drop massively.

Have also practised a lot of chipping around the green, with various clubs, flights, strikes over the last year. This helps to learn technique and touch/distance control.


It takes time to learn distance control or 'touch', practise, practise practise, after making sure your technique is solid with chipping and putting and slightly different half swings like pitching.

From what you posted, it sounds like you need to improve the chipping technique, your swing, your putting to get it all more solid.

Edit Just read the post, hope it comes across okay, just trying to help and best of luck in improving

Yeah man it comes across fine, I don’t take anything negatively when it comes to golf mate, it’s only a game after all. Also I don’t think i wrote it all out in the most coherent way in the first place after reading my OP back!

Definitely taking what all of you guys have said on board. Consistency seems to be key, in terms of technique and how repeatable certain actions are

 

[Region3]

A good way for ‘feeling’ a shot is to take a practice swing that is definitely too hard, then definitely too soft, and gradually zone in on the right strength. I don’t mean taking ages with proper set up each time, just stand near the ball and swish the club back and forth like a pendulum.

The other thing not mentioned is imagination. If your landing spot and trajectory decisions are no good even a perfect chip won’t get anywhere near the hole. This can only be learned through experience imo, every time you hit a shot you learn a little more about how the ball reacts.
My advice on picking your landing spot would be to not make it (if possible) near to any change in surface (ie rough to green) or elevation. If your spot is a foot past a slope and you’re 18” short the slope will kill the speed. If you pick a spot with consistent slope around it you can be 3’ out and still get relatively close.

Of course if you’re struggling making good contact then all bets are off. Make that the number one priority and worry about getting close later on.
A few years ago @bobmac posted a video of a tip I really like, it might still be findable. Basically you set up a very low bar in front of you, like a club laid across 2 range baskets or similar and try to hit the ball under the club. If you hit it properly it will go over the club, but the feeling you want is trying to hit under it. There are other ways to chip/pitch, but this is a good starting point I think.

 

[clubchamp98]

I don’t think you can be taught feel ,you have it or you don’t.
You can teach a repetitive stroke which by changing clubs altered the shot .
But feel is something different.
Practice will perfect your game but feel is between the ears and transmitted to your hands.
I am sure Westwood would have learned by now if it could be taught , his short game is good by normal standards but it’s not as good as the really good shortgame players and this has cost him in the majors imo.

I liken it to Art I am ok drawing but no Constable.
No mater how much I practice I will never paint like him.

 

[bobmac]

A few years ago @bobmac posted a video of a tip I really like, it might still be findable. Basically you set up a very low bar in front of you, like a club laid across 2 range baskets or similar and try to hit the ball under the club. If you hit it properly it will go over the club, but the feeling you want is trying to hit under it. There are other ways to chip/pitch, but this is a good starting point I think.

This one Gary?