Short Game

Chipping Tips, Practice Tips (End)

2008-03-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Why does it Work?

For you to get the ball up in the air, the leading edge of the club must pass under the equator (the middle of the ball). In this new address position, the leading edge of the club is well below the middle of the ball, making a square strike easier to attain. The only way to hit the shot fat is by changing your posture as you swing the club. If you remain in the same posture you established at address and maintain your spine angle, you'll strike the ball squarely every time and Not Leave it Short.

The only thing that might cause you a problem with this technique is keeping your posture. A good way to ensure that you keep your posture intact is to keep your chin up and stand tall as you execute your swing. This will also better allow your arms to swing freely and stretch out through the shot, so the club can reach the bottom of the golf ball.

The Golf Swing

Golf in many ways is a game of opposites. For example, in order to make the ball go up, you have to hit down on it. Most players try to "lift" the ball in the air instead of striking downward and pinching the ball against the turf. These players should look at the basic design of a golf club, which typically places the hands slightly ahead of the leading edge of the clubface. This is done in order to help create the perfect impact position, one defined by the hands leading the club into the back of the golf ball. In so doing, the loft that's built into the club lifts the ball into the air, not the hands. The under-reach technique helps you to take advantage of just that.

Of course, the club can't do all the work, you have to put it into motion. Now, before you think about swinging the club, think about the pace. The right pace is the true key to short shots around the green. You don't see a Tour pro strike a chip with a herky-jerky motion. Most of the top short-game players allow the club to move in response to gravity, not to muscular effort. When golfers overuse their muscles, their grip on the club usually tightens, which can affect the position of the clubface at the all-important moment of impact.

When trying to gain a nice free flowing rhythmical short-game swing, why not try the following two drills. They're easy to execute and do the best job of ingraining the sensation of the club responding to gravity while the body and hands function solely to support the clubhead.

Give this pair of drills a go the next time you practice your chipping technique. Coupled with the under-reach technique, I'm sure you'll keep those chunked chips at bay and give yourself more opportunities to get up and down and save par.

It's absolutely critical that you slide the leading edge of the club under the ball when executing short-game shots. The only way to effectively slide the club under the golf ball is to give your arms plenty of room to swing (Under Reach). To do this, you must stand tall and keep your head up; otherwise, it's easy to skull the shot over the green or chunk it short of the target.

Brush The Grass Drill Make three continuous practice swings back and through while eyeing your target. Making rehearsal swings while looking at the target will help you instinctively determine the length and pace necessary to hit the shot the appropriate distance. Then, step up to the ball and duplicate your rehearsal swing over the golf ball. Finally, hit the chip. I think you'll be surprised how well you'll strike the ball and how much more fluid your swing will feel.

The Name Game Think of the name of a star or celebrity who has two syllables in the first name and two syllables in the last name. (i.e., John-ny Mill-er, Fred-dy Coup-les, By-ron Nel-son). As you make your swing, say the first name on the backswing and the last name on the forwardswing. Since the first and last names feature the same number of syllables, using them in time with your swing will ensure that the length and pace of your backswing matches the length and pace of your forward swing, a critical element of sound chipping. In the short game, too much speed and not enough rhythm can be even more detrimental. Shots around the green are all about distance control and touch. A good, relaxed tempo is crucial to achieving the desired results.

Good luck with your short-game practice. With a little work, you'll soon strike those scary chips with more confidence and freedom and with better results.

Problems with driving the golf ball ? Slicing ? Want to draw the ball? How do you fix this - permanently? See the Seven Step Stop Slicing Program for complete detailed instruction. Stop Slicing Now

Chipping Tips, Practice Tips

2008-03-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

Chip And Run Shot

2008-01-02T00:32:00.000-08:00

Many golfers use the “chip and run” as regular part of their game; and those who don’t have at least seen others do it. The chip and run shot is very similar to a putt, but you play the shot from just off the green. Club selection is vital for this shot, just like any other; in this case, you will want to use irons.

The shot should be played with your legs close together and the golf ball in line with your back foot. The club should be held firmly in your hands ahead of the ball, which will make the shot fly flatter through the air.

You should use only your arms to play the shot–just as you would when you take a strong putt on the green.

When you are chipping uphill, make sure you carefully consider your selection because you will need a club that can keep the ball lower and help it roll up onto the green.

Conversely, when you are chipping downhill, you will need a club that can create a lot of backspin, which will stop the ball from rolling down the hill, causing you to gain strokes.

Of course, when you are around the green, keep playing the shot the same way if you haven’t had trouble in the past; and remember to allow your club to do most of the work.

The chip and run will either make or break your putting position. If you get it right, you can confidently stroll up to the ball on the green, make a simple putt, and then move on to the next hole; however, if you can’t get a good green lay-up, then you will be looking at a tricky putt or another chip and run shot.

Chip Shot – Bump and Run

2008-01-02T00:27:00.000-08:00

I’m going to describe two very different golf shots to you. One is called a pitch shot with loft, and the other is called a chip shot with run. Now what’s the difference?

Well, first of all, sometimes the pin is in a situation where you have to go over an uneven lie, or you have to go over the edge of a bunker, or you have to go over a little tree and you need it to stop a little quicker.

So, you take out your loftier golf club, your lob wedge or your sand wedge. Put the ball in the middle of your stance, a little weight left and swing your arms up and down. And after it hits the green, it will slow down and stop because it has so much loft on it.

Now, for a chip shot, or a bump and run shot, it’s the same golf shot, but it’s done with a pitching wedge, or you could even use a 9 iron.

In this situation, the pin is in the back of the green and there is no trouble in front of you. So, you put the ball in the middle of your stance, put a little weight on your left leg, and swing your arms up and down. But because you did it with a pitching wedge, the shot takes off flatter and runs more.

Now, some of you get confused because the pin is in the back of the green and you want it to run, but if you use your sand wedge or your lob wedge. That won’t happen. That won’t run.

So, make sure in the future when you need a running chip shot, use a pitching wedge and put the ball in the middle of your stance. And if you really want it to run a lot, put it in the back of your stance. Try to change the golf club. Control the distance you want the chip shots to go by your club selection, not by the length of your swing.

A chip shot or a bump and run shot is also useful from the fairway or any place around the green that you don’t have any obstructions. Sometimes you can be much more accurate by simply bumping an 8 iron up the fairway and letting it roll onto the green instead of trying to pitch it with accuracy. Usually your alignment will be a lot better using this tactic because much more of the shot occurs on the ground.

The Lob Shot vs. the Chip Shot

2008-01-02T00:23:00.000-08:00

A common rule of thumb when around the green usually dictates getting the ball rolling as soon as possible, creating a low risk approach shot. This thinking is fine for middle to high handicappers, but not in all cases would I give this advice to the better player.

I was confronted with a good example just the other day - I'm just off the green with an uphill lie, the pin is on the second tier of a two-tier green. The slope to the second tier was very steep, making it very difficult to determine how hard to hit a chip shot.

Experimenting, I tried the chip shot approach three times. Twice the ball started up the slope but, lacking enough speed, came back to the base of the hill. I then simply lofted the shot to the second tier, and it landed softly and stopped within a
few feet of the initial landing area.

Your imagination can often prove to be your greatest ally!

Remember: As with any short game shot, it is most important to rehearse any new approach

Work with it for a while - I promise you positive results.

Punch and Pitch Short

2008-01-02T00:20:00.000-08:00

"Try this only if your ball is sitting up on a clean lie"

You're in a bunker.

The ball is sitting up. There's a two foot bank 10 feet ahead of your ball. The green is 10 feet above you. But the big problem is, you're about 75 yards from the green.

What do you do?

First, eliminate the conventional, open-faced, blast shot from consideration. You'll have to take too hard a swing and almost no sand to come close to the green. Take the least bit of sand and you'll hit the ball only about 10 or 20 yards. Pick the ball clean and you'll skull it maybe to the putting surface, or more likely, way over the green.

Instead, try one of two methods:

1. Play the punch shot.
Using a pitching wedge or a nine-iron, position the ball back in your stance, opposite the right foot. Close the clubface slightly. On the backswing, break the wrists early, picking up the clubhead sharply. On the downswing, keep the wrists cocked and make sure you hit the back of the ball first, and then keep the clubhead driving into the sand. Keep your head steady. Your objective will not be to get under the ball, but rather to rap the back of the ball - just as though you're punching the ball under a low-hanging tree branch. You will swing with less force than you ordinarily would from that distance, because the shot will come out low and running.

2. Play a pick shot.
Using the pitching wedge, play the ball in the middle of your stance. Keeping the head very steady, take a firm swing and pick the ball cleanly off the top of the sand. Is it dangerous? You bet it is. Take the least bit of sand and you won't get halfway to the green; skull the ball and you'll either hit the lip of the bunker or sail it over the green. But it's worth a try.

The key factor in both methods though, is to KEEP THE HEAD STEADY until the ball is on it's way. There should be some body movement in either technique, but the head must not bob up or down nor move to either side during the swing.

Most people don't have a chance to practice this shot. But if you can find a place to experiment with it, the more confident you will be when you encounter one of these testers.

How to Chip a Golf Ball ( from Deep Rough )

2007-12-30T19:09:00.000-08:00

Follow these simple steps to making your chip shots roll a more more reliable distance more consistently.

Do you suffer from a sick feeling in you stomach when your ball settles down in the deep rough either greenside or within 100 yards?

A chip shot is necessary when you are a few yards from the putting green or surface. This shot is usually played with a low-lofted club in order to get the ball rolling on the green as quickly as possible.

Proper Golf Setup and Posture for this Shot, Follow this Procedure:

1. Select a club with low loft (usually anything from a 6 iron to a pitching wedge. The idea is to allow the ball to just carry onto the putting surface and roll the proper distance to the hole.

2. Select a target on the green to aim for ( this is usually a slight discoloration of the grass or some mark on the green ) and estimate where you would like the ball to stop.

3. Grip the club down towards the shaft, close to the end of the grip or wherever you feel comfortable choking down to. Typically the more you choke down the more control you will have but the shorter the distance the ball will roll.

4. Step close to the golf ball so that it is no more than a few inches from your feet.

5. Place most of your weight to your left side or left hip socket (your right side if you are left-handed).

6. Use a putting stroke to swing the club back and forth placing a descending blow on the back of the ball.

7. Rock the shoulders up and down by swinging the arms, while keeping the lower body steady and the wrists quiet. Tempo is most important. Do not rush the stroke, same distance back as through, just like putting.

Other Chipping Golf Setup Tips:

You should try to keep your hands in front of the ball so that the hands lead the ball into impact. Keep your wrists firm, especially the left one for right handers.

If you are in deep rough make this adjustment.

The deep grass can make the golfball behave unpredictably because the grass gets caught between the clubface and the ball. This will call the ball to either jump out of the grass with no backspin or loft so expect the flight of the ball to be lower than normal. Grip the club firmly so that the rough doesn't twist the club on the swing. Tip the club angle up so the toe is the only part touching the ground. This will minimize contact with the grass as much as possible. The best way to handle this shot is to place the ball as far back in your stance as possible and make a steeper angle of attack with the ball by hinging your wrists slightly but very quickly. The timing of this shot requires some practice.

Select the club that will the ball rolling on the green as quickly as possible.

When it is windy or you are faced with a downhill shot, or on fast greens, you should chip the ball instead of pitching it to better controll the distance.

Pre-Shot Routine

2007-12-30T19:08:00.000-08:00

You might ask yourself, "Why do I need a pre-shot routine?" Or for that matter, "What is a pre shot routine?" A pre-shot routine is quite simply the habits or actions one takes in the few seconds before the golf swing is made.

So, why is a good routine necessary? It is important because it allows us to relax, and it enables us to develop something that is repeatable in a game where even the best players in the world struggle with constancy, accuracy, and repetition.

The next question to ask yourself is, "Do I have a pre-shot routine?" If the answer is "yes", is it a good one? If the answer is "no", your golf game will benefit from developing one.

Let's take a look at some components of professional's pre-shot routines vs. amateur's routines to see how yours measures up.

The difference that I see between most amateurs and professionals lies in the quality of their pre-shot routines and their ability to repeat their routine time in and time out. Most amateurs will hastily walk up to the ball and then make two practice swings, then one time they will make no practice swings, and then waggle three times the next. These random actions breed inconsistency.

Meanwhile, professionals will go through the same repeatable course of action each time. This enables them to put their mind at rest. By knowing you have done your routine thousands of times, it allows the mind to focus on the actual shot at hand, thereby eliminating negative thoughts, which wreak havoc on most amateur golfers. A good pre-shot routine will also distract you from the pressure of each shot. You can concentrate on repeating your routine, rather than worry about the possible negative outcomes of the shot at hand.

A great example of this would be David Toms' performance during the 2001 PGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club. Toms had a 12-foot putt on the 72nd hole to win his first major championship. Toms was able to focus on the task at hand by relying on his pre-shot routine. It enabled him to put his pounding heart and shaking hands aside and concentrate on his speed, line and stroke. When the ball was halfway to the hole, Toms knew he had sunk the putt and won his first major championship.

A good pre-shot routine is beneficial to players of all abilities. Not all pre-shot routines should be the same, but yours should be one that is repeatable and relaxing.

Here are a few tips to work with to develop a good pre-shot routine.

Start behind the golf ball and envision your target. Once you have focused on a target, make a practice swing with your eyes remaining focused on your target. As you swing, envision the perfect result from your shot. Now step up to the ball and take your address. Once you are comfortable with your address, take a deep breath, releasing the tension in your body as you exhale. Finally, take one last look at target to improve focus and let it rip.

If you are having a problem developing a good pre-shot routine, try http://www.stopslicing.com for some help or read some more of our free tips.

Fairway Bunkers

2007-12-30T19:06:00.000-08:00

Let me cut right to the gist of this tip. To get out of a bunker in the fairway you should hit the ball not the sand first. If you hit the ball cleanly and pick it, it will fly far, if you hit the ball and pinch it against the sand, the golfball will come out and fly lower than normal. If you should hit the sand and then the ball, you have played a greenside bunker shot.

Pot bunkers are the name of the game in Scotland, and they are not easy to get the ball out.

Imagine staring at a wall of sand or railroads ties 8 feet high, and a pin 150 yards away! How in the @$%@$% are you going to get out of that one? Quite often players will have to reverse course and pitch the ball out either sideways or back towards the tee.

A guaranteed lost stroke on the hole, and quite often the majors are won or lost by a single stroke. Fortunately for us state side, pot bunkers are uncommon hazards, especially when it comes to fairways bunkers. Occasionally you will see pot bunkers around the greens, and if you ever have played PGA West Stadium course you know what I am talking about.

Fairway bunkers tend not to be to deep and have a small lip if any. But what is the best way to advance the ball forward? It actually is quite easy. Phil, Corey, and a few other pros have told me how and it works! First off, a fairway bunker is completely different than a green side bunker. Green side bunker shots require you to open the clubface, open and place the ball forward in your stance. You will .bounce. the club and hit sand before the ball. This is not the case in fairway bunkers.

A fairway bunker requires you to hit the ball and not the sand. Here is an easy way to set up properly for a great fairway bunker shot. Select the normal club for the distance of the shot you are hitting. I would suggest staying away from fairway woods unless you are a very low handicapper. Place the ball in the middle of your stance. Plant your feet firmly in the sand. Thick sand will require you to choke down on the club slightly to compensate for your feet digging in the sand. Align your clubface, feet, and shoulders towards your target. You are now in the proper position to hit a fairway bunker shot. At this point take your normal swing path and attempt to hit the ball only. The key to the swing is hitting the ball first and not the sand. Jack was a great fairway bunker player and quite often he would be able to hit the same shot from a good lie in a bunker as from the fairway.

Practicing the short game

2007-12-30T19:05:00.001-08:00

Practice doesn't always make perfect in golf, but for any level of player, from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced, practicing effectively will have a huge impact on your play.

This is especially true in the area of the short game. Developing your off-green putting, chipping and pitching skills so that they will transfer to on-course situations should be the goal of short game practice sessions.

When practicing our short game, we tend to place practice balls in one spot and pull each ball over one at a time (giving ourselves the best lie possible), and repetitively hit shot after shot at the same target. This is called block practice and is fine as a skill development drill, helping us to learn or practice a motion.

However, this type of repetitive drill often creates an unrealistic expectation for the player, as it has only a slight resemblance to the actual on-course shots they will face in competitive situations.

Alternatively, a player who distributes his or her golf balls at various locations around the target green -- allowing for different lies, stances, distances and angles of approach -- is creating a scattered practice routine. This routine will better help prepare them for the actual on-course situations they will face, and is effective in developing skills in both shot planning (club selection, choosing the landing area, etc.) and execution.

The results we get with the scattered practice routine will likely be much closer to true on-course results, and therefore will have a greater impact on the scores we shoot.

A fun way to add a scoring element to your short game practice sessions is to hit eleven shots to the same target from scattered positions. Then find the ball that is sixth in distance from the target. This is your approximate your average distance. Go ahead and putt this ball and see if you left yourself a makeable putt, which is known as "getting up-and-down."

Set distance goals for yourself to see if you can get that average ball consistently closer to the pin, and make each ball count, just as you would do in playing situations.

I can't stress enough the importance of not only practicing your short game, but also receiving expert instruction to ensure that you are practicing effectively. While many people might associate PGA Teaching Professionals with full swing instruction, they also have the expertise to teach you the short game shot planning skills and techniques that with practice can lower your scores drastically.

You can find a golf facility that employs a PGA Professional near you anytime by logging on to www.PlayGolfAmerica.com and using the zip code search.

(Rick Martino is director of instruction at The PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla.)

Chipping Tips, Practice Tips

2007-12-30T19:00:00.000-08:00

Todays message starts your series of drills covering the area of chipping and pitching and focuses on a technique called the Under Reach Technique which was invented by short game expert Paul Runyan. I had never heard of this before and asked a pro at my local course whether he knew of it. He said that it is a drill that he uses all the time to help higher handicappers get some consistency in their chipping. So I asked him to show me how it worked. It only cost me a couple of beers, well maybe four or five. It really is a simple and effective way of stopping you duff those short little chip shots which most of us either hit fat or thin.
This drill is entitled......
The Under Reach Technique by Paul Runyon

Regardless of ability , we all have good days and bad days when it comes to hitting greens in regulation. On the bad days, it's important that you have the method and means to get up and down with some regularity; otherwise, your scores will be much higher than you'd like.
A Pro I asked about the drill said:

This is where a strong mental thought should be used. In getting up and down, the getting up part is the most important. If you can chip the ball ON THE GREEN and relatively close, you won't have to worry about making those tough 20 to 30 footers. Unfortunately, most high handicap players short games aren't up to snuff (well mine certainly wasn't). If there's one mistake that I made on a regular basis that caused me and my overall score the most damage, it was hitting the chip fat and not even Getting Up. I've learned this great technique to ensure that you never hit a short shot short again (well most of the time), and you can use it too.

This method is a method which was used by short-game master Paul Runyan, he called this technique "under-reaching the ball." It's quite interesting and easy to apply in the short game.

The biggest problem amateur golfers like me and you have when it comes to the short game is chunked shots. To help prevent fat chips, try the under-reach technique. Begin by assuming your address position, with your arms hanging to their natural length. Choke down on the club about an inch (i go even shorter, about two inches), and hover the club just off the ground as you get ready to execute the shot. The combination of choking the grip and hovering the club will help you guard against hitting the shot fat. When you finally make a swing, simply concentrate on contacting the bottom half of the ball.

How to set up for the Under Reach

Start with the posture. With the ball positioned in the middle of your stance, assume your normal setup and allow your arms to fall downward in front of you as far as they can. Allow gravity to stretch them fully. Then, take your standard grip on the club. As you grip the club, allow the sole to rest gently on the ground. Now, grip down on the club approximately one inch. If you choke down appropriately, the clubhead should hover just above the grass. (Try this out on the carpet at home, it will give you the right visual of how the club will hover off of the ground)This is the under-reach to which Paul Runyan referred. With the club just above ground level, the leading edge of the club is now located at the bottom of the golf ball.

Note: The longer the grass from which you're playing, the more effective this technique becomes. In long grass, the ball will often sit up, making it easy to slide the clubhead underneath the ball. By hovering the club, you'll ensure crisper, squarer contact.

Why does it Work?

For you to get the ball up in the air, the leading edge of the club must pass under the equator (the middle of the ball). In this new address position, the leading edge of the club is well below the middle of the ball, making a square strike easier to attain. The only way to hit the shot fat is by changing your posture as you swing the club. If you remain in the same posture you established at address and maintain your spine angle, you'll strike the ball squarely every time and Not Leave it Short.

The only thing that might cause you a problem with this technique is keeping your posture. A good way to ensure that you keep your posture intact is to keep your chin up and stand tall as you execute your swing. This will also better allow your arms to swing freely and stretch out through the shot, so the club can reach the bottom of the golf ball.

The Golf Swing

Golf in many ways is a game of opposites. For example, in order to make the ball go up, you have to hit down on it. Most players try to "lift" the ball in the air instead of striking downward and pinching the ball against the turf. These players should look at the basic design of a golf club, which typically places the hands slightly ahead of the leading edge of the clubface. This is done in order to help create the perfect impact position, one defined by the hands leading the club into the back of the golf ball. In so doing, the loft that's built into the club lifts the ball into the air, not the hands. The under-reach technique helps you to take advantage of just that.

Of course, the club can't do all the work, you have to put it into motion. Now, before you think about swinging the club, think about the pace. The right pace is the true key to short shots around the green. You don't see a Tour pro strike a chip with a herky-jerky motion. Most of the top short-game players allow the club to move in response to gravity, not to muscular effort. When golfers overuse their muscles, their grip on the club usually tightens, which can affect the position of the clubface at the all-important moment of impact.

When trying to gain a nice free flowing rhythmical short-game swing, why not try the following two drills. They're easy to execute and do the best job of ingraining the sensation of the club responding to gravity while the body and hands function solely to support the clubhead.

Give this pair of drills a go the next time you practice your chipping technique. Coupled with the under-reach technique, I'm sure you'll keep those chunked chips at bay and give yourself more opportunities to get up and down and save par.

It's absolutely critical that you slide the leading edge of the club under the ball when executing short-game shots. The only way to effectively slide the club under the golf ball is to give your arms plenty of room to swing (Under Reach). To do this, you must stand tall and keep your head up; otherwise, it's easy to skull the shot over the green or chunk it short of the target.

Brush The Grass Drill Make three continuous practice swings back and through while eyeing your target. Making rehearsal swings while looking at the target will help you instinctively determine the length and pace necessary to hit the shot the appropriate distance. Then, step up to the ball and duplicate your rehearsal swing over the golf ball. Finally, hit the chip. I think you'll be surprised how well you'll strike the ball and how much more fluid your swing will feel.

The Name Game Think of the name of a star or celebrity who has two syllables in the first name and two syllables in the last name. (i.e., John-ny Mill-er, Fred-dy Coup-les, By-ron Nel-son). As you make your swing, say the first name on the backswing and the last name on the forwardswing. Since the first and last names feature the same number of syllables, using them in time with your swing will ensure that the length and pace of your backswing matches the length and pace of your forward swing, a critical element of sound chipping. In the short game, too much speed and not enough rhythm can be even more detrimental. Shots around the green are all about distance control and touch. A good, relaxed tempo is crucial to achieving the desired results.

Good luck with your short-game practice. With a little work, you'll soon strike those scary chips with more confidence and freedom and with better results.

Problems with driving the golf ball ? Slicing ? Want to draw the ball? How do you fix this - permanently? See the Seven Step Stop Slicing Program for complete detailed instruction. Stop Slicing Now

The 20-40 Yard Pitch Shot

2007-12-30T18:53:00.000-08:00

Do you panic when faced with a short shot, say 20 yards to the hole? Most of us do. We worry about topping the ball and having it end up in the bunker on the other side of the green. It’s happened too often for us not to think about it. Well, there is hope.

Here are two tips to help you master the pitch shot.

First, we will address how to hit it in the center of the clubface for consistent loft each time. We cannot measure distance until the balls response off the clubface is the same each time.
The biggest swing error I see in students facing the 20 – 40 yard pitch shot is fear. Their minds are screaming for mercy, praying for luck, and hoping for the best. This fear causes the player to poke or jab at the ball instead of swinging confidently through the ball. Poking or jabbing causes the club to decelerate as you’re approaching the ball. The first step in hitting the sweet spot is to accelerate through the ball. To do this, you must eliminate your fear and trust that you CAN make this shot. Successful practice will build your confidence but here’s a tip on how to practice.

The fundamental thing that makes the ball go in the air is simply to "brush the grass." If the ball needs to respond off the center of the clubface and the ball is resting on the ground, then you must get the bottom edge of the clubface under the ball. This is the "brushing of the grass" Take a few practice swings and brush the grass each time. Notice how easy it is if you are relaxed and not "gripping the devil" out of the club. Go back and forth and back and forth like a metronome.

Once this is accomplished, the second challenge is to generate the different distances required to get the ball close to the hole.
Don’t cut your finish short. After your shot, pause the follow through position to see where you are. Practice this to ensure a complete follow through each time. Remember, your first goal is to get the ball lofted the same each time. After that, you can start to work on your distance.