The ability to improve your approach shot can have a drastic affect on your golf game. And the fastest way to improve your approach shots may come as a surprise to you.
Because you won’t be needing any irons from your golf bag for this drill.
Thousands of golf students have shown faster improvement on their approach shots by practicing chipping and pitching with their wedges. It improves your ball striking and contact and increases the likelihood of hitting a pure shot, not just with those wedges but also with your irons.
Approaches account for 40% of the scoring advantage among pros on the PGA Tour.
That’s a huge deal. It means if you learn to put your approach shots on the green, you’re going to have a huge advantage over your opponents.
The Approach Shot
An approach shot includes shots taken at least 100 yards away when trying to reach the green.
In general, it will be your 2nd or 3rd shot on a hole, either par 4, or par 5. (Tee shots on par 3 could be considered approach shots.)
1. Grab Your Wedge
The key to improve your approach shot is good contact. While going to the range and hitting your irons can help your contact, that takes a long time.
You will learn the mechanics of good contact much more quickly by practicing your 5-20 yard chip shots.
Set up a small target in your backyard or practice area, grab your favorite wedge, and hit 100 balls at the target. Keep track of how many balls hit the target.
Do this at 5, 10, and 20 yards every day for a week, then go play a round of golf.
You’ll be amazed at the difference in your ball striking with your irons. You’ll have more Greens in Regulation, and even when you miss it won’t be a big deal, because you’ve been practicing those 5, 10, and 20 yard chips.
2. Find the Easy Approach Shot
Once you’ve practiced up your short chips, you will be feeling more confident about your irons and approach shots. The next step is to play smart golf.
If there is a bunker front left and back left of the green and the pin is on the left side of the green, don’t go pin seeking. Get the ball on the green. You’ll save yourself a lot of strokes this way.
Analyze what you have in front of you, and then make an informed decision on where to hit the ball. If the green slopes upward and you are between two clubs on the distance, play the shorter club and leave yourself an uphill easy putt instead of a downhill beast.
Find the easy approach shot and play smart golf. You’ll have a lot more fun.
3. Swing 80% For a More Controlled Approach Shot
For some reason, so many golfers like to brag about how far they can hit their ____. Nobody cares and you’re doing yourself a huge disservice trying to smash it.
An 80% swing is much easier to control than a 100% swing. And if your buddy makes fun of you for using your 7 iron on a 160 yard approach instead of a 9 iron, then you can make fun of him when you beat him by 10 strokes.
Many golfers get hung up on this tip, but it’s a game changer. If you want straighter, more predictable golf shots, swing 80%.
Trust your Short Game
The more you practice your chipping, the more confident you will feel around the green. With that confidence comes much more relaxed ball striking and a hugely improved approach shot. You will be a better ball striker, and you will be more relaxed. That combination is going to shave strokes off your handicap very quickly.
So chip, chip, chip! Set up that target and hit 100 chips at 5 yards, 10 yards, and 20 yards. I promise you it’s a complete game changer for anyone with a handicap of 10 or higher, and still causes significant improvement for single digit handicaps!
I know I’m beating a dead horse here, but if you practice your chips the improvement is going to blow your mind.
You need to train your body exactly what it feels like to fly the ball 5, 10 and 20 yards. This knowledge brings extreme confidence.
To measure your practice distances, just take 5 large paces for 5 yards, 10 for 10, etc. It doesn’t matter if it’s not exact, because you can use this same method on the golf course to pace out where you want to land the ball on your chips. (Usually about halfway between where your ball lies and the hole, depending on your preferred club for chipping)
Smart Practice Will Improve Your Approach Shots
Improving your approach shot will happen very quickly as you apply these three basic concepts.
- Practice Chipping
- Find the Best Miss
- Swing 80%
For more helpful tips, check out these posts!
