All Great Short-Game Players Do This, Says Top Teacher originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Like many amateur golfers, I really struggle hitting short-game shots — which is only adding unnecessary strokes to my scorecard each round.
Off the tee? I’m pretty good, capable of using above-average club head speed for maximum distance without sacrificing accuracy. And my approach shots have improved, too, giving me solid ball-striking and distance control with my irons.
But the real trouble starts once I get a wedge in my hands, often losing strokes anywhere within 30 yards.
With my short-game being a real sore spot, I had to tap top-ranked golf coach Kelvin Kelley for some tips. So the Rainmakers Golf crew recently took an on-course golf lesson to help shore up my short game — which you can watch in the video below.
This Simple Secret is Key for Great Short-Game Players
In the video, Kelley and I walk up to my golf ball that’s just sitting off the green, putting me in a tough situation as an amateur golfer — getting up-and-down to save par.
As we assess the lie together, I admit that I’ve got a general idea which club I want to use and which type of short-game shot I prefer.
“I like to either choke down on a Pitching Wedge [or an Approach Wedge] and do a little bump and run,” I tell him.
But this is where Kelley briefs me on something simple that all great short-game players do: Avoid getting the ball into the air if you can near the putting surface.
“Good short-game players always keep it as low to the ground as possible, since you can control the distance easier,” he tells me.
While using a Texas Wedge — aka putting from off the green — is out of play here given the thickness of the rough, Kelley instructs me to go with a Sand Wedge, which allows me to control the ball-flight and roll-out once my ball hits the green a little bit better.
Unfortunately, I caught the ball just a little too high on my clubface, which popped it up more than I would’ve preferred — leaving my ball short after landing softly, but without much roll-out.
“It just landed on that ridge and stayed up top,” Kelley says following my result. “Had you landed that just a little bit further it would’ve caught that slope and run down [towards the pin].”
Although I didn’t execute the shot properly, the golf tip is now ingrained in me: Keeping the ball near the ground on chip shots is going to give me a much better opportunity at shaving strokes.
So use this tip to your advantage the next time you’ve got a tricky short-game shot.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
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