In this article we have a few tips related to getting the ball up and down as often as possible.
- Prepare before starting your round. The conditions you face are going to change for each and every round, even if you usually play the same course. The greens will be fast and firm some days, while they may play soft and slow on other occasions. To hit the ground running right from the first hole on, be sure to warm up with some putts and chips. Get familiar with the conditions so you know what to expect when you miss a green for the first time.
- Put away your frustration. Part of the challenge that comes with trying to get up and down is the fact that you are probably a bit frustrated after missing the green with your approach shot. Use the time between hitting your approach shot and arriving at the ball for your chip to calm down and refocus. There is nothing you can do about the approach shot now, but you can save a stroke if you get up and down in two rather than needing three strokes to finish the hole.
- Steer clear of the short side. We already mentioned that you want to keep your ball under the hole when at all possible. Another strategy point which needs to be mentioned is the danger of the short side. If you miss your approach shot on the short side of the green – the side where the hole is located – you won’t have much room to work with, and your chip shot may be nearly impossible. When you can, play to the wide side of the green to give yourself the easiest possible chance to get down in only two more strokes.
Getting up and down is one of the most important skills you can possess as a golfer. Some simple math tells the story here. Let’s say you miss ten greens during a round, and you currently get up and down just two out of those ten times. After working on your short game, you get up and down five or six out of those ten. That’s a savings of three or four strokes per round! You’ll be hard-pressed to find that kind of improvement anywhere else in your game. Good luck!
