Short Siding, And How to Play Your Approach Shots!
“Hi!! A new golfer here. What does it mean to “short-side” yourself? I’ve
heard the term, but not the explanation. Is it good or bad?”
Well, anonymous new golfer, welcome. And to answer part one of your question:
Short siding is when you miss a green on the same side as the pin on your approach shot.
When you miss a green, putting the next shot close enough to sink the putt is critical,
and that’s easier when you have a lot of green between your ball and the hole
because you have more options for making the shot — low running chips (Please
see HOT TIP below!!!!) or high and soft, while if you are on the “short side”,
your only option may be a high flop shot that stops quickly, something that is
very hard to do for most people and impossible for many. And we NEVER recommend
you try that shot. Use another of those weapons in your bag.
Another thing to keep in mind is what direction the green slopes and what the
landscape on the green between you and the pin looks like. If the pin is near
an edge of a green that slopes towards the pin, you may be better off being on
the short side, where you can stop a shot quickly hitting into the slope, than
on the “long” side, where your shot will run a long way downhill and be very
difficult to judge.
One of the key things that determines how good someone is at getting “up and
down” around the green is whether he/she generally misses the approach shot
in a place where this will be easy.
This means knowing how you generally mis-hit shots, and picking
your club and aim point so that a well hit shot is on the green with a makeable
putt but a miss will leave you someplace where you can easily get down in 2.
The aim point and club selection will often not be at the pin and pin high.
There could be a myriad of places that you want the ball to land. And NEVER
fall for sucker pins. Sucker pins are those that are in a well guarded
location, but tantalizingly close. Hit your approach shot safe, and putt out in two strokes!!
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Where Should Your Miss Land??
One of the major differences between the Tour pros and the weekend player is
that the Tour pro focuses on where he wants his approach shot “misses” to land. For example,
if the green is sloped back-to-front, the Tour pro will choose a club that will
make sure that he leaves his approach shots below the hole so that he has an easier,
uphill putt for birdie.
You should do the same thing. Instead of just walking off the yardage and
choosing the appropriate club for the yardage, take a second to study the green
to see how it’s sloped. If it is sloped severely back-to-front, take one less
club or choke down on the club a bit.
Or, if it is sloped hard right-to-left, aim well left of the hole (assuming
the hole isn’t cut tight to the left side of the green near trouble). By
leaving your approach shots on the proper side of the hole, you’ll find
yourself three-putting or four-putting a lot less.
What are the three worst words in golf?
Wedge, Putter, Wedge (OK, if you don’t get it, email me, and I’ll explain..)
