Bruce Romberg

The short game or the feel shots around the green and putting tend to be the most difficult to regain sharpness after a long winter or layoff from golf.

I feel that this is the first area to attack when you start to practice.

The advantages of building your game back up from the hole and working backwards is countless. The obvious high percentages of shots, some 60 percent that are taken within 100 yards during a round of golf are not the only reason. The short game or the less that full shots can help the not only the mechanics but the rhythm and tempo of your full swing.


When I am teaching short game, the most prevalent errors often come in the decision-making process instead of the execution of the shot itself. The decision process is comprised of what type of shot to hit (high or low), what club to use, and how to set up to achieve this. This installment is what I feel is important in the short game as you start to get ready for the golfing season.
Short game tip: Making sound decisions

Visualize: Can you see the proper shot for the current situation?

Jack Nicklaus called this technique "going to the movies". He never hit a shot that he didn't see in his mind first. This is very important in starting phase 2.

Recognize: Club selection for the shot at hand. A higher shot such as a lob or pitch would need a more lofted club than a chip and run, which would need less loft.

Execute: How set-up and ball position in your stance have to match the shot your trying to play.

Low shot: Position your sternum in front of the ball (weight shifts to the front of stance, about 80 percent). Ball is placed even with your rear foot.

High shot: Position sternum even or slightly behind the ball (weight only 60 percent to front of stance).

When making your decisions on what shot to play, always play the lowest shot possible with the highest percentage of success. Never play a shot that you haven't practiced just because you saw a tour player do it on TV. Putt, Chip, Pitch, and then Lob in that order to higher rates of success.
Short game tip: The mechanics

Solid Contact on the middle of the clubface is paramount to being great with your wedges and around the greens. Without a solid impact condition, direction and distance control is not achievable. Understanding impact is knowing that the handle of the golf club stays in front of the clubface as you strike the ball, never behind. This is the most common mistake players, a lead wrist that is bent and a shaft that leans away from the target.

After you have achieved a proper impact condition and solid contact, swing length controls the distance of the shot. I like to see the short shots be symmetrical in length. This means the backswing length matches the forward swing.

Think of a clock face. If your arms swing to nine o'clock in the backswing, stop at 3 o'clock on the forward swing. This is on a basic chip or pitch, specialty shots are the exception. Always keep it simple, nothing fancy.
Short game practice drills

Hide the tee: Stick a tee in the top of your grip. Make practice swings and try to hide the tee behind your lead forearm. If you break down with your lead wrist, the handle will line up with your rear arm and the tee will be visible between your arms. Hit chips and pitches and check your finish to achieve a flat lead wrist and a bent rear wrist.

Stork drill: Hit chips, pitches and sand shots with your rear foot off the ground and up on your toe for balance. This places most of your weight on your front leg to give you a descending angle of attack, essential for solid contact. This is the best short game drill because most players hang back in an attempt to lift the ball in the air.

I would like to see golfers work on achieving a solid impact condition first then practicing different shots around the greens to develop your distance and trajectory control. Don't put the cart before the horse, work on impact first and the rest of it will be much easier. Remember, nearly 60 percent of the shots in a round are played within 100 yards so it this area the proper practice time. Plan your shots carefully and you will have great success. Good luck in shooting lower scores.

Ronald Bruce Romberg Magazine

Bruce Romberg Info
I find with most of my students that when all else fails they rarely check their grip. I believe golfers do not want to admit that the source of many of their problems in the golf swing could simply be from the hand position.

I always ask my students to do something we are taught in LPGA Teaching schools and that is to simply let your arms hang down to your side as you would if you were standing. Then, look and see how many knuckles you see on each hand.

Whether it is two or three-no matter-that is what your hand position should look like on the club. It should be comfortable, and yes some people naturally have a strong or weak grip, but that can be fixed after watching the swing if necessary.

Golf tip: The proper golf grip

To set your hands properly on the club after you have done the above, follow these rules: First, set an iron on the ground so the sole lies flat on the ground. Then, hold the end or butt of the handle lightly between your thumb and forefinger with your right hand (For right-handed golfers).

Next, you will add your left hand, set your grip with the club resting at the base of your fingers. Feel the grip in your fingers! Not in your palm!

Too many golfers over-grip by placing the club in their palms thus; they have less control of the club. Now, close your hand around the club and feel the pressure in your fingers. Your left thumb should fall to the right of the top of the grip. There should be a gap between your palm and club, and you should be able to see at least two knuckles of your left hand. Now we can work with the right hand. Set the base of your right hand fingers just below your left hand.

If you use the overlap grip, you will place your pinkie finger so that it rests in the crease of your index finger and middle finger of your left hand. Feel pressure on the club with your middle and ring fingers of the right hand.

Finally, your right thumb should wrap across and slightly to the left of the grip. Your left thumb should fit nicely in the crease created by your right palm and the pad of the right palm. Your palms should now be facing each other and "Dialed" slightly clockwise as you look down on them. Your right index finger may extend down a little to create a "trigger" if you prefer.

To check your grip, make sure that the "V's" that are created from the creases between the thumbs and index fingers point towards the middle-between your shoulder and neck. Always check your grip before you play-it could save you errant shots!

Tip: Consider a neutral grip is where both "V's" of the hands point to mid shoulder area (between the shoulder and neck). When the flight of the ball tells you that you are delivering the clubface to the ball looking to the right of your swing line, move both your hands gradually towards the "strong" position (Both "V's point to the right shoulder). If your shots tell you that the clubface is arriving at the ball looking left of your swing path, move both "V's" gradually towards your neck area.

Your grip is right for you when the ball heads straight most of the time.

Bruce Romberg Bio

For most shots out of the sand, use your 60-degree wedge unless the flag is across the green, then you might go to your 54-degree or pitching wedge. Start by addressing the ball with an open club face. Play the ball off your left heel and set about 60 percent of your weight on your left foot.

Next, pick a spot approximately an inch behind the ball, as this is where you want the clubhead to enter the sand. From there make an outside in swing, making sure to use a full wrist hinge on the backswing.

As you swing the club head through the impact zone let the club head release to create the proper speed through the sand. Most golfers don't swing hard enough in bunkers to let the sand propel the ball out of the trap. Feel like you are pounding the sand and accelerating the club head through the shot to improve your bunker play.


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