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The fastest way to lower your score is to improve your short game.

It starts from within 100 yards of the green; this is what I call the scoring zone. If you examine who wins on the PGA Tour every week, it's usually the player who is best from within 100 yards, and, so, the question is: How do you improve your short game?

It all starts with improving your mechanics. Yeah, that's right, it's almost impossible to have a consistent short game with bad mechanics. Let's work on improving those mechanics and improving your score.

Stand tall

As I observe golfers hitting short pitch and chip shots around the green, I notice how they tend to get bent over and scrunched up while addressing the ball.

This puts them into an awkward address position where they have a very difficult time making good, consistent swings on these delicate shots. The first thing to remember is to stand tall and place 70 percent of your weight on your front foot at address.

Be sure to keep the weight forward during these shots, as this will encourage a downward swing upon the ball during impact.
Soft Hands

The short game requires soft hands on the grip to take the tension out of the shot. A drill I use with students is to place a doubled up wash cloth in the palm and fingers of their right hand during the swing when practicing. (This makes it hard to grip the right hand too tight during the swing.)

It also enables golfers to get an improved feel when swinging the club on these shots. I also encourage students to make practice swings with their eyes closed, as this is another way to improve feel.
Visualize the shot

Pick out a spot on the green where you want to land the ball and visualize the trajectory of the ball in the air.

This is very important; if you practice this technique, you will start to hit these shots the way you envision them.
Observe how good players do it

Finally, watch golf tournaments on TV, tune into the Golf Channel or observe the good players you play with. Notice how all good players seem to relax and let the loft of the club do the work for them.

They never seem to "hit at the ball," they always swing through the ball. Players with a good short game trust their mechanics and concentrate on how they want to play the shot and where they are going to land the ball.

The good news is if you practice the above tips you will improve, which will help you relax, which will help you improve some more. That's when your scores will come tumbling down.

Bruce Romberg Bio

In my first golf tips article, I explained what going deep with confidence was and I explained how you should set down different layers of confidence so that it becomes thick and resilient.

I also explained how this develops golf swagger, an inward sense of confidence that is with us all the time, not visible to the outside. In this article I'm going to outline how to add more layers of confidence and explain what you can do when your golf confidence goes in the tank. This will really create golf swagger.

Another level and type of deep golf confidence comes from having a significant person in your life that has an entirely supportive and non-judgmental respect for you as a golfer. These people are happy for you when you play well and they are there for you when you don't. They certainly don't treat you differently based on what you shot that day.


The problem is golfers don't usually think this type of support affects their confidence, except in a warm-‘n'-fuzzy kind of way. Therefore, they don't pay much attention to it. However, recent research on world-class athletes, including golfers, reports that this is a very important confidence factor for them.

Why would elite athletes say this? First, it's because knowing we have that type of unmitigated support is deeply empowering and true empowerment breeds true confidence. Second, I think it's important because having people who unconditionally support you is another layer of confidence that is not dictated by golf performance.

Therefore, your next task is to create confidence by consciously acknowledging a supportive person in your golf world. I get my clients to add it into their golf swagger because this will help them sustain their emotional balance for all 18 holes. It never goes away.

By now you're probably thinking, "That's fine Dr. Al, but what do I do when the wheels fall off and my confidence is shot to hell? C'mon, give me something I can use in an emergency!"

OK, fair enough. Your next task is to create confidence by building a "confidence vault." This will involve using two very powerful mental tools that you already have: visualization and emotion. But because confidence is built in layers, I'm also going to ask you to incorporate one of your previous layers practice to help build the vault.

Now, wait! Don't get cranky on me. This doesn't mean more practice, but it does mean getting more out of the practice you have already committed to doing.

You build your confidence vault by making regular and systematic "deposits" of excellent shots that are then used when you need a confidence boost. I get players to think of these systematized deposits as multiple layers. The more they deposit, the thicker and more resilient their confidence becomes.

To make a deposit, simply visualize an extremely good shot you played before and recall the emotional reward you felt when it happened. Your smooth 4-iron from 185 arching gently over the water to a tough pin and that delicate chip under the pine branches and over the bunker are very confident images. Even if it's a straight drive that is shorter than usual, it's a positive image.

Now go over and gently tap your golf bag, depositing your positive images, emotions and confidence. Do this every time you hit a great shot, on the course or on the range. These deposits will build layer upon layer of confidence until you have a bulging vault of stored successes - just like a fat bank account.

Now, when the wheels fall off and/or you need to get your game and your confidence back, shot-by-shot of course, go over to your golf bag and mentally take out one of your successful deposits to match the shot at hand. It's easy to visualize it because you've done it before. It's easy to recall the rewarding emotions of the shot because you've had them before. Both of these active mental functions breed enormous amounts of confidence. Now, with your confidence in place, simply play away.

My clients say that the best thing about constantly depositing layers of confidence into their vault is that they have lots of confidence available, even after they use some of it up. And, if they need more, they say they just practice and make more deposits.

One player even stated that it's almost cheating because he gets double bang for his buck out of his good shots. He gets the immediate benefit of the actual shot and a second benefit when he uses it to boost his confidence. I say he gets a triple bang because he often hits his next shot very well as a result of the first two.

Like the building process, the benefits of deep confidence also happen in layers.


Contact Ronald Bruce Romberg

Club head speed determines distance. The golf swing has three moving parts: your body, your hands and your arms, all of which generate power during the swing.

The upper body needs to make a complete shoulder turn on the backswing, (this is where energy is stored). On the downswing the arms drop and swing around the body, then the hands release through the impact zone to create speed by straitening the arms at impact. As the arms swing down from the top of the backswing and through the hitting area, the speed of the swing will continue to increase if the arms straighten during the impact area.

Most players' arms and hands are too tight during the swing, creating tension that lowers swing speed and produces a weaker impact. Most golfers pull the arms inward while hitting, so the hands don't release. The result: slower swing speed and miss hits.


Years ago, while working at Cleveland Golf, I had the opportunity to watch many PGA Tour players practicing on the range. The longest hitters were the ones whose arms were soft and relaxed during the swing. At address, the arms should be relaxed and hanging down from your shoulders, tension free. At impact, the arms should be fully extended, allowing the hands to release upon impact.

The tour player who I believe best demonstrates the above is Fred Couples. His swing is full and loose, with no outward look of tension. During his career he has always been one of the longest hitters on tour and can easily reach back for additional distance when needed.

So take a full shoulder turn on the backswing, relax and let the arms straighten out upon impact. Your swing speed and distance will increase and you'll become a much better ball striker.

Ronald Bruce Romberg Sports

You have company spending two weeks with you this summer. One week down, one week to go. You long for your privacy, your own routine. Who's house is this, anyway?

Your wife loves people and having "them" around. You, on the other hand, could be a hermit. Well, at least they are in town shopping and you have a rare opportunity to take that private shower, without little Billy knocking on the door.

You are in the hallway and you have just removed your shirt and pants and pitched them 10 feet into the hamper in the laundry room. What's that noise!!!


The back door just opened. Your (your wife's) company is back from town. Rats! You have to make a split second decision. No time to think it over. They will be around the corner in less than three seconds.

There are some people you would not mind seeing you naked but not this bunch. Why open yourself up to the brunt of dinner time jokes?

At super human speed, you balance yourself deftly on your right foot and yank your left sock off. You aim (under immense pressure) and throw your sock at the hamper. Bull's eye!

Switching to your left foot, you balance yourself so gracefully that a ballerina would be envious, reach down and rip your right sock from your sweaty foot, shoot once again for the hamper. Swish! Dead center. Now, the moment of truth.

You flash back to the final game of the Bulls and Jazz. You are Michael Jordan. You, on the other hand, have less than one second to get your shorts off, shoot for the hamper, spin around and duck into the bathroom.

Your mind's a blur. What if? No time to consider the consequences. Your left leg comes out, then your right, all too fast to see. You aim at the hamper and let 'er fly. Perfect arc, no rim, dead center. You twirl around and duck into the bathroom. You made it!!!!!

You and Michael have more in common than you think. You were both under extreme pressure. You both shot at your target and you both made it. But the story only begins there.

What were you and Mr. Michael Jordan thinking about when you made these great shots? Position of your legs? Knee bend? Left Arm straight? Shoulder rotation? Hip rotation? Right elbow? Left Elbow? Pivot? The Ball? Your Shorts?

You were "seeing" your shorts fly through the air and hit the hamper. Michael was "seeing" the ball go directly into the middle of the basket.

You both "trusted" your minds and bodies to come up with a plan (without you) that would be successful. Any thoughts about the mechanics of your shots would certainly result in failure.

Why then, do YOU think YOUR golf pro's advice about all the things you NEED to think about in your swing is going to help? The more you THINK, the worse you get.

The golf swing, throwing your shorts, and Michael's successful shooting are a result of communication between the motor skill part of the brain (called the cerebellum, if you didn't already know that) and your wonderful machinery called your body.

When you skip rocks on the lake what do you think about? The moment of release? Pivot? Knees?

Isn't it about time you realized what creates a good shot, a good basket, or a good skip? Ask Michael or order "The Swings The Thing" or get caught with your shorts down around your ankles.


Ronald Bruce Romberg

This month we are focusing on a very important part of your golf play, the short game. Many times golf requires less than a full swing. This aspect of the game is called the approach. It consists of pitch and chip shots. The primary goal for approach shots is direction. These shots require the upper body to be more compact and controlled while the lower body stays fairly stationary, which creates stability. The choice of which shot to use is dependent upon distance from the green and the terrain around the greens.

A pitch shot is a high lofted shot that lands softly on the green and has little roll to it. The clubs that should be used for this shot are an 8 iron, 9 iron, pitching wedge, or sand wedge. This shot requires the hands to be higher on the grip. The stance a little less than shoulder width apart and the weight equally distributed between the two feet. This allows weight transfer when the swing is longer due to the shot being of further distance. The length of the swing depends on the distance from the green. The speed of the swing should remain consistent throughout. This shot usually requires a longer stroke, but shorter than a full swing with some wrist involvement and weight transfer.

A chip shot is a low lofted shot that lands hard on the green and has lots of roll to it. The clubs that should be used for this shot are a 5 iron, 6 iron, or 7 iron. This shot requires the hands to be lower on the grip with hands ahead of the ball. The stance should be narrow and slightly open with the weight on the target foot. The length of the swing depends on the distance from the green and how far you need the ball to roll once it hits the green. The speed of the swing should remain consistent throughout. This shot usually requires a shorter pendular stroke with the lower body stationary allowing the upper target side of the body leading throughout.


With this knowledge, try practicing both shots from different distances and using the different clubs to see what will work for you. Practicing these shots should allow for some sort of comfort when you need to execute such shots on the golf course. Good luck and keep on swinging.



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