Coaching Corner

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Here's a truth that might surprise you: the world's best players are not perfect ball strikers every day.

They miss fairways. They miss greens. They hit poor shots at the worst possible moments. What separates them from the rest of us is not their ability to avoid trouble; it's their ability to escape from it.

Professional golfers save themselves constantly. Their up-and-down percentage is what keeps tournaments alive. A scrappy par after a wayward drive often provides more momentum than a stress-free birdie. The psychological boost of walking off a green having "stolen" a par cannot be overstated.

Yet most amateur golfers continue to spend 80% of their practice time on the full swing and 20% on the short game. It should be the opposite.

The Drill: The Par 18 Challenge

Set up 9 different stations around your short game area. Each station is a "hole" with a par of 2.

Design the 9 holes to include:

• 3 easy shots (simple chip from a good lie)
• 3 medium difficulty shots (slightly awkward stance or distance)
• 3 difficult shots (bunker, tight lie, over a slope, rough, etc.)

Play each shot. Scoring like a normal medal round of golf:

• Up and down in 2 shots = Par 
• One chip + two putts = Bogey 
• Worse than that = Double bogey or more 

A perfect score of 18 means you got up and down from every single station. That is professional level. A score of 20 is still excellent and would save you countless shots on the course.

This isn't just a drill. It's a pressure-based practice game that introduces consequence. It simulates what you face on the course. It forces you to focus. And it reveals where your short game truly stands.

"The best players in the world don't practise until they get it right. They practise until they can't get it wrong."

Why Jordan Spieth Uses One Wedge Inside 70 Yards

Simplicity creates consistency. Jordan Spieth proves this every time he plays.

Inside 70 yards, Spieth overwhelmingly relies on one club: his lob wedge. He doesn't rotate through three or four different wedges depending on the shot. He learns one club incredibly well. As a result, his distance control is exceptional. His feel is dialled. And his decision-making under pressure becomes almost automatic.

The detail that always makes me smile: Spieth wears his lob wedge out so thoroughly that he replaces it every few months. That's how much he trusts it. That's how often he uses it.

The Lesson for You

You don't need four different wedge shots with four different clubs. You need one wedge that you know inside and out.

Pick your favourite wedge – probably your sand wedge or lob wedge – and commit to learning everything it can do:

• The low, checking shot that runs out a few feet and stops
• The standard, spinning shot that lands soft and bites
• The higher, softer shot that needs to carry an obstacle or stop quickly

All with the same club. All with different swing lengths and different trajectories.

This makes your practice simpler. It makes your decision-making on the course clearer. And it transfers directly to lower scores because you're not second-guessing your club selection from 60 yards.