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By Barry Goldstein, Photo by Warren Keating
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 How you make a practice swing when chipping from off the green is
especially critical. First of all, you’re not just trying to calculate
how far you need to hit the ball, you’re also trying to determine how
high the ball should fly and how much roll you want it to have. Also, a
practice stroke helps you to assess the lie, which can range from
having a ball that’s sunken down in the rough to one sitting high on
the collar. All these variables come into play when making a practice
swing, which is why I think it’s critical that every golfer learn my
“rehearsal” technique before hitting a chip or pitch shot.
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Master golf's most difficult bunker shots
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By Jeff Ritter, PGA; with Charlie Schroeder
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 If only we could tee up every golf shot. We’d always have perfect lies,
where no grass or trees or sand could get in the way of making clean
contact with the ball. Of course, that isn’t the case. Between the tee
and green, we have to surrender to the course and “play the ball as it
lies.” That means adjusting to a number of challenging circumstances,
such as plugged bunker shots and awkward stances. For this story, I’ve
concentrated my efforts on just those types of lies—the ones you get
where you look to your playing partners, throw your arms in the air and
say “anybody have any suggestions?” Take time to practice these shots,
and you won’t wonder what to do the next time you’re faced with an
awkward lie.
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By Tom Stickney II, G.S.E.D., PGA, Illustration by Phil Franke
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 When you desire a softer type of explosion shot out of the bunker from
this normally “hot” lie, you need to employ an open clubface and
relaxed hands. Make your angle of attack steeper by leaning your weight
toward your front foot. This weight shift also accentuates the digging
action of the clubhead, making soft hands and an open clubface that
much more critical. Otherwise, the golf ball will come out with more
velocity than desired.
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By T.J. Tomasi, Ph.D., PGA, Photography by D2 Productions
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 They don’t keep stats for it on the PGA Tour, but all pros excel at
hitting the mid-range lob. It’s played with your highest-lofted club
(usually a lob wedge) from around 30 yards, and it’s one of those shots
that, if you pull it off to save par or make birdie, can energize the
rest of your round.
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By Barry Goldstein, PGA, Illustration by Phil Franke
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 I’m sure you’re familiar with the famous Sam Snead tip, “Hear your
putts.” To ensure that he didn’t come out of his putts too early, the
“Slammer” held fast in his putting posture until he hopefully heard the
ball rattle the bottom of the cup.
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By Debbie Steinbach, LPGA, Photography by Warren Keating
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 The chipping and putting motions are linear in nature. By that, I mean
the face remains square to the target line throughout, never opening or
closing like it does with full swings from the fairway and the tee.
Moreover, the path of the stroke shouldn’t deviate from the target
line. Realizing these facts can save a lot of amateur golfers a lot of
headaches around the green, where the majority of less-than-skilled
players chip the ball with a full-swing technique and leave themselves
with a lengthy putt.
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By Scott Schneider, PGA; Illustration by Phil Franke
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 Of course, only dedicated practice can help you become a better
short-game player, but if you master the key elements of pitching and
chipping, you’ll discover an immediate improvement in your scores.
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By John O'Leary III, PGA; Photography by D2 Productions
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 There aren’t many shots that touring professionals fear, but if you had
to choose one, the buried lie bunker shot would probably take the cake.
It’s a shot even more feared among amateurs who have no idea how to
approach it, let alone how the ball will react off the clubface and
once it hits the green. I’ve always believed that a buried lie isn’t a
cause for despair, but rather an opportunity to demonstrate your
short-game prowess. With some adjustments to the normal bunker setup,
you can accomplish the goal of getting out of the bunker and onto the
green every time.
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By Matt Swanson, PGA, Illustration by Phil Franke
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 Few shots on the golf course are more satisfying than a well-executed
flop shot. Unfortunately, unless you’re Phil Mickelson, the risk is
probably not worth the reward. There’s very little margin for error.
With the wrong lie, you can swing the club under the ball without
advancing it. And, with such a big swing, you’re liable to hit an
80-yard screamer if you catch it thin.
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By Rick DePamphilis, PGA; Illustration by Phil Franke
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 Golfers who are confused about the amount of body action normally
associated with a pitch shot can learn from the simple mental image of
pitching horseshoes. During this underhanded motion, the arms and body
work together in response to the target. The body parts don’t need to
be consciously controlled; rather they should react naturally to the
command of pitching the horseshoe based on what the eyes see as a
target.
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Instruction 
