The Smart Play Presented By Zurich
How to
Short Game
Shots & Strokes

Episode 3: The Short Side

Billy explains why making smart course-management choices is even more important around the green. Presented by Zurich.

Released on 4/16/2018

Transcript

00:00
(upbeat instrumental music)
00:02
Hey, cameraman, pan this way a little bit.
00:07
(upbeat rock music)
00:21
So, Billy, a lot of people don't
00:22
consider risk management when they get into the short game.
00:25
And we put ourselves in a tough situation here,
00:27
and we've short-sided ourselves,
00:29
which means we've missed the ball
00:30
on the side of the green the flag's located on.
00:32
We gotta go over a bunker.
00:33
Pretty difficult shot.
00:34
Very difficult shot.
00:35
This is a high risk shot right here.
00:37
And like you said, a lot of amateurs don't
00:40
understand the risk/reward shots on short game.
00:41
They only think about it, you know, maybe off the tee
00:43
or into the green.
00:44
But this is a common area that, you know,
00:47
you can lose a lot of shots around.
00:49
So, I think our goal, anytime we're inside of 50 yards,
00:51
I tell my students, is to make a three or better.
00:53
So, in this situation, you know,
00:55
we've gotta consider what's gonna give us the best option
00:57
to make a three at worst,
00:58
and give ourselves an opportunity to maybe make a two.
01:01
But we wanna eliminate the fours and the fives.
01:03
Yep, those fours and fives calculate up
01:05
to triple-bogeys and quads, and even more.
01:10
You know, with a shot like this, with the lie I have,
01:12
short-sided, the hero shot is a flop shot.
01:15
High risk, reward's very great,
01:17
and if you're not highly skilled--
01:19
If the cameraman wants to pan to the right a little bit,
01:21
I'll show them a shot amateurs should hit.
01:23
It's this little bump and run shot,
01:24
right over here to the right.
01:26
You get it 20 feet on the green,
01:27
you got a chance to make putt,
01:29
at worst you're gettin' down in three.
01:30
You're not making four, five,
01:31
you're not chipping back and forth.
01:33
So, this is the best shot for amateurs to play.
01:38
So, right there, I got 20 feet,
01:39
got a chance to make a putt.
01:40
If not, I'm tapping in; I'm up and down for three.
01:43
Probably walking off the hole at worst with a bogey.
01:46
Now, if you wanna go for the miracle shot,
01:47
and you're feeling good and confident.
01:50
This is where you leave it to a tour pro to hit the shots.
01:52
Amateurs, don't try this at home.
02:02
[Todd] Very good there.
02:03
[Billly] Thank you.
02:04
[Todd] Alright, let's go putt these in.
02:05
[Billly] Will do.
02:06
[Todd] I'll take the one on the left.
02:07
[Billly] What?
02:08
No chance.
02:09
You take that one, I'm taking the hero shot over here.
02:13
[Todd] Alright.
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