NCG’s Golf Glossary: What is a short game?

Here at NCG we pride ourselves on being the publication for the everyday player, so we’ve taken it upon ourselves to delve into the wonderful world of the golfing lexicon.

Sometimes the most obvious terms have the most interesting story, so you might find yourself an interesting conversation starter…

What is a short game?

Part of the golf game where a player is judged by their ability to chip and putt.

How would you use it in a sentence?

“His iron play has been poor but his short game has saved him today”

What are the origins?

Short game is a collective term for a player’s chipping, sand game and putting in, around and on the green. Chipping is usually done by using high numbered clubs such as a lob wedge and is within the proximity of the green.

Your sand game is when you find yourself inside a bunker around the green and you are required to pitch it out on to the green.

Once you have successfully found the green you will be required to putt. This occurs when the ball is on the green, and requires the use of a short, flat club called a putter

Any other business

Typically when you think of shot game you instantly think of using loft wedges to chip the ball around the green or use them from usually with in 100 yards.

But, the beauty of the short game is everyone has there own distinct way of playing certain shots.

At The Open you will see different ways that players navigate around the greens and will often use clubs with less loft, even woods, to ‘bump and run’ shots near the hole.

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