Golf Strategy For Short Hitters - TOP 5 tips

Golf has very much turned into a game of distance. Those that can hit it far have a chance of making birdie or even eagle. However, there is plenty of golf strategy for short hitters. If you happen to struggle with total distance, I gathered most helpful tips you need to score low despite you're a short hitter. Here are the best ways to do it.

5 Strategy Tips For Short Hitters

I’ve never been the shortest hitter; I had more than enough distance with an average drive of 280 yards. With many modern golfers driving the ball 280-320 yards, you may think short hitting is a disadvantage, but it doesn’t have to be. I played with a lot of great golfers who also beat me without driving the ball further than 250 yards. Here are the tips for golf strategy for short hitters that work 😉

Work On The Accuracy Of The Driver

It’s fun to hit it far but straight is ultimately more important. If you don’t have the distance that other players have, accuracy becomes even more important. Practice hitting drives that all land in the same general area.

Pick a flag and continually try to hit near this flag; if something comes up ten yards short, don’t worry; accuracy is your best bet here.

Get Confident In Your Short Game

Short hitters need to practice things like chips, pitches, and putting more than long hitters. Think about the difference of trying to hit it close to a pin with a 5 iron compared to a pitching wedge. Clearly, the pitching wedge is a much easier shot.

Short hitters have a lot of mid to long iron approach shots to the green. No matter how often you practice and how great you get with these shots, you will miss greens from time to time. Know how to hit both high and low short game shots and perfect this area of your game.

Also, practice putts that are ten feet and shorter; there will be quite a few of these to save par.

Find A Great Hybrid

Short hitters can end up with quite a few long iron shots into the green. If you are in a little bit of rough or have a slightly inconsistent swing, long irons are tough. Find a great hybrid, either a 4 or 5 hybrid that you trust and can be consistent with.

Learn the 50 Yard Shot

A 50 yard golf shot is going to come up quite often if you are a short hitter. On a long par 4, if you hit a driver and a hybrid and come up short, chances are you will have about 50 yards left. Don’t give up on par! Learn the 50 yard shot, hit it close and make a short putt.

Practice this shot with a 56 degree wedge and a pitching wedge so you can vary the height of the shot.

Learn Your Carry Distance

Short hitters need to accept the distances that they can hit the ball. These distances can be shorter than your friends, but as long as you have them dialed in, you can score. Remember that there is a difference between total distance and carry distance.

The total distance is how far your ball will go in total, but carry distance is how far it travels before hitting the ground. When hitting over hazards, carry distance is the number you need.

A portable launch monitor or golf GPS watch can help you dial in your yardages, so you have more confidence.

Conclusion

Short hitters don’t have to give up on low scores. Play from the proper tees, work on your short game, and hit your driver straight, and there is no reason why you can’t be a scratch golfer. Does distance make it easier to score? Absolutely. However, I can tell you from experience these strategies work to help short hitters score low.