Hitting shorter shots requires flexibility in your approach, so you can play either a high or low shot onto the green. Your lie or where your ball is positioned relative to the green is of the greatest consideration in choosing the correct shot.
A golden rule to follow is play the ball on to the green with a low and rolling shot unless conditions require you elevate the ball.
Regardless of which shot you hit, your pre-shot preparations should include the following four points:
1. The closer you are to the green, the closer together the heels should be.
2. Play the ball from the center of your stance to return the club face to the ball with the correct loft and bounce angle.
3. Place 70 percent of your weight onto the left foot for greater stability and avoid swaying. This can be achieved by sliding your bottom a bit left until you feel most of your weight on the left foot. (It will be the right foot for left-handed golfers.)
4. Tuck the right knee into the left to activate the pivot through the ball.
The most notable swing characteristic of a low, rolling shot is that the club head never elevates above the hands. When the club stays low to the ground in the backswing and follow-through, the ball flight responds in kind.
To elevate the ball for pitch shots, all that is needed is leverage. The club head will work up and down with greater force, and the ball will naturally respond with greater height.
In this sequence, we see the player is hitting a low, rolling shot because the club head stays low to the ground in the backswing and follow-through.
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