Golfers often kneel down behind their ball and look at their putts in order to read the breaks on the green. Sometimes looking at the shot from behind the hole helps as well, called “reading it from the other side.” Walking the putt from ball to hole also helps golfers get the feel of the slope, helping them to detect if the putt is downhill or uphill.
Why not use some of these simple techniques in the short game, so long as they don’t slow down play?
Short Game Walk
Arguably there is likely more terrain to read in the short game (chipping and pitching) than when putting. Around greens there are often false fronts, hills, slopes, bumps, humps, bunkers, and all sorts of other areas which can greatly affect the direction and distance the ball will travel.
For instance, chipping into an upslope will certainly kill the distance. Conversely, chipping onto a downslope will increase distance. Side-slopes? Those will knock the ball offline greatly.
Take a short walk along the proposed chip/pitch line and check out the ground. Look at how the ball will bounce and where you intend to land it. Take note of the feel of the ground too. Is it soft or hard? The harder the ground, the bigger the bounce.
Check out the length of the grass in the intended line as well. Obviously shorter grass will not kill the shot as much as long grass.
Conclusion
A quick walk in the line of your short game shot could be a big stroke saver. Knowing where to land the ball and how far the ball will travel is invaluable information.
