The Short Game is the least practised and the most important of all golf shots. The quickest way to improve your results is regular and quality practise on the shots around the green. For some reason most people are more interested in gaining 10 metres on their drive or fairway woods instead of trying to decrease the number of shots they take from 50 metres out from the hole.

Regardless of your talent or level of handicap, if these shots were more consistent (and I include putts in this) your scores would get lower (guaranteed). Remember also if your tee shot is 10 metres further you will still have a long way before the ball is in the hole, and that is what golf is - getting the ball in the hole in the fewest number of shots.

All sounds good in theory I know but I'm going to give you a drill which will make practise more fun and will improve your feel.

• Go to the practice putting green or chipping green. (Be careful as some clubs don't allow chipping on practice putting greens; something I've never understood but that's a different story) - Use whatever you club you want to chip with and a putter. If the practice green has multiple holes choose one for the whole drill.
• Now with one ball start from a point about 3-4 metres away from the green. Chip onto the green and then hole out in your chosen hole with your putter.
• Go back to your original spot off the green and pace out 10 metres further round the green. Chip on again and hole out with your putter in your chosen hole (Please remember it is always the same hole)
• This procedure is done 9 times. You keep a count of each hole.
• Each hole is a Par 2 so Par for 9 holes is 18. If you achieve this then your short game is brilliant (Tour standard). It should be no more than 27 and anything in-between is good.

It's a great exercise and done a couple of times a week it will make a difference no matter what your handicap is. It can be made easier or harder depending on where you choose to start from. It could be that a bunker is included or heavy rough.

I always include this drill when I coach teams as it can become very competitive and is a great way to see just what is required to be looked at. A reference to my Tip 2 and Tip 5 is also a good refresher at this point.

Good luck and please let me know how you get on.