If you’re constantly chunking or skulling your chips, top golf instructor Kelvin Kelley says there’s one key habit that elite wedge players follow — and it could change your game.
Like many amateur golfers, I’ve had consistent issues with short-game shots, which often cost me valuable strokes every round. My driving is strong, thanks to solid clubhead speed and decent accuracy, and I’ve made good progress with my iron play — gaining better distance control and ball-striking.
But once I get close to the green, especially within 30 yards, things start to unravel.
To fix this weakness, I turned to top-ranked coach Kelvin Kelley. The Rainmakers Golf team and I joined him for an on-course lesson focused on the short game — which you can check out at the 6:20 mark in the video below.
The Simple Technique That Sets Great Short-Game Players Apart
In the video, Kelley and I evaluate a tricky shot just off the green. I explain that I typically opt for a bump-and-run using either a Pitching Wedge or Approach Wedge. That’s when Kelley shares a straightforward but powerful insight: great short-game players keep the ball low whenever possible near the green.
“Skilled players try to keep the ball close to the ground to better control the distance,” he explains.
In this scenario, the rough is too thick to putt, so Kelley recommends using a Sand Wedge. This club offers better control of how the ball launches and rolls after landing.
Although I didn’t strike the shot perfectly — catching it high on the face and leaving it short — the advice stuck with me. Kelley pointed out that with a slightly deeper landing, the ball could have caught the slope and rolled toward the hole.
Despite the miss, I walked away with a key lesson: keeping chip shots low improves consistency and distance control, making it easier to save strokes around the green.
So next time you’re facing a challenging short-game shot, remember this simple tip — and play it low when you can.
