Up and down is another way of saying ‘the short game’. The golfing definition of the short game is those sometimes infuriating pitching and chipping shots that are attempted, together with sand shots and that other game within golf—putting!
I’m of the opinion that golf should be learned starting at the hole and then, slowly but surely, progressing back towards the tee. I get some strange looks from students whenever I start a series of lessons this way—not so from children- but from adults who perhaps think that it’s too simple!
Men –especially—think that they’re not getting their money’s worth if you ask them to spend an hour putting or doing some chipping. They just want to pull out the driver and try to whack that little white ball as far as possible.
If however, a beginner tries to learn the game from the tee with their driver and then move toward the green, postponing learning the short game until last, they’ll have a problem beating anybody. l love to see youngsters learning the game on the practice green chipping and putting with one golf ball.
A chipping stroke is just a short version of a full swing and if learned well –the unteachable qualities of touch and feel will quickly develop. The best stroke in the world is not much good without touch or feel. I will take a chipper or putter who has touch any time over someone who has a beautiful stroke but no sense of feel for where, or how, the ball is going to roll.
Chipping a dozen or so balls at the same hole, one after the other, in my opinion, is a poor method. It gives too much room for mistakes. If you can hit a bad chip then just hit another, it does not teach you the cold hard reality of playing golf, which is that you only have one chance and have to pay for your mistakes—so chip & putt with one ball.
I’ll leave you here with these tips—when aiming your putter try not to place the putter behind the ball with your right hand, because when you then put your left hand on the club you would have automatically changed your aim. Put the putter behind the ball with your left hand, or with both hands. Always chip the ball if your lie is poor, the green is hard, you have a downhill lie, the wind has an influence on the shot or you’re under stress. Always pitch the ball if the lie is good, you have an uphill lie, the green is soft or there is an obstacle in the way.