Sergio Garcia Reveals How To Play The 2 Show-Stopping Short Game Shots That Helped Him Win The Masters
Want to know how Sergio Garcia performs his wedge game wizardry? The former Masters Champion shares his tips on how to sharpen up your short game...
![Sergio Garcia hitting a wedge shot and putting on the Green Jacket at The Masters in 2017](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/73He2QBf7bL3pa6WWP3qEn-415-80.jpg)
As a big Sergio Garcia fan, I can never resist the chance to watch him work his magic on the golf course. Despite disappointingly missing out at the Open Final Qualifying this week, Sergio Garcia has been playing some great golf – finishing runner-up on LIV Golf twice this season.
His 2017 Masters victory is still one of my favourite golf memories, and I can still recall being overawed by his short-game sorcery around the tricky greens at Augusta National. So, despite the fact we wont be seeing Sergio at Royal Troon later this month, I decided to embrace a brief nostalgic journey through time.
In this article, and thanks to the incredible depth of the Golf Monthly archives, Sergio Garcia discussed his memories of Augusta National and shared his top tips for improving your short game with two shots he utilised on his way to famously winning the Green Jacket...
The Smooth Lob Wedge
A lot of players carded double- bogeys (or higher) at the 2017 Masters. I was lucky – bogey was my worst score all week, and the one I made on the 10th on Sunday felt more like a par.
After hitting my approach into the pine straw right of the green, I had one option: a soft lob. It’s a shot I learned as a little kid. There’s no better way to get the ball up and stop it quickly from short range.
The lob I hit on the 10th rolled out a bit, because the green was running away from me, but it was close enough for a manageable up-and-down.
In terms of technique, it’s easy. First, open the clubface as much as you can. Open your stance, too – just make sure the clubface points at your target.
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Once you’re set, take the club back slowly – a fast backswing destroys tempo. As you transition into your downswing, smoothly accelerate through the ball. Think ‘calm speed, full swing’. And don’t quit on it!
Keep your hips over your toes. The less you sway on both your backswing and downswing, the greater your odds of crisp contact. Although it’s a short shot, you need decent speed and full commitment to launch the ball high enough to get that nice, soft landing you’re after.
The 'Bite And Spin' Wedge
The easiest way to make more putts is to knock the ball closer to the pin, especially with your wedges and short irons. The key is to get the ball to ‘bite’ and spin back – or at least hold its ground.
After all, you can’t get close if your shots run out well past the pin. On my first hole on Sunday at The Masters in 2017, I left my 133-yard approach just five feet from the hole, then made the birdie putt. And I hit my approach nice and tight on the 18th hole, thanks to lot of ball-controlling spin.
Crisp, clean contact is critical bite-and-spin wedge shots, and starts by keeping your body stable. At the top of your swing, your upper body must be over the ball, just as it was at set-up. I see a lot of weekend players sway to the left or right as they swing.
That’s not how you add wedge spin – that’s how you thin it. Keep your chest over the ball well into your downswing. You want ball-first contact and then a healthy divot, and it helps to have your upper body centered above your contact point.
And take healthy swings. Give it a good whack, making sure the club reaches top speed through impact, not before. Time it right and the grooves of the clubface will grab the ball, creating the friction you need.
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In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he has also presented many Golf Monthly videos looking at all areas of the game from Tour player interviews to the rules of golf.
Throughout his time with the brand he has also covered equipment launches that date back well over a decade. He clearly remembers the launch of the Callaway and Nike square drivers as well as the white TaylorMade driver families, such as the RocketBallz! If you take a look at the Golf Monthly YouTube channel, you'll see his equipment videos dating back over a decade! He has also conducted 'What's In The Bag' interviews with many of the game's best players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm. Over the years, Neil has tested a vast array of products in each category and at drastically different price-points.
Neil is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth Plus Fairway Wood: Titleist TSR2 Hybrid: Titleist TS3 Irons: PING Blueprint S (4&5), PING Blueprint T (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 50˚, 54˚, 60˚ Putter: Odyssey Triple Track Ten Ball: Titleist Pro V1X
- Barry PlummerStaff Writer
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