Golf short game tips can save you a lot of shots around the green. Even if it is only one shot every other hole, that adds up to a total of nine shots in the round of golf. I don't know about you, but I would settle for that.

As far as my own game is concerned, I admire the golf shot played from about sixty yards from the flag stick, which flies low through the air, bounces a couple of times when it lands, and then bites as it comes to a halt. When you see this shot in the air, it seems like the ball has been thinned, and it is not until the ball hits the green that you see the massive backspin on the ball rapidly checks its forward momentum, and the golf ball soon comes to a stop.

Those are the kind of shots I wanted to know how to hit, so here is how I play them.

1. The sand iron is the club of choice. I position the ball well back in the stance at address. The hands are therefore well ahead of the ball, and are just inside the left heel.

2. Keep the left wrist firm in the backswing, which is shorter than normal.

3. Keep the left wrist firm as you begin the downswing, the hands ahead of the ball, the left arm leading the shot into and through the ball.

4. Unlike the normal swing with a sand wedge, this type of pitch shot is played with a short follow through, as you do not want the ball to fly high. The weight is on the left side as you hit through the shot.

It takes a bit of practice to get used to hitting this type of pitch shot, especially keeping the wrists firm. The natural tendency is to want to cock them, but this will only send the ball high.

This is one of many golf short game tips which has helped me to play my shots closer to the flag stick from just off the green.