The short game refers to any shot played within roughly 100 yards of the green – including pitches, chips, bunker shots and putts – where finesse matters more than force.

At Apes Hill Barbados, we’re fortunate to have world-class expertise on hand. Dan Grieves visited and gave a short game lesson to former world number one (and our brand ambassador) Ian Woosnam, bringing decades of insight to the practice tee. 

Here, we share seven considered tips drawn from Dan’s teaching, designed to bring more consistency, more clarity, and ultimately more enjoyment to your short game.

Before you can refine the short game, it helps to understand its individual elements. Each shot within this range serves a purpose, and knowing when (and how) to use them is half the challenge.

Pitch Shot: A higher flighted shot that lands softly and stops quickly. Best suited for 20 to 50-yard approaches where precision is key. Typically played with a sand or lob wedge.

Chip Shot: A lower shot that spends more time rolling than flying. Useful just off the green when there’s space to let the ball run out.

Bump and Run: A variation of the chip with a low flight and long roll. Ideal when conditions are firm and you want to take the guesswork out of the air.

Flop Shot: A high, soft shot with minimal roll, played over a bunker or obstacle. It requires a confident swing and a lofted wedge, typically 60° or more.

Sand Shot: From a green side bunker, a well-played sand shot lifts the ball up with loft and control. Use a sand wedge with an open face and let the bounce do the work.

Putting: The most familiar stroke – and often the most decisive. Smooth rhythm and good green reading go far.

Texas Wedge: Using a putter from off the green, often from the fringe or closely mown surrounds, can be a wise alternative to chipping, especially on tight lies.

One of the great truths of chipping is that simpler is usually better. On a sunlit ridge or tucked beside a tropical gully, start with a narrow stance, weight slightly forward, and keep your hands gently ahead of the ball. Focus on a smooth, controlled motion using your larger muscles – quiet wrists, steady tempo. 

Rather than aiming for the hole, pick a landing spot and trust the ball to release. Let the club match the task – choose based on how much carry or roll you need, not on habit. Consistent technique, paired with considered decision-making, builds both trust and touch. 

If you’re still feeling unsure, drop by the Performance Centre for a session and try out the chipping green specially designed to improve short game skills. Our chipping green caters to a variety of shots including uphill, downhill and side hill lies as well as pitching and chipping into the grain and down grain.

Good golf doesn’t always ask for heroics – it often rewards restraint. Playing the higher percentage shot means choosing the option that offers the greatest margin for success with the least risk.

That might mean laying up instead of challenging a tucked pin over water. Opting for a bump and run rather than a high flop. Aiming for the centre of the green rather than a narrow target. Or using a club you trust, even if it’s not the most aggressive choice.

These decisions, made over time, begin to shape rounds where you feel more in control, and the scorecard often reflects it.

Your wedges are precision tools, and understanding how they’re built and when to use them, is essential. A wedge with a higher bounce angle (typically 10° or more) offers more forgiveness in softer turf or sand. It glides through the surface rather than digging in, helping maintain tempo and strike quality.

Matching your wedge to the conditions (and to your swing) can dramatically improve results around the green. It’s not about adding more clubs, but about knowing what each one offers.

Whereas the long game relies on power, the short game requires a different setup to the full swing. Here, the goal isn’t distance – it’s precision and control. Hands should sit ahead of the ball, encouraging a downward strike and crisp contact.

Stand closer, narrow your stance, and quiet the lower body. These small adjustments promote consistency, allowing the club to do what it’s designed to do – glide, clip, and land with intent.

One of the most common disruptors in the short game is tension, particularly in the shoulders. It can creep in unnoticed, tightening your swing and disrupting your tempo.

Start by feeling the weight of your arms, letting them hang naturally. A relaxed posture allows the bigger muscles to guide the swing, leading to better rhythm and cleaner contact. Practice this awareness – especially in your rehearsal swings – and you’ll find a more fluid, more confident motion.

Putting begins before the stroke, in how you read the surface. Slope, grain, speed, moisture – every green tells a story, and taking a moment to read it can turn a hopeful guess into a purposeful stroke.

Observe from multiple angles. Visualise the ball’s journey. Rather than aiming at the hole itself, choose a target that allows the putt to break and fall in. With time, this process becomes instinctive, and your confidence with the putter will grow with it.

The short game isn’t transformed by reinvention, but by refinement. A touch more control in the pitch, a better-read roll on the putt, a stroke made with quiet confidence. These are the subtle shifts that make a lasting difference – not just in your score, but in how the game feels.

At Apes Hill Barbados, we believe golf is played best when the mind is calm and the setting inspires. Within 100 yards of the green, that belief comes into its own. With panoramic views, ocean breezes and expert guidance close at hand, it’s easy to settle into your rhythm – and rediscover the simple pleasure of the game, one well-struck shot at a time.

Want to see these principles in action? Watch as Dan Grieve takes on Apes Hill ambassador Ian Woosnam in a short game challenge across the resort, offering practical insights, light-hearted rivalry, and a masterclass in finesse.