You’re standing just off the green.
The hole is right there.
So you look at the flag, pick a club, and try to get the ball as close as possible.
Simple, right?
Not always.
One of the most common short-game mistakes isn’t your swing.
It’s where you’re trying to land the ball.
If you’re always aiming directly at the hole, you’re making the shot harder than it needs to be.
Stop Aiming at the Hole
When you’re around the green, the hole shouldn’t always be your first target.
Your first question should be:
“Where do I want the ball to land?”
The hole comes second.
Why?
Because once the ball lands, it still has to roll.
A chip that lands 10 yards short might roll several more yards toward the hole depending on the club, lie, slope, and speed of the greens.
If you don’t account for that rollout, you can easily leave yourself short, run past the hole, or end up in a much worse position.
Pick Your Landing Zone First
Before choosing your club, look at the green and identify a landing area.
Think of it as a small target.
Ask yourself:
- Where is the safest place to land the ball?
- How much green do I have to work with?
- What’s the slope doing?
- How much will the ball roll?
- Where do I want my next putt to come from?
Then choose the shot.
This simple change can completely change how you approach short-game shots.
Instead of:
Ball → Hole
Start thinking:
Ball → Landing Zone → Rollout → Hole
Understand What Happens After the Landing
The ball doesn’t stop when it hits the green.
That’s where many golfers get into trouble.
A lower-lofted club will generally release more.
A higher-lofted club will generally fly farther and release less.
But club selection isn’t only about loft.
Your lie matters.
The firmness of the green matters.
The slope matters.
And your landing point matters.
That’s why you shouldn’t automatically grab the same club every time you’re just off the green.
Choose the Club That Gives You the Safest Shot
You don’t always need to hit the most impressive shot.
Sometimes the smartest play is the boring one.
If you have plenty of green to work with, a lower, running shot may give you more margin for error.
If you need the ball to stop faster, you may need more loft.
If you’re short-sided with very little green, your options change again.
The goal isn’t to hit the perfect shot.
The goal is to give yourself the best chance of getting the ball safely onto the green and near the hole.
Don’t Automatically Aim at the Flag
Here’s where the 10-yard mistake comes in.
Imagine you’re 20 yards off the green with 15 yards of green between you and the hole.
If you aim straight at the flag and land the ball too close to it, you may have no room for rollout.
But if you choose a landing zone several yards onto the green, you can use the roll to your advantage.
You’re not trying to hit the ball to the hole.
You’re trying to use the green to get to the hole.
That small adjustment can make your short game much more predictable.
The next time you’re around the green, don’t immediately pull a club.
Take 10 seconds.
1. Find your landing zone.
Pick a specific spot on the green.
2. Estimate the rollout.
Think about how far the ball should travel after landing.
3. Choose your club.
Pick the club that makes that shot easiest.
4. Pick your target.
Aim at the landing zone, not the hole.
5. Commit to the shot.
Make your normal swing and let the ball do the rest.
Better Short Game = Better Decisions
You don’t need another complicated short-game technique.
Sometimes you just need to stop treating the hole as your only target.
Pick the landing spot.
Choose the right club.
Use the rollout.
And give yourself a putt you can actually make.
That 10-yard adjustment might not look like much.
But over 18 holes, those small decisions can save you a lot of strokes.
Getting better at golf isn’t only about practicing your technique. It’s also about playing more, meeting other golfers, and getting more opportunities to put what you’re learning into practice.
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