Your Short Game Solution: Mastering the Finesse Game from 120 Yards and In

This IS my short game! He's the bounce king. I really truly never understood how to use the bounce in my short game, now my chips and pitches and sand shots are the same as the pros, not because I'm special but because I followed the instruction in this book. I practice a lot, and it took me a couple months before I could do it, but when I got it ... Oh my Lord, it's like I'm cheating! The bounce is a devastating short game weapon that most golfers have no idea how to use. Now I can get up and down out of a phone booth underwater. The key, as he explains, is to follow his set up instructions with great perfection and detail. Don't skimp on mastering the basics. You'll be so glad you bought this book and followed his instructions when you knock 5 strokes off your index! It's like magic!!!Update 4/14/21:When I first bought this book, it was because my "bump and run technique" that had served me so well wasn't working on difficult courses, like the one at the country club I'd joined. It was fine when I had a great lie and tons of green to work with, and I practiced so much that I was able to get the most out of it. However, when I watched great players chip, I'd always noticed--but tried to ignore--that their chips all looked the same, but mine was different. (Later, I'd learn that they used the bounce, and I didn't) So, I looked into it and a friend recommended J.S.. I'll admit, it took a lot of practice to get the chipping down. I can't recommend enough following J.S.'s advice of mastering the set-up. Just do it, and trust the process. After a few months I started to get the feel. And, you can read above for the results. Quite frankly, I can do anything a typical pro can do. And that may sound arrogant, but it's not. I'm not saying I am consistent like a pro, what I'm saying is that I have every short game shot that a pro has, and when I'm on I do the same thing pros do, chips, pitches, sand. It's not the full swing, which takes years and years to master the technique, and again, quite frankly, most golfers, even low handicappers, will never do. The short game IS master-able--the technique, that is.For instance, I used to think my pitches were just mini-full swings and I simply felt it. Now, using J.S.'s technique, I have 9 stock shots, and I hit them pretty consistently because it's not hard. My 60 degree, has a 32 yarder, 50 yarders and 73 yarder. I typically hit those numbers within a couple yards, and I adjust off those numbers per the conditions. Do I hit garbage shots? Of course, but it's not because I don't own the technique. It's because I failed the execution. Again, unlike with the full swing, it's not technique that separates me from elite players, it's consistency. Think of it this way: The drive is like an NBA dunk. No matter how good you are, you'll never dunk like MJ, nor will you drive it like Rory (my bombs are 280, his are 350!), but the short game is different. YOU CAN chip and pitch like a pro. I do, and I'm not special nor particularly athletic.Buy this book and let me know your progress. I'm on IG as is J.S..Joseph W. Naus

When executed properly, one of the “finesse wedge” shots described in this book is a thing of beauty. It flies high, lands softly and checks up like a horse coming across a rattler in its path. It is also very good off a tight lie – I now use this technique successfully off hardpan near the green or in bunkers with sand that’s like concrete. And as others have mentioned, the outcome is generally forgiving and pretty consistent. But at the same time I haven’t found this technique to be useful in all cases. Even with changing ball position and degree of openness of the clubface, I can’t get a low trajectory. My 54 degree sand wedge flies like a lob wedge, and, unless I take a whole lot of clubs with me near the green and learn/practice how to hit a low “finesse wedge” shot with an 8 or 7 or 6 iron, I’m better off with my old technique for lower shots. Also, for the resulting height and spin of the ball, the club-head is moving fast with the finesse wedge swing and it is still possible to hit it thin although this likelihood will decrease as you get better. When the ball is sitting up a bit in the rough, it is very easy to go underneath it because you have become used to hitting the ground with the bounce of the club. So I would say that this technique is a very useful tool to put in your bag, but it hasn’t resulted in a complete overhaul of my short game. There’s also a question of deciding when you are confident enough in this new technique to replace your old, well-worn reasonably-good technique. There’s nothing more frustrating than blading it across the green when even a mediocre shot with your old technique would have left you with a chance at holing a putt. Instead of forcing the new technique into play, I look at the situation and decide what type of shot is called for and then use that shot. Off a tight lie over a bunker to a close pin? Finesse wedge no doubt. A ball sitting up in the rough with a good bit of green to work with? My old-faithful lower-trajectory descending blow. And I’m sure Seve would agree – there’s no one way to approach all short game shots. It wouldn’t be called creativity if was. And a final point, this book is worth buying just because of what it says about practicing with a purpose. But for that I also recommend The Practice Manual by Adam Young.

If you know, you know....

I first cam acroos James name about two years ago to a long Youtube video where he presents his system to a Mytpi conference with Ben Crane.Very shortly afterwards there was a big article in one of the American golf magazines.From that and the Youtubes and stuff on my TPI I managed to get most of what he was tlaking about for his Finesses wedgess (less than 30 yards).using the bounce and a failry upright club was completely different to what I had been tauhgt by various PGA's bit deffeinately improved my game.Since then I got his online video product but thought it was very disappointing explanations, particular on the Distance wedges (30-120 yards).James developed his system from studying Seve, who he knew through his brother, and other good short game masters, and I am a big Seve fan.Since then a lot more video products from various people on using the bounce have come out, particularly UK's James Ridyard who has just done a big presentation in the US, and there is some disagreement as to whether the kinematic sequence for short wedge shots is different than the full swing (per Sieckmann) or not really (Ridyard), but there systems are not too disimilar.However, this book is well written (thankfully its not by Matthew Rudyard), and is clear describing his system for the finesse shot and for the longer wedges that are mini full swings, so now I have my explanation.James goes into some detail how to train as well if that interests you..If you are a Seve fan than Martin Halls' Houdini shots and Seve's own Trouble-Shooting (The Golf Masters Series) Hardcover – Dec 1996by Seve Ballesteros (Author), Robert Green (Author) are well worth getting - how to hit from under trees etc.I would look at the Youtube or mytpi for Sieckmann (or of Ben Crane), compare it to James Ridyard's online Short game secrets and also Monte Scheinblums Short game video and chose one of these and transform your short game this year.Siekmann also has some videos relating to the book on his site...

I am a very experienced golfer, over 40 years playing and handicap mostly 8-12.I have been having a lot of problems with chipping and short pitching. I have the Dave Pelz short game bible and have been trying and trying and not making progress. Desperate, I went searching for new ideas and found this.James Sieckmann used to work for Dave Pelz and praises Dave, but says they now disagree. The prime area of difference is the "finesse" shot. Dave Pelz uses shoulders and a release. Seickmann uses the right arm rotation.Downloaded the Kindle version of Sieckmann yesterday, went through it and spotted the different finesse technique. Went out on the course today trying it for the first time and had 8 up and downs, one of which I holed. Totally different experience. Confident, looking forward to playing the finesse shots compared to anxious and unsuccessful.As for bunkers and distance wedges, Sieckmann is pretty similar to Pelz, but the fresh approach to finesse shots is worth getting the book for. The key think to look for is the clockwise rotation of the right forearm, should you get Sieckmann's book.

I have just bought the book and having read the first four chapters including the Finesse wedge setup and the 5 fundamentals I headed down to the practice ground at my Golf club. I am a 28 handicap golfer and have to admit that I was only trying out the system without having followed all the advice James gives. I measured out a 30 yard target, set myself up with my sand wedge and had some practice swings and a few shots at my target. Once settled I then struck 20 balls to the flag. 14 were within 9 feet of the pin and several of those within 5 feet. Now it is early days yet before I can set my goals and keep a diary but my initial experience shows that James system and advice does enable you to get the ball closer to the pin with the chance of a one or two putt to enable lower scores. Previously I would approach the greens leaving myself a 60 - 80 yard wedge shot which made a lottery of getting a shot close to the pin. James advice and system shows great promise and I hope it will assist to me reaching my target of a 18 handicap this season.

The first half is gold and worth the price many times over. If you can get the set up down and the feeling of cupping left wrist / increasing bounce through impact you get a super reliable, accurate and repeatable strike condition allowing great distance control with consistent spin. This finesse shot is the authors ‘baby’ and his IP…. Hence the more in depth feeling to that section. Very very good book.

The book has three sections, on 'finesse' wedge shots, 'distance 'wedge shots, and bunker shots.The first section is well and fully explained and the method works well. After this Mr Sieckmann, and/or his co author seem to lose interest.The distance wedge section is Dave Pelz revisited. Bunker shots are poorly explained, with small difficult to see black and white photos ( the rest of the book also has photos like this), and the advice given is actually contradictory : one paragraph says 'there is little or no weight shift' in bunker shots ,and a few paragraphs later on faults and cures it says 'you may have this fault because of insufficient weight shift.'It's worth reading the finesse wedge chapters, the other subjects are explained much better elsewhere.