Course Management · Lesson
Don't Miss on the Short Side
Part of our course management programs for big numbers, picking targets. Build a program with it
Short-siding means missing on the side of the green closest to the pin. That leaves little room to chip, and up-and-downs get much harder. Many courses are built to tempt you into it. Fight back by aiming toward the bigger part of the green. A slightly longer putt usually beats a tough chip. See where the flag sits compared to the middle. Note which side has trouble. Then aim to the side with more green.
Step by step
- See where the flag sits.
- Note the side with little room.
- Aim toward the bigger part of the green.
- Accept a longer putt.
- Review how often you short-sided.
Why it works
When the flag sits near an edge, a miss on that side leaves you a chip with almost no green to land the ball on and let it roll. A miss to the wide side leaves plenty of green, so you can land the ball softly and have a normal chip or a long putt. Aiming toward the larger part of the green widens the area where a miss still leaves you an easy next shot, even if the first shot ends up farther from the hole.
Common mistakes
- You aim straight at the flag every time, no matter where it sits.Before each approach, find the middle of the green and the flag, then pick a target on the side with more room.
- You aim away from the flag but then try to cut the ball back toward it.Commit to the safer target and swing for that line, and accept the longer putt that results.
- You ignore hazards, slopes or bunkers on the wide side and just pick the bigger area.Check which side has trouble first, then choose the side that has both more green and a safe miss.
How you'll know it's working
- Your misses finish on the wide side of the green, where you have room to chip or putt.
- Your chips after a miss are mostly from open lies with green to work with, not from tight spots near the flag.
- Your round review shows fewer short-sided misses and more routine two-putts or easy up-and-downs.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice on a green with the flag in the middle, and aim at the center of the green on every approach before you add edge pins.
Harder: Play to a green with the flag tucked near an edge and a hazard on one side, and choose your target and miss side before every shot.
Common questions
What does it mean to short-side yourself in golf?
It means missing the green on the side where the flag is closest to the edge. You are left with very little green between your ball and the hole.
Should I always aim away from the flag?
No. Aim away only when the flag is close to an edge or trouble and a miss on that side would be hard to recover from. When the flag is near the middle, aiming at it is usually fine.
