5 Henrik Stenson Short Game Tips

2016 Open champion Henrik Stenson offers five superb short game tips to help you save strokes around the green

henrik stenson short game tips
(Image credit: Getty Images)

In this video, 2016 Open champion Henrik Stenson offers five superb short game tips to help you save strokes around the green

5 Henrik Stenson Short Game Tips

In this video, 2016 Open champion Henrik Stenson offers five superb short game tips to help you save strokes around the green

Putting practice

I do a drill that I call the spiral. I go from 3-8ft. I mark out those distances from tee pegs, one ball from each, and I've got to make them all after each other otherwise I start over again.

You've really got to put that focus into each one of them. I'm pretty pleased when I do it. The best putters on Tour would probably make it on the 2nd go on average.

Henrik Stenson What's in the bag?

Club selection

I see a lot of amateurs in the pro-ams going after the lob wedge like a mad axeman. I would play a much easier shot, go for a gap wedge or pitching wedge and make a small swing with good contact and let the ball run up to the pin. Not hitting high flop shots, they're low percentage shots even at our level at times. Make sure you take the easiest one, when there's room on the green make sure you use it.

Henrik Stenson golf swing analysis

Toe chip

I would turn a wedge in a little bit and hit it off the toe, especially on soft and grainy greens because it's very easy for a small chip or pitch to dig it. Playing it from the toe ensures you get a little bit of draw spin on it and makes sure that it's not going to grab as much on the first bounce and helps it release.

Chipping action

For a lot of short game shorts an important thing is to keep the butt of the club pointing towards you. You want to keep your hands in front a degree but when you're driving it ahead the chances of you digging that front edge into the ground and hitting poor shots is going to be quite a lot. For me I like to open the clubface a little bit, move it forward in my stance and let the clubhead get thrown in underneath the ball. That's really important to hit good bunker shots and pitches.

See all Golf Monthly short game tips

Bunker action

Always take sand. Rather take more sand than not enough, hitting thin bunkers shots is not any good. But at the same time you need a good technique so you don't leave it in the bunker. A lot of amateurs leave it in the trap and start getting closer and closer to the ball and then it's a dangerous game.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV