In this episode of The Golf Parent Podcast, I talk with James Sieckmann—Golf Digest’s 2019 #1 ranked teacher and renowned short game specialist. Known as the “Short Game Guru,” James has coached over 150 tour pros and brings a wealth of expertise on mastering putting and chipping skills crucial for junior golfers.

James breaks down the common myths and mistakes golfers make on the putting green, revealing that putting success is rooted in developing systematic skills: consistently hitting your start line, controlling speed, and accurately reading greens. He shares his favorite putting drills, including the effective "Putting Through a Gate" technique, designed to dramatically improve accuracy and consistency.

We also dive deep into chipping techniques, emphasizing the importance of understanding club design, proper turf interaction, and how to adapt to various lies and challenging situations. James highlights the necessity of practicing a wide range of shots to build confidence and versatility around the green.

For parents of junior golfers, James offers invaluable insights on supporting young players with a healthy, long-term perspective. He stresses the importance of fostering resilience, avoiding performance pressure, and encouraging continuous improvement rather than immediate results.

Tune in to gain game-changing strategies from one of golf's greatest short game teachers, and equip your junior golfer with the tools to excel both mentally and physically on the course.

Key Takeaways:

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Expertise in the Short Game

02:44 Common Faults and Misconceptions in Putting

07:20 Developing a Systematic Approach to Putting

12:36 Favorite Drill: Putting Through a Gate

20:26 Advice for Parents of Junior Golfers

25:00 Favorite Drills for Putting Improvement

26:02 Mental Skills and Mindset of Elite Golfers

28:05 Chipping Technique and Shot-Making Skills

34:59 Advice for Parents and Junior Golfers

James Sieckmann's Links:

Website - ⁠⁠www.⁠⁠jsegolfacademy.com

⁠Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/james.sieckmann/

Books - https://amzn.to/4i2A3eg

The Golf Parent Links:

Instagram -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thegolfparent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

YouTube -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thegolfparent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

X -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/thegolfparent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Tiktok -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thegolfparent⁠⁠⁠