Phil shares some of his short game magic

Count me among the “Phil fanatics”.   Phil and I graduated one year apart at Arizona State and I’ve followed his storied career closely ever since.   So I was very excited when I heard he was coming out with his new DVD “Secrets of the Short Game”.   The three time major winner has arguably one of the best short games in the history of golf.  So does Phil’s DVD live up to the hype?

“Secrets of the Short Game” is actually a two DVD set.  The first disc contains an intro by Phil along with an extensive section on putting and chipping.  The second disc includes a flop shot section, bunker play, specialty shots, “how to” on the LazrAimer, Phil’s closing comments, and a bonus segment.

A lot of attention will be paid to the flop and specialty shot information on the second DVD but the real gems in this set are the putting and chipping sections on disc one.  On putting, Phil covers an extensive array of fundamentals including general putting concepts, reading greens, setup, the stroke, lag putting, and his 3-foot and 6-foot circle drills.  I thought the entire first DVD was great, but the putting section at times felt like an advertisement for the gadgets that Phil has developed with Dave Pelz (and coincidentally sells on his website).

In contrast, the chipping section was all about Phil’s famous creativity and the love for his wedges.  All aspects of chipping and pitching are covered in-depth including Phil’s “Hinge & Hold” technique, setup, trajectory, spin, faults and cures, general shot making, and playing from the rough.  Certainly a lot to absorb but well worth the time spent hitting the rewind button.

Can Phil’s tips help your game?  Well, my game from one hundred yards and in has been up and down this year.  After the watching the DVD several times, I practiced his “hinge and hold” technique on the range over a period of two weeks and then put it into action during a round with some friends.  They immediately noticed a difference in my ability to vary trajectory and spin on different shots.  My putting also improved to a lesser degree.  But overall, I got up and down from spots I would have struggled from before and isn’t that what Phil is known for?

Overall, the production quality of this DVD is good. The commentary at times is a little goofy (after all it is Phil).  His “I misread it” after barely missing on his famous backward lob would score him a few D.B.I. points.

But if you’re a fan of Phil Mickelson like me and have attempted to emulate his moves on the golf course then this set is truly worth the investment.  Phil Mickelson’s “Secrets of the Short Game” retails for $49.95 and is available from several online retailers including Amazon.com.