14: Chipping
There are a number of different clubs you can choose for chipping first we select the pitch wedge.
Ball position:
- Just inside your right heel will produce a low running shot used when you have a lot of green to cover before reaching the hole.
- Ball center of stance will fly over a few yards of light fringe, and roll up to the pin.
- Ball just inside you left heel will allow the ball to fly high over a hazard or several yards of rough grass and on to the green.
Allow your arms to swing back away from the ball and feel a gentle cocking of the wrists, now with unhurried rhythm, allow your arms to swing and shoulders turn through towards the target, keeping your hands ahead of the ball, making the back swing and through swing equal length.
Your short game and putting are the key to low scores, you need to practice for hours to develop the soft hands FEEL that allows you to play a perfect chip, play with a soft ball. Driving off the Tee is a thrill but only a small % of your game. More important is your short game, around the greens; this depends on correct selection of club and developing feel.
Shots from around the green
Semi - short rough: Use your SAND WEDGE or pitching wedge.
This is a difficult shot very much a feel shot played with confidence, Practice the following but until you have perfected technique do not use in a competitive game. From semi- rough with the ball sitting well down, Take your sand wedge, Open up the clubface, clubface pointing to the pin, open stance e.g. feet hips and shoulders should point left of the pin.
Then swing along the line of your body, allowing your wrists to hinge on the back swing. On the down swing rotate hips and shoulders through towards the target this permits the club head to swing down on an out-to-in path and accelerate across the ball producing a high flight path and spin to stop the ball on the green.
Shot must be played with confidence providing your club is under the ball at impact; the ball will come out high land soft and stop.
Until you have perfected the fore-mention shot best you stay with your pitching wedge. Trust the loft on the club, Do not try to Scoop the ball out. Take a wide stance, take the club straight back in line with the target, and allow the wrists to hinge on the back swing, nice smooth down swing do not quit on the shot follow through - keep your head down, the 52 or 60 degree loft on your wedge will pick the ball up and out. Allow the ball to land before the flag and roll up to or in the hole.
It is the touch and feel shots that make the difference between an average player and a single handicap player, if you are a good short game player you will gain the respect of your piers, most of them will be able to hit long drives few can play a good short game.
Shots from around the Green
Check the contours of the green this is in effect a long putting stoke and you are expecting to hole out. Think positive.
Ball position back in your stance, hands two inches in front of the club head. Stand square to the target; swing as if a long putting stroke, smooth pendulum action (tick tock).
This shot you need to consider many factors.
If you have an equal amount of short rough and green then use your pitch wedge smooth pendulum swing DO NOT TRY TO SCOOP the ball up trust me the loft of the club will lift the ball, all you need to do is position the ball back in your stance, hand well in front of the ball, stand tall do not move your legs just arms and shoulders, swing through the ball in line with the target. Hit to land the ball close to the pin.
Only a little fringe: and a lot of green to run up to the flag, then you can use a number of club with less loft, say a seven iron this same pendulum swing this time aim the land the ball on the green 50% of the way to the flag with sufficient speed to roll up to the hole.
Chipping: General
(There are a number of different clubs you can choose for chipping first we select the pitch wedge.)
Ball position
- Just inside your right heel will produce a low running shot used when you have a lot of green to cover before reaching the hole.
- Ball center of stance will fly over a few yards of light fringe, and roll up to the pin.
- Ball just inside you left heel will allow the ball to fly high over a hazard or several yards of rough grass and on to the green.
Allow your arms to swing back away from the ball and feel a gentle cocking of the wrists, now with unhurried rhythm, allow your arms to swing and shoulders turn through towards the target, keeping your hands ahead of the ball, making the back swing and through swing equal length.
Your short game and putting is the key to low scores, you need to practice for hours to develop the soft hands FEEL that allows you to play a perfect chip, play with a soft ball.
Driving off the Tee is a thrill but only a small % of your game. More important is your short game, around the greens; this depends on correct selection of club and developing feel.
