Take a Short Backswing

photo credit: eMaringolo   Many amateurs are haunted  by quitting on short chip or pitch shots (30 yds. or less).  Most beginners will tend to take a longer than necessary backswing and then decelerate coming into and through the ball.  To correct this problem try the following:

Take a shorter backswing;  by doing so, it will force you to accelerate through the shot.   A longer backswing will tend to make you quit on the shot which is common with even the best of players.  Also, a shorter backswing will result in a more solid contact with the ball.  A ball that is solidly hit will react the way you want it to, when it strikes the green.

Short  chip or pitch shots are all about good tempo which results in the correct swing speed.  Practice Tip:  near the practice green try taking shorter backswings.  Bring the club back to about an 8:00 o’clock position and be sure to accelerate through the hitting zone.

Putt or Chip?

photo credit: D.Hilgart   If your approach shot lands on the apron or close to it, what shot do you play that has the greatest chance for success?  As with just about any other shot in golf, you have to go with the best odds.  In this case it’s the putter.

Most pros will confirm that using a putter gives the best odds.  The putting stroke is the percentage play because it’s much easier to control a putt than a chip shot.

Facing a 35 foot putt, with three feet of fringe to putt through, is not a very inviting scenario, however, hitting a chip shot can even be more daunting.  It’s always better to play the percentage shot and in this case it’s with the putter.

Playing to an Upslope Green

photo credit: Drew Coffman   Playing to a green with an upslope can be a unique challenge.  Most golfers tend to leave the ball short when the green slopes upwards from forward to back.  To improve your chances of knocking it close:

1)  Find a green that slopes upward, from front to back.  2)  With a pitching wedge, hit chip shots towards the back of the green, don’t be concerned with the location of the cup.  Now take a 8-iron and play the shot using the same technique. 

A pitching wedge is not a good choice because it’s loft creates too much backspin.  With the 8-iron, the flatter trajectory creates much less spin and more roll.  The 8-iron is the club of choice. for this type of shot.

Landing Errors

photo credit: mfury   Shots Landing Consistently Short:  If you are a poor chipper, your biggest problem is shots that land short.  The probable cause is that you are decelerating into impact and making a hesitant or tentative swing.  You may also be visualizing the shot as being shorter than it actually is.  When hitting short shots less height means less carry.  Less carry usually means more roll.  Try visualizing a landing area nearer to you and use a  less lofted club.  You might also take a more lofted club and pitch the ball further up on the green for your approach.

Positive thoughts enhance performance so try to imagine a specific target to land you first bounce on.  Ignore bunkers, hills or obstacles in the vicinity of your shot.

Downslope Lie

photo credit: battlecreekcvb   Down-slope shots are not nearly as easy to play as up-slope shots, a very sound chipping technique is mandatory.  Try the following:

1)  When playing from a down-slope lie, place the ball about 2 inches further back in your stance and move your hands farther forward.  Use your most lofted club (sand wedge or lob wedge) which will compensate for the slope of the hill.  This method should produce a soft landing shot.

2)  Maintain most of your weight on your lower foot.  Keep your hands moving ahead of the club through the impact zone.  Focus on hitting down on the ball without trying to lift or help the ball in the air. 

The down-slope shot is one of the hardest to hit, so practice this shot regularly.

Four Keys to Crisp Pitch Shots

photo credit: D.Hilgart   With pitch shots, a positive swing falls right at the top of the list.  Four good Tips follow:  1)  Choke down on the grip (about 2 in.) and soften-up your grip pressure.  This allows for better clubhead feel.  2)  Open up your stance which will stop you from taking the club too far back.  It also clears your hips for a smooth follow-through.  3)  Accelerate  the same amount on every backswing, no matter how far you are from your target.  The factor that determines distance is how far you take the club back.  4)  In order to get the proper height and spin on the ball, make sure that the ball is struck before the ground.  Execute a descending blow.

The Texas Wedge

photo credit: fredcamino   The name “Texas Wedge,” originated from playing on concrete-like,  sun-baked fairways in the great southwest.  Fairways so hard that you cannot comfortably slide your club underneath the ball and there is no long grass to impede the ball’s progress to the cup.

If you are off the green and there is short grass between the ball and the green use your putter, even if you are as far as 50 feet from the pin.  Take your putting stance and remain steady during the stroke.  Make a long, smooth stroke accelerating through the ball into a full follow-through. 

On links courses which are relatively flat, the Texas Wedge works exceptionally well.  In most cases you will always get closer to the pin by putting than by using a wedge.

Lob Shot

photo credit: USACE Europe District   Two ways to hit  a high, soft floater that checks up on the green: 

1.  a.)  Take a narrow, open stance, play the ball off of your left heel.  a.)  maintain an open face with your lob wedge or sand wedge.  b.)  make a slow backswing, breaking the wrists early in the takeaway.  c.)  do not decelerate on the downswing.

2.  a.)  Use the same set-up;  a narrow open stance, ball forward with an open clubface.  b.)  don’t break the wrists early going back, take the club back slow and low.  c.)  slide the clubface underneath the ball, don’t roll the right hand over.  d.)  the left hand should feel like it’s holding the clubface open at impact.  e.)  point the clubface skyward at the finish.

The Chip Shot #1 (strategy)

photo credit: SouthAsiaGolf   The chip shot should be practiced with the 5-iron through the wedges.  The lower the clubface loft, the lower the trajectory will be.  As you are nearer the green, use lower lofted clubs so the ball lands quicker on the green’s surface, the ball will then commence to roll like a putt.  If you aim for a spot about 3 feet from the green’s fringe there will be no chance to leave the shot short of the green and in the rough.

The clubface must be absolutely square when impact is made.  The square clubface will guarantee accuracy on this type of shot.  An open or closed clubface reduces your ability to judge the amount of roll the ball will have and/or it’s direction.

Chip Shot #2 (the swing)

photo credit: SouthAsiaGolf   The swing for the chip shot is a downsized, modified version of the full swing.  The left arm does most of the work as a very smooth swing is made.  The lower body should remain perfectly quiet.  Make the backswing about 20 % shorter than the follow-through which will assure good acceleration through the impact zone. 

A common mistake, among most golfers, is to swing the club back farther than the follow-through which causes the club to decelerate.  Gain more consistency with a short backswing and firm follow-through.

When the ball is hit with a descending blow, as this shot provides, the ball will have backspin which helps maintain a true roll once on the ground.  For chip shots the ball flies one-third of the way to the hole and rolls two-thirds of the way.

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