Short game

Short game
Chipping technique

The short game is nothing more than a smaller version of a full swing…
However, a few different techniques are possible, (ball back or forward, stance open or square, etc), and they all work just fine . The problem is when players start mixing up those techniques, instead of sticking to one that is simple and repeatable enough to produce a fine result most of the time.

Once again, most people way of playing is far more complicated than it should be, which makes it more difficult.

The technique I like to teach is the most simple, but also the most versatile. It is based on the “all square” principle, from which you are welcome to build variations according the situation you will encounter on the course. That method is nothing more than a reduced full swing, which can produce different results according to :

• The club that you use
• The amount of club head speed you create.

Here is how it works :

1. Grip, stance & posture are the same as normal. (read the preceding
   articles !)
   
   
2. Align yourself square to the target or slightly left if you open your club head for added height. Pay attention mostly to your shoulder alignment !
   
   
3. You should reduce the club length by gripping it as short as possible, especially for short chips, it will give you a much better club head feel, and speed control.
   
   
4. Weight on the left foot (and leave it there !) to create the downward motion of the club head at impact. Do not allow a weight shift on small shots, the less things you move, the better your chance to make good contact with the ball !
   
   
5. Swing the club with a smooth pendulum motion lead by your shoulders. If you let the club swing freely, your follow through should be at least equal to your backswing.
   
   
6. Wrists/hands : Your hands hold the club (lightly), but they do not manipulate it. The wrists therefore remain fairly firm during the chipping swing, so the club face stays low after impact.

Now that you understand the basic technique, start with less lofted clubs (7 iron) and when you acquire a more solid ball contact, work your way up to the sand wedge. The more lofted the club, the more important it becomes to hit down into the ball, in order to reduce the risk of topping or hitting the ground before the ball. That risk is even higher when the lie is tight, yet too many players try to lift a ball off a bad lie… And that is the hardest thing to do, even for pros ! The lie should be one of the first things to consider when selecting the club with which you will chip.

Whenever possible, choose to run the ball instead of trying to lift it, you will find that it is much more forgiving. As a matter of fact, most approaches do not need to be lifted that much. And keep in mind that a rolling ball has a better chance to find the hole than a ball that is stopped !

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Tip of the month | General | Short game | Putting
Specialty shots | Rules | Mental | Miscellaneous