THE
ONE CHIP TIP
Everyone who plays golf has at one time or
another faced their own bugaboo type shot. The shot they either fear
or wish someone else would play for them. For some people this could
be the drive; for others, it might be fairway bunker play or putting.
To each his own. But there is one type of shot that bothers a lot of
players, regardless of their experience. And those are the chip shots.
Many people can drive a ball a good distance,
putt as if they have radar in their heads, but it's that little piece
of real estate close to the green that wonks up their scores on a
routine basis. Poor chipping equals much higher scores. It's that
simple. And let's face it, there's nothing worse than getting close to
the green and watching your chip shot screech across the green, pass
the hole and go sliding off the other side. By that same token, a
high-flying chip shot that overshoots is just as annoying
Now I know (as I'm sure you do, too) there are a
gazillion tips on proper chipping. Some of these are very good tips
and should be followed by just about everyone. Others are, well, less
than good. But as with all things golf, do what fits you best and
works out for you on the links.
There
is, however, one chipping tip that everyone needs to know and
understand and practice. And that has to do with your hands on impact.
A major factor in hitting consistent chip
shots is for the hands to lead the clubface through impact.
The vast majority of thinned or fluffed chip
shots occur when the club head overtakes the hands and is, therefore
traveling on the upswing, rather that delivering a descending blow at
impact.
The first thing to do at set up is to move
the majority of your weight onto the left foot. The ball is played
towards the back of the stance, and the hands go ahead of the ball.
This is vital if your want to control your shots. Setting up your body
so your hands can do what they are suppose to do is crucial to getting
this right. Do not underestimate the importance of a good, proper
stance when preparing to chip.
The chip shot can now be played with the correct
downward strike. You should NOT be trying to slide the clubface under
the ball, nor should you be trying to scoop the ball into the air.
The key now is to make sure that you keep the
hands AHEAD OF THE BALL and not allow your wrists to dominate the
shot. Players who get "wristy" at impact run the risk of thinning it
clean through the green or chunking it a few inches.
I'll share some more chipping tips with you
in the future and you can decide if they work for you or not. But the
one chipping tip you should truly consider as being worthwhile, is the
one you just read. Keep those hands ahead of the clubface.
Robert Partain has been an avid golfer for over 40
years. He publishes a golf blog that is updated 4 times a week with
tips, techniques, and information to help your
golf game. Article Source:
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