Never neglect the Chip!!!
DJ – 09.25.08Do you know the average number of greens a PGA Tour player hits in regulation per round? ….11… Or 64% per round!
Yes that’s right, the best players in the world only hit around 11 or 12 greens per round… But how do they still shoot such good rounds, and more often than not, under par!!!
The answer is; SHORT GAME, SHORT GAME, SHORT GAME!!!
The Short Game is so important in today’s game. If you miss a green, want to birdie short par 4’s and more par 5’s… You have to be able to play a variety of shots from 100 yards and in.
A solid wedge game is crucial and takes a lot of practice, however if you miss a green; there is a simple shot that all the pro’s make look easy… the simple chip shot!
The Chip and Run
The easiest shot around the green is the shot that rolls more than it flies. When you can putt… Putt!
However, the grass around the green is often too thick or unpredictable to putt through. Therefore you need the shot that just flies all the trouble, but rolls out once on the green towards the hole. Here are the easy steps to play that easy chip shot and reduce those errors around the greens…
Step 1 – Assess the lie of the ball. If you have a perfect lie on the fringe or apron of the green, you can virtually use any club in your bag. If it is a fluffy, hardpan or sticky lie, assess the lie and choose the option that will work every time… Do not risk a shot you are not comfortable with.
Step 2 – Pick a point on the green where you imagine you are going to try to land the ball. Visualize the ball landing and rolling out towards the flag like a putt…
Step 3 – Narrow and open your stance. Narrow your feet, so they are less than shoulder width apart. Open your stance, so you are aiming slightly left (or right) of the target. Position weight, slightly forward on to your front foot.
Step 4 – Position the ball middle-back in your stance to allow for a pinch-effect hit. Try to trap the ball with the clubface. Never try to help the ball in the air with a SCOOPING action.
Step 5 – With a straight left (or right) wrist, swing the shoulders back and forth, and reduce the amount of wrist hinge you have through the ball. Picture swinging the club like a pendulum (like a putting stroke) back and through the ball with a flat wrist at impact.
Step 6 – Accelerate through the ball. Keep your eye on the ball and accelerate through the ball. The most common miss-hits occur due to a decelerating action. Take practice swings to visualize how hard and long you want to swing.
Step 7 – PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!
Pro-Tip – Whenever a tour player has a shot around the green, the first thing they do is visualize the RIGHT shot to play, the shot that will give them the best chance of holing the putt or even that shot.
Visualization is key to a good short game, visualize the shot you are going to play, and then practice it… You will soon hit the appropriate shot more often than not!!!
