subject: Perfect a Game with Chipping [print this page] Perfect a Game with Chipping Perfect a Game with Chipping
When it comes to the perfect golf-game, most people think of a long, powerful drive from the tee box down the fairway. But once this has been accomplished, a golfer might find that there's a whole other game waiting to be mastered within fifty yards of the green.(Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Detour Putter) A golfer that can drive the ball three-hundred yards but can't chip or putt is still going to shoot over par.
The short game is an important and easily overlooked aspect of the game, and one that takes an equal amount of concentration and practice on the part of the player. Here are some simple guidelines to improving your short game, specifically chipping the ball onto the green.
Firstly, when chipping the ball a short distance, a golfer's entire stance has to change. The club to be used (anywhere from a five to a nine iron or pitching wedge) is much shorter than a driver, so naturally you'll be lower to the ground.Also, for particularly close-up chips, you'll want to choke-up on the club (that is to say, you'll want to position your hands lower on the grip, closer to the steel of the club shaft).
To account for this lower position, make sure that your knees and hips do the bending while your back remains straight. Hunching over the ball by lowering your shoulders will impair your game. (Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Style Newport 2.5 Putter)Also, keep your feet closer to the ball than you would during a traditional drive.You'll find this is more comfortable and produces better results.
Also, because the club is shorter, the golfer is much more likely to"top"the ball while chipping, which will send the ball skidding across the grass rather than producing the"pop-fly"effect desired in a chip.It's important to get under the ball while chipping and produce a good divot.It is recommended that you look two inches behind the ball while chipping to reduce your chances of topping the ball.
The key to a good chip is accuracy. You want to have as much control over the ball as possible so that you both make it to the green and stay on the green. It's just as easy to overshoot your target while chipping as it is to undershoot, and for this reason it's recommended that you prematurely shift your weight to your left side.This is in stark contrast to a driving pivot, which demands a shift in weight, but a chip will be more controlled without as much power behind it.
Also, for accuracy's sake, you'll want to get the ball landed and rolling on the green as soon as possible. (Titleist Scotty Cameron California Del Mar Putter)Shooting for the center of the green might get you there, but the ball may roll off with the momentum of the shot.
Lastly, unlike a drive, the chip should be a relaxed shot.The backswing and the follow-through should be slow and easy. For particularly close-range shots, sometimes the momentum of the club's weight is all the swing needs.
The great thing about chipping is that you don't have to go to a driving range to perfect your shot.A backyard is plenty big enough to brush up on your technique.So get started, and remember: practice makes perfect.
