subject: Golf Swing Basics - Chipping Your Way to a Lower Score [print this page] Golf Swing Basics - Chipping Your Way to a Lower Score
After all you need to see the ball in order to hit it. Looking up too soon in order to see where your ball went, will usually result in your ball going nowhere!
You need to take a different approach when it comes to your woods and irons. For your woods think "sweep". Woods are designed to sweep the ball off the tee. However, for your irons think about "pinch", as irons are made to pinch the ball off the ground.
Humming a tune can help your focus and also helps with your overall rhythm. Let's take a look at some basic and very simple techniques which in turn will improve your swing and score.
1. Visualization. Try to always "see" the target before actually hitting the ball. See yourself swinging through the ball perfectly. Visualization is an underused and critical component to a golfers success. If you are right handed, you will need to bring your right elbow down to ensure the head of the club is at the right angle. It can be useful to observe the swing of professionals, by doing so you will have a better idea of the exact positioning of the shoulders and elbows.
A final factor that will determine how well you perform is the impact made on the ball. The head of the club must strike the ball directly from behind, otherwise it will end up in the rough. It does not take long to get the technique right.
You probably already know the key to lowering your golf score is to focus on golf swing basics. This is particularly very important around the golf green, as your approach can set you up to 1 putt or 3 putt the hole.
Chipping Is The Key To A Lower Golf Score
So, if you are hunting for ways to improve your golf chipping follow this drill. Setup a generic chip shot and hit it over and over until you feel comfortable, not just with your range, but also your accuracy. Find a location just off the fringe of the green, where you've got a reasonably decent lie that offers you 1/3 of your range to your landing area and 2/3 for roll to the target. This will likely demand a pitching wedge. For example, your pressure goal may be to chip 9 of 10 balls within a four foot radius of the target. Don't finish your practice until you attain this objective. So what may happen once you get to the 8th ball and you have already missed one? At this point you have the pressure that you encounter regularly on the course. You're training with intent and with accountability for your activities. In the event that your objective is too easily obtained, boost the difficulty.
Use One Golf Club to Different Targets
Pick a single golf club and practice chipping to different targets. If you are practicing on a golf green that is flat, make an effort to land your golf ball midway to the hole. Next, assume the green is uphill; in which case you should land the ball beyond midway. On a downhill chip you should land short of midway to deal with the slope.
Make Your Golf Practice Sessions Count
Try to make your training mirror what you might do on the golf course.
