Tuesday, December 7, 2010

How To Make The Chip Shot In Golf Automatic

By Tony Tolliver


Being able to perfect the chip shot in golf will go a long way in improving your score. Let's investigate a few straight forward tips to help you improve the short game.

As you approach the green and look over your next shot, you should run the various scenarios through you mind. You have to now make it close to the cup. The best case scenario is to have a tap-in putt, but you at least would like a chip to within three feet for an easy putt. Now, its mental checklist time. How am I going to strike the ball close enough for an easy putt? Think about: Is the ball sitting up or buried in the grass? What is the distance between the cup and the ball? Are the greens playing fast today or am I going to have to add a little more "pop" to the shot

First, we'll look at a drill that will pay particular attention to a standard chip shot in golf. Usually a 9-iron or one of any number of wedges you have in your bag is the club you would use. Whichever club that feels the most comfortable is the call here. The standard rule of thumb to a good chip is to launch the ball about 1/3 of the way to the pin and then let it roll the rest of the way. As far as your address position is concerned, the ball is played in the center of your stance. The actual swing process has the hands forward at the critical impact point and a square club face as well.

Next, we will review the soft shot as we begin to dissect the chip shot in golf. Here, the ball lands lightly on the green and checks up close to the hole. The most conventional club selection for a soft chip is the lob wedge. But, the sand wedge works just as well. The club face is a little open when you address the ball. This will give you the correct loft angle. During the swing, the ball should be forward in your stance and, on contact, the hands are trailing the club head. This is a vital point. Accelerate the club through the shot. Don't allow yourself to shut down the swing until you reach the top of the follow through. Hit the soft chip with these corrections and you will have a successful combination. The golf ball will lift high, land soft and roll just enough to make it to the pin.

If there is a little more green to work with, hitting a low chip shot is the right choice to make. We are not looking for loft now. Here, we need a little more run on the ball so a six or seven iron is the most common approach. To hit it low, you will need to catch the ball a little earlier at the critical impact point. This involves a decending strike on the ball, so play it a little more toward your back foot. Remember to bring your hands through the shot first and keep the club face square. This results in the proper roll once the ball hits the green and prevents it from going to far. You won't even worry about that bunker or water hazard looming behind the flag because you have this shot in your bag to use whenever you need it.

Overall, practice is the remedy to perfecting the chip shot in golf. But don't waste time with just any club. Only take those that you will need to correct this fault. All the different chip shots mentioned do have one thing in common. Each demands practice to carry out. But, each also has it's own set up and swing strategies.

First, start practicing the standard shot. Next, you should work on the soft shot. Getting these two shots down pat generates to a better understanding of how you want to attack the flag stick. Until you're comfortable with these two, try not to think about the low chip shot. You'll most likely have to invest more time in refining this shot, but you'll be glad you did.

By putting these chip shot in golf drills to work for you, you can start to strengthen your short game and achieve a lower score, time after time. Now, just practice what you've learned and don't give up hope if it doesn't work out right away. The central idea is to stay with it.




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