Golf Tuition Online - View Single Post - How-To "Backspin on chips"

Mox · #11 (**permalink**) 03-21-2008, 02:31 PM

One element is often completely forgotten when chipping is the subject:

Correct Swing Path.

Very often, when chipping, we are told to use an open stance and put our weight more on the left leg (for right handers) to move our swing center ahead of the ball, and then have our hands be ahead of the ball as well.

Now, if our stance is open, and swing center and hands are ahead of the ball, the natural swing path is

OUT-TO-IN

cutting across the ball.

Compared to the target line, cutting from out to in results in a closed clubface.
A closed clubface de-lofts the club, and neutralizes the bounce of the club.
The bounce is an essential element in spinning the ball.

You can try just about all you want to 'trap' and compress the ball between the club and the ground. If you don't have the bounce available to help you keep contact with the ball long enough to spin it, it just won't bite.

Make sure your hips and shoulders are lining up to the target, despite your feet being open, and make sure you have a club with the right bounce for the lie.
Fairway or good lies in the first cut, I go with a 54 degree wedge with 9 degrees of bounce. It checks up nicely.