Chipping from off the green - the chip and run

I have gone from almost always using a 7 iron to a wedge. With the wedge back in the stance, it is not too lofted a club for the job as you would think.
There are tips that suggest altering the club depending on the distance from the green and the distance from edge of green green to pin, but I very rarely change from my wedge.
Great if you can switch from a wedge to a 6 iron, say, and still nail the correct distance but otherwise stick to a club that you know and alter the length of swing.

My approach to this shot is not revolutionary, but the first thing is that I feel I am going to hole every chip........at least that is what I try to do......so learning the shot and being consistent (being routine and club selection) will help with the mental approach. Believe and feel that you are an 'expert'. Let's be honest, compared to the pro's, it is one of the few areas that we can do just this.
I read the green as carefully as I would for a putt....I plumb-line (which I am told doesn't work - but as long as you understand that it doesn't work for double breakers and shows the break a third or so off what it actually is for a moderate pace putt it does work) and am not in the slightest embarrassed doing this when I am, say, 10 yards off the green.
- How do you feel when you get the speed perfectly, the ball running at the hole and turning away at the last??
I imagine throwing the ball and get a feel for where I would land it when I take practice swings. I always do this.
In addressing the ball, I have a slightly open stance which is not conciously but probably due to getting comfortable at the ball and taking my stance with my right foot first whilst getting a mental picture of the shot as above.
I feel low to the ball perhaps with my knees bent more than usual (probably mimicking my putting style) and always comfortable - never stiff or tense.
I NEVER use my wrists....I keep my hands ahead of the ball and push through it much like a putt. Any use of the wrists or the hands not staying ahead of the ball can result in either disaster (due to decelleration or miss-hits) or 'flicked' balls falling short which instantly feel 'spinny'.
It is a good idea to realise what mistakes can be made with this shot, if you know the cause and effect of say being wristy or not getting through the ball, these are the things that you just make sure don't happen. I think becoming an 'expert' includes having played all the bad shots under the sun and knowing what they feel like and how they occur....and obviously how to avoid them.
I am aggressive through the ball (no decelleration) and have the slight feeling that my right palm is pushing through the ball.
The shot is not difficult and once mastered you will, like me, disagree that the saying ' a bad putt is better than a good chip' applies to you - although in most cases it is true.
Make your 'chipping club' a favourite club. It is all part of the mental approach. Think that you are going to put on a show for your playing partners each time you take it out of the bag. But more importantly turn these 3 shots into 2.

Thanks for the post RikB, interesting reading, it's always nice to read how people approach the various shots with which we are faced.

Thanks, I appreciate your post. In fact, I have cut and pasted it to my Golf Folder. I just started golfing this year. I have been having trouble with my short game and irons – driving is by far les of a problem. I picked up some used Callaway Hawk Eye irons and I am wondering if I would of been better off with a set of hybrid clubs – like the Adams – would all the clubs be hybrid – or just a few in the set… As for the chipping I thought my problem may be that I wasn’t using my wrists – your post set me straight on that - don’t use any wrist action.



I have not had any golf lessons – which I think is a mistake – since I am entrenching bad habits – I will fix that soon thought.





Thanks, again.



Toronto, Canada

A hybrid set replaces long irons with hybrid clubs.

So your iron set would be 2 or 3 hybrids, then 5 or 6 iron down to PW.

If I could do it again, I'd start with a hybrid set, and a putter that felt great and I liked to look at.

And I'd invest in lessons much earlier than I did.

I like the post!

When I teach people the short-game, I always start off by teaching 1 singe chipping motion. This breeds a consistent swing and result time and time again. That in turn breeds confidence which is very important in the short game.

Only once the student has mastered a single short game shot with a wedge or sand wedge do we move onto using different clubs, wrist action, etc.

So many teaching professionals teach 4 or 5 short game shots early on and that leads to confusion as to which shot to use, each swing is different and as a result there is no consistency and even less confidence.

__________________
Golf is easy ... once you know how.
Graham Arnott, teaching professional
Kelrosa Golf Studios
www.kelrosagolf.com
Class 'A' PGA Member
Full Member: World Golf Teachers Federation (GB&I)

Graham, IYO, should I take a few 'short game' lessons?

I've read (and re-read) Dave Pelz My Short Game Bible, and have spent tons of time practicing. I'm pretty confident in my short game and less-than-full shots.

That said, should I take some lessons? Or just keep practicing?

I wouldn't take lessons, no. If you have the book then that's all you need and lots of practice.

If you took your short game seriously and needed to improve it in a hurry, I'd suggest you go to a short game school. I have just visited one to see the facilities and all do is short game and putting. I am going to be sending one of my tour pros there.

Thanks Graham.