Improve Your Chippingmake your own chipping practice aid
There are many different short game shots you can play. Choosing the right shot for the situation in hand is all part of effective course management.
Personally, I will always try to putt rather than chip. I will always try to chip rather than pitch. Pitch rather than flop... this is about playing the percentages. The simpler the shot - the less can go wrong.
For the weekend warrior, there is another thing to consider... how often do you get to practice the shot the situation calls for? I think it's always best to play the shot you have tried and succeeded with recently. Therefore, learning one good solid technique for the short game is likely to pay out when playing on the course and if you have a choice - play the shot you play the most.
With all of these short game shots the one mistake that you will see at every golf course and practice range is an over active right hand . (I am talking about a right handed golfer - referring to the rear/lower hand in a conventional set-up. Reverse if left-handed). A right hand that flips and hinges in a lateral motion. This generally causes the golfer to bottom out in the swing too early and either hit the ground before the ball and 'duff' the ball. Or they catch the ball thin - sending it skidding past the target.
I think this over active right hand can results from several reasons, such as:
Not understanding the correct hinging action of the wristsTrying to help the ball in the airAnxiety and being tenseSo how do you cure this incorrect action, develop the correct action and become a confident and good short game player? The answer is learning the correct wrist and hand action for the basic chip shot and in fact also helps with the full swing as well.
There are many drills you can try; such as the two-ball drill where you set up with two balls in-line with each other and a gap of about 18 inches between them and you practice chipping the forward ball without hitting the ball behind it. Or drills where you stand on one leg, your lead leg (left leg for right handed player). Placing your rear leg just resting lightly on your toes - this gets the weight forward and promotes a crisp downward action.
But, the best tip I have seen is to make an extension to the grip of a practice club.
Take a lofted club e.g. wedge or 9 iron and cut the top off the grip exposing the shaft underneath. Take a second club and cut the shaft using a hacksaw or pipe cutter. Push the end of the shaft of the second club down the shaft of the first club. You can glue the shafts in place with Epoxy Resin glue. Or wrap tape around the second shaft and force it into the first shaft to form a tight fit. You need to leave sufficient shaft and grip of the second club so that when you address a shot the 'extended' shaft passes your rib cage.
You will now have this strange - extra long club with two grips on it...
See the Impact Master at eyelinegolf.com for a tour quality 56 degree sand wedge and a shaft extender
The advantage of this system is - the club you practice with is the club you will use when playing the game - a big advantage for feel.
The lightweight extension is designed to make minimal difference to your club's balance and feel.
This handy little practice aid that you can make yourself out of two old golf clubs will teach you the correct feeling in your left (lead) wrist and stop you flipping your right (rear/lower) hand.
If you struggle with poor contact with fat and thin chip and pitch shots - then this practice aid will really help you.
There are commercially available products such as Dave Pelz's ChipStick - this device has a coiled attachment you wrap around your golf grip:
Eyeline golf also make a product called the Impact Master - this is a tour quality 56 degree sand wedge and a shaft extender and has the advantage that it is a lightweight extension to your existing club - therefore enables you to practice with the same club you play with - an advantage of my DIY practice aid. Take a look at Eyeline Golf's product at:
Instructions on how to use your chipping practice aid.
You set up holding the club as normal. The extended shaft will rest against or near to your left hand side (assume right handed). Swing back and then through the ball keeping your hands going forward and through the ball - your left hand /wrist leading through impact. You want to feel that there is a gap between the extended shaft of the chip stick and your side. Of course this is only useful for chips and short pitches - in a full swing the left arm breaks and the folds at the elbow and this would cause the shaft to hit your side - so this is just for short chips and pitch shots.
If you flip with your hands - the extended shaft will hit you in the side.
See the photo below to see the correct post impact position. Also look at the photos at the top of the page for the swing sequence from address.
Pictured - a demonstration of how to use the home made practice aid to improve your chipping action and stop your right hand flipping at the ball.
If you flip with your right hand - the extended shaft will whack you in the side!
Whether you make your own or buy a product to help you get the right feel, such as
you will find this really does help your chipping action.
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