Another Discussion: Chipping Technique

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kc8kir

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Not sure if I'm breaking some unofficial rule about starting 2 new threads in one day, but here goes.

Ok, I really need help around the greens. Brian we are dying for that short game video! My chipping and pitching have gone to absolute H E L L. I'm either duffing short, or blading long, or the ball won't stop.

My putting isn't horrible, but it sure takes a beating when you're a long ways from the hole. And just to answer the question before it is posed.... yes I practice the short game... A LOT. My usual practice sessions, about 3 times a week, are usually 1 hour on full clubs, and 2 hours on short game.

I don't know if it's chipping yips or what, but I've tried every technique in every book I have, and I still can't gain any consistency. Driving me crazy.

The shortest shots, and they hurt the most...

Any help would be appreciated.
 
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LiftOff

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kc8kir said:
I don't know if it's chipping yips or what, but I've tried every technique in every book I have, and I still can't gain any consistency. Driving me crazy. Any help would be appreciated.
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I'd suggest the 'meat' that's in COFF. Learn to hit the chip with your pivot. You'll be surprised the level of consistency you can attain.
 
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lookingtolearn

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For chipping and pitching, the two things that have helped me the most so far are attempting to 1) control shaft lean and 2) make a pure swinging motion.
For me personally, the best way to do #1 (as of right now) is to try and keep the butt of the club pointing toward my belt buckle (at least from halfway back to halfway through). It may work for you or it may not, but it might be worth a try.
As for #2, I like back and forth swings where you hit the same spot on the ground, hitting balls in a line, and the 2-swing drill (I think that's the name of it.)
 
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suns11111

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#1 Good equipment helps (Vokey or Cleveland C12). If thinning or fattys you feel any flipping in your techique? If so lke lookingtolearn states watch your forward lean. I try and keep it simple, feel of tossing a ball with right hand, left hand is just along for the ride. If I need a softer shot I feel as if the meat part of right hand leads (palm facing perpindicular to ball). After trying a few downstairs keep the right hand close to body and keep the angles on the follow thru. Good luck!
JeffS
 
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kc8kir

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Techniques tried:

1) Paul Runyan technique, club on toe, grip down, chip like you putt (this is perhaps the best one out of the bunch so far, can do it with a SW from about 20 yards if needed, but still struggling for consistent contact at short range or off tight lies, ball does not want to bite at all...)

2) Hogan technique, weight left, open stance, open-close action, very handsy (awesome sometimes, other times I can't hit the ball this way at all, very difficult on Texas hardpan)

3) Locked inverted Y, firm wristed, weight left, back and through, quiet lower body, various ball positions (no real luck here :confused:)

4) Locked arms inverted Y, body pivot (powerful, but on short chips of only say 5-15 yards I can't seem to control the distance or trajectory - it's all over the place)

5) Technique from a PGA instructor. Left upper arm held tight against body throughout. Ball off left big toe, open stance. Lift the club out and away, then drop and turn. Pitches are em...ok, but you can't chip this way though. Lots of fat shot when the "drop and turn" gets out of timing, and watch out for the shank if you accidentally take the club "behind" instead of "away".

6) A technique all my own. Weight left, ball off right foot, feet together. Basically lift the clubhead back and drop it on the ball as I turn. Pretty good for medium distance pitching, but chipping with it is a joke. Not precise enough. Not really a chipping motion anyways.

7) For pitching, I used to keep the elbows very tight to the body and make a body turn and a handsy release. Sometimes it was very accurate, but was really timing dependent. I could end up hitting a hooking pitch that never stopped.

There ya go...

Maybe I'll just start putting from off the green and say the heck with short chips!!! Is that why they call it the Texas wedge? Everyone else down here may know something I don't!
 
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suns11111

New
kc8kir holy molly you have tried a lot. With everything you have tried and I am sure you tried different techniques during the same round has got you bummin. Can you post a sample of your basic motion hitting balls (side view and back view if possible). Just wondering if one hand is taking over the other or a setup tweak. For fun try using the claw grip for your right hand to see if its overactive. Why? Just try it and you will actually get a lot more feedback from the club.
Thanks
JeffS
 
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Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
kc8kir said:
Techniques tried:

1) Paul Runyan technique, club on toe, grip down, chip like you putt (this is perhaps the best one out of the bunch so far, can do it with a SW from about 20 yards if needed, but still struggling for consistent contact at short range or off tight lies, ball does not want to bite at all...)

2) Hogan technique, weight left, open stance, open-close action, very handsy (awesome sometimes, other times I can't hit the ball this way at all, very difficult on Texas hardpan)

3) Locked inverted Y, firm wristed, weight left, back and through, quiet lower body, various ball positions (no real luck here :confused:)

4) Locked arms inverted Y, body pivot (powerful, but on short chips of only say 5-15 yards I can't seem to control the distance or trajectory - it's all over the place)

5) Technique from a PGA instructor. Left upper arm held tight against body throughout. Ball off left big toe, open stance. Lift the club out and away, then drop and turn. Pitches are em...ok, but you can't chip this way though. Lots of fat shot when the "drop and turn" gets out of timing, and watch out for the shank if you accidentally take the club "behind" instead of "away".

6) A technique all my own. Weight left, ball off right foot, feet together. Basically lift the clubhead back and drop it on the ball as I turn. Pretty good for medium distance pitching, but chipping with it is a joke. Not precise enough. Not really a chipping motion anyways.

7) For pitching, I used to keep the elbows very tight to the body and make a body turn and a handsy release. Sometimes it was very accurate, but was really timing dependent. I could end up hitting a hooking pitch that never stopped.

There ya go...

Maybe I'll just start putting from off the green and say the heck with short chips!!! Is that why they call it the Texas wedge? Everyone else down here may know something I don't!
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Are you swinging down and left enough for each of these techniques? I bet not. Just a hunch.
 
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kc8kir

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Actually, I've been trying to swing more DTL. Swing more left eh? Hmmm.... so you want me to make a cut shot out of my chips or just pivot more left and around?
 
Burner

Burner

New
Kevin Shields said:
Are you swinging down and left enough for each of these techniques? I bet not. Just a hunch.
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Kevin,

Can you help me with this please?

If the ball is played back of low point then its a given that he must be swinging down. I hope.

But, how can he be "swinging left enough" when down and out (to right field) is the mantra also associated with that ball position.
 
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Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
Not really. Refer to the Trackman findings thread. You're usually chipping with a higher lofted club, correct? Even with chipping and pitching you NEED at least 8 degrees of downward hit to catch it clean on the face. So with those clubs, you must aim or swing left to counteract the outward.

In short, the down required makes your swing in to out. So you dont want the club going down the line anymore. It would be impossible to hit your chips straight, they would bleed right. So you'll start flipping them back on line and then the downward spiral starts. Swing down and to the left with a square face for chips. The method is up to you. Pivot, no pivot. Locked wrists, swinging, hitting, etc.
 
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Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
Burner said:
Kevin,

Can you help me with this please?

If the ball is played back of low point then its a given that he must be swinging down. I hope.

But, how can he be "swinging left enough" when down and out (to right field) is the mantra also associated with that ball position.
Click to expand...

Yeah, he might be swinging down, but he might be aiming straight or also walking the club out to the right or down the line. The path of the sweetspot must go down and left via aim or swing.
 
K

Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
GaryC_47 said:
And what does the divot look like? i.e. direction.

thanks
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Hopefully your using the bounce of the club and not taking any divots from close range but if you do, they would point left because your catching it before low point so to make it fly straight low point (divot) would be left of the target.
 
begolfpro

begolfpro

New
Chipping Rules

kc8kir said:
I'm either duffing short, or blading long, or the ball won't stop.

I don't know if it's chipping yips or what, but I've tried every technique in every book I have, and I still can't gain any consistency. Driving me crazy.

Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

2 Golden Rules to chipping

1. Keep your hands ahead of the club head at ALL times and
2. Do NOT break the left wrist through out the chip swing...ever, ever, ever:)

and simply pivot and swing to your target...do not stand still like a statue when chipping.:D
 
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