Chipping/Bunker Play

No golfer regardless of how good they are hits every green in regulation. This is why learning how to chip and get out bunkers effectively is important as it will help you to shoot good scores even when your full swing is not at its best. During every practice session be sure to take some time and spend it on hitting short shots around the greens.

Hit from all kinds of varied lies around the greens. Do not be afraid to pick the nastiest lies you can find such as bare lies or buried lies and learn how to hit from them. If you can master hitting from tough lies then no situation you face on the course will seem difficult to you. Remember that the lie dictates what kind of shot you should hit and always play high percentage shots. If the ball is sitting up then you may consider a high flop shot however if the ball is buried then you may be better off going for the chip and run in that situation.

Regular Chip Shots:

The best way to setup for regular chip shots is to place the ball a little back in the stance towards your right foot (if you are a right handed player) and have an open stance which means your feet should be pointing to the left of the target. Simply take the club back and follow through and keep a straight line between the club and your left arm as you follow through.

Flop Shots:

These kinds of shots are very useful when you little green to work with and need to stop the ball quickly. Make sure that you have a decent lie that will allow you to get under the ball relatively easily otherwise you may go for the chip and run shot instead. The ball position for this kind of shot is towards your left foot and open the club face so you can launch the ball up in the air quickly.

Bunker Shots:

Most people get intimidated by bunker shots however it is not as difficult as it may seem. The idea behind bunker play is to use a cushion of sand to lift the ball out of the bunker. You should also have an open stance for bunker play like chipping and place the ball towards your left foot.

Then aim for a spot about 3 inches behind the ball and hit that spot with the club and be sure to accelerate through as you will need quite a bit of force to get the ball out using that cushion of sand. The biggest key with these short shots around the green is to practice them consistently as that is the only way to develop the touch and feel necessary to allow you to get up and down on a regular basis. The ‘How To Break 80’ golf training system is proven to show you detailed step by step approaches to learning how to play golf fast. Click here to learn more.