Forget about smoking the driver and you can forget about mastering the 3 iron. If you really want to shave shots off your scores then you need to master the finer points of the game. These chipping tips will focus your mind on an element of the game that is often overlooked when practicing. Becoming great from the fringe can put you in great positions on the green. Read on to find out how you can add more weapons to your game with these 3 killer chipping tips.
Everything about chipping starts with a solid set up. Without it you are playing the lottery with your shots from the fringe and will not put yourself in position for high percentage putts.
First of all take a narrow stance. You're not about to send the ball 300 yards so don't stand as if you are. You are aiming not to have much movement in your body. This is very much an arms and shoulders stroke. Make absolutely sure that your shoulders and feet are aiming left of the target to encourage an open stance. This helps return the clubface square to the target.
Secondly, make sure that the golf ball is nearer to your back foot. Placing the golf ball in this manner promotes a steeper stroke rather than a scoop. Some amateurs try to scoop the ball in these situations because they want more control. The fact is you need to develop touch and feel so scooping will actually do the opposite. You should also start with your hands ahead of the ball to provide further insurance against this scooping motion.
Finally, now you're in a comfortable set up, you want to make a pendulum type swing. Similar to the putting stoke there is very little momentum generated by the torso. You are looking to use your shoulders and keep the backswing and follow through equal in length. Try to keep your wrists inactive as you do this otherwise your hands can get ahead of you and you will experience a high percentage of duffs. It is also vitally important that you swing through the ball with confidence. Too many times players slow down as they approach the ball because they are frightened they will hit it too far. Well, this is when the ball will travel a couple of inches and major embarrassment follows.
Using these chipping tips will rapidly improve your play around the greens. What was once a lottery will now become a genuine opportunity to attack the cup at each green and give you every opportunity to bring your scores down consistently.
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