5 proposed skills that will make you an excellent bargaining chip
Are you one of the better golfers than chips? While putting seems simpler because the club doesn’t need to hit the ground and ideally the ball doesn’t airborne, the good news is that if you’re a solid putting you can also be a great chipper. Many of the basic principles that make you a good putt can be applied to your short game to improve the touch around your green.
Good posture is the key
Your posture involves bending forward from your hips, allowing your arms to hang freely. The “bows” of the hips are essential because they wave a smooth path for your arms as your shoulders fall naturally forward. This path is critical for solid contact and will help you improve direction and distance control. It is equally important to apply the same pose to your debris. It ensures that Clubhead falls on the ground and increases your chances of hitting the ball in the center of the club. Your pose has a slightly bow (rather than a squat or crowded position) that makes your ability to consistent, central contact have a huge impact.
Keep stroke short
One thing that makes putters and debris reliable is the small size of the stroke. Unless you try to do a skilled shot, your guard must never exceed or even reach hip height. The movement of a smaller moving part makes it more forgiving. Even if you miss the ball slightly, it usually still works. If your debris swing back too long, it can cause your weight to move too much, destroying the club’s position on the ground. Longer strokes can also force you to slow down your forward swing, which may affect your contact and consistency.
Lean towards the target
When placed, your weight tends to be relatively centered. However, when you hit a low-running chip (also known as bumps and runs), your body should lean towards the target. Pay attention to tilting your body and club equally. As the sternum moves forward, the club axis should follow suit. However, avoid excessive shaft tilt, as this can cause the club to dig too much into the ground. When you tilt, your front shoulder should drop slightly. This adjustment helps with a steep attack angle, ensuring that the club head hits the back of the ball first before contacting the ground.
Contact with the ground
Your chip shoot should also have a certain call time, even if it rolls more than the flight time. Proper contact with the ground is crucial, and it is where the posture and correct body tilt play. While it is sometimes possible to avoid hitting the ground (such as when playing on a short grass), if you are in thicker grass around the green, you need to commit to hitting the ground to get the ball onboard.
Use your grip
Putters and debris are stroke actions, which creates many similarities. If you’re a great putter but struggle with debris, consider using the exact same grip.
An example is cross-grip, which is becoming increasingly popular with debris. Since I use the cross-grip push rod, I find it natural to use the same technique for debris. Cross-grip force reduces wrist movements and promotes a more stable, effective stroke.
For golfers who tend to use too much wrist movement when they break, this change can greatly improve contact. The lower position of the lead hand can also improve shoulder alignment, making your natural progress more automatic. Matthew Fitzpatrick has been crossing obstacles for some time, and recently you can see it with short game coach Parker McLachlin’s student Matthew Pavon. This shallower movement is especially useful for cutting tight lies, making the lens more efficient and controlled.
With these tips, hopefully you will make your debris as reliable as your putters.
