chipping - help! Solved...I think

[perseveringgolfer]

I cant chip for love nor money! there, I've said it. I used to get beside a green and felt confident to hole it or scare the flag. Now I tremble with fear (not literally) and if its not a thin or fat it feels like a good shot even though its probably nowhere near the pin.

 

I have grown up with open stance, ball at back foot or near middle to use the bounce (all have same thins or fats).

Tried no wrist break, lots of wrist break, toe in the air, hands low etc etc but it's now ruining my games.

 

From a player who could do a flop shot to one where fellow players keep out my line of fire in case of a 100mph thinned bullet lol

 

 

anyone in the same boat and has a solution to get back to being a confident chipper?

[MDGolfHacker]

Maybe a video of you doing a few chips might help us determine what's going on in on with your chips. I'm in the same boat. I'm an ok chipper but went through a spell where I shanked it all. Ball placement was part of the problem as I was standing too close to the ball.

 

MDGolfHacker

[Zylem]

Like MD said ball placement could be a problem. Try moving it closer to the middle of your stance to start with. It may of snuck further back in your stance than you think. (This is just a guess based on what I've seen others do and what you said you are experiencing)

 

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[cnosil]

I have been struggling with my chipping. What club are you using?

 

I am getting better but still struggle. I use different clubs depending on desired rollout, ball middle of stance, don't let left wrist breakdown, and focus on tempo. I think the tempo aspect is most important

 

Good luck!

[null]

Read Dave Stockton's Unconscious Scoring

[MDGolfHacker]

And don't look up before completing your chip! I found that caused a lot of fat and skulled shots☹️

 

MDGolfHacker

[Shankster]

Check this out.

 

https://youtu.be/JZOb3QzjP1U

[bullldog]

 

 

I cant chip for love nor money! there, I've said it. I used to get beside a green and felt confident to hole it or scare the flag. Now I tremble with fear (not literally) and if its not a thin or fat it feels like a good shot even though its probably nowhere near the pin.

I used to be a good chipper even from sand but something happened when i came back after a 7 year break. Now I suffer chip yips bad.. And its all mental. Also I haven't found a cure yet.

 

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[Shankster]

I practice chips only for about 7 months out of the year in my house. So it is probably the best part of my game. I practice several different types of chips, open stance, closed stance, high, low... different clubs.

[perseveringgolfer]

Check this out.

 

that was useful thanks, just the opposite of what I've been doing, seve was great at keeping it simple. I get flippy with the hands but maybe thats subconsciously done with the ball too far back

[perseveringgolfer]

I have been struggling with my chipping. What club are you using?

 

I am getting better but still struggle. I use different clubs depending on desired rollout, ball middle of stance, don't let left wrist breakdown, and focus on tempo. I think the tempo aspect is most important

 

Good luck!

50* 54* PW and 9 iron- I can fat and thin any of 'em

[perseveringgolfer]

Maybe a video of you doing a few chips might help us determine what's going on in on with your chips. I'm in the same boat. I'm an ok chipper but went through a spell where I shanked it all. Ball placement was part of the problem as I was standing too close to the ball.

 

MDGolfHacker

I am also standing too close to the ball, after I hit it...da boom boom tish!

[cnosil]

50* 54* PW and 9 iron- I can fat and thin any of 'em

My problem is with the wedges. I tend to get less putting stoke with them. I also have a tendency to grab them first.

[russtopherb]

My problem is with the wedges. I tend to get less putting stoke with them. I also have a tendency to grab them first.

I try and stick with 2, maybe 3 clubs at most to chip with. I usually go with my 54* and my 8i. I'll practice all sorts of different chips with them so I have a fairly good idea which club to grab on the course and I'm relatively confident with the outcome.

 

 

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[Kenny B]

I have been struggling with my chipping. What club are you using?

 

I am getting better but still struggle. I use different clubs depending on desired rollout, ball middle of stance, don't let left wrist breakdown, and focus on tempo. I think the tempo aspect is most important

 

Good luck!

I like this. (Not the fact that you are struggling btw!).  I spent the last several years with my short game practice because without prodigious length on full swings, I have to rely on chipping and putting to score.

 

I would say that from personal experience poor chipping is likely due to lead wrist breakdown and tempo.  Part of my problem was taking the club back too far to the inside which created a really flat approach to the ball; blade.chunk.  Now I focus on a more SBST swing with a steeper angle of attack which makes it easier to to keep the lead wrist from breaking down.  

 

I have also found that the type of grass and the lie has an impact on chipping results.  I have always had trouble on Bermuda grass into the grain, but sparse clumps of any grass are also tricky.  I usually chip with the ball in the middle of my stance, head behind the ball; I feel like I can see the back of the ball better than having the ball back where I tend to chunk it.  If I exaggerate the followthrough down the line keeping the lead wrist flat, I don't blade it.

[HardcoreLooper]

I would say that from personal experience poor chipping is likely due to lead wrist breakdown and tempo.  Part of my problem was taking the club back too far to the inside which created a really flat approach to the ball; blade.chunk.  Now I focus on a more SBST swing with a steeper angle of attack which makes it easier to to keep the lead wrist from breaking down.

This.

 

I have the same problem. My teacher has me take it back straight down the target line, which feels like I'm taking it waaaaay outside. Like we tell the kids, when you're making a change, what feels right is wrong and what is right feels wrong.

 

He has me take an alignment rod and drive it into the ground at about a 45* angle. Take my stance with the rod pointing down my target line and the shaft touching the rod. Then take practice swings to ingrain that feeling with the shaft riding up and down the rod.

[Peaksy68]

When I practice chipping, I really exaggerate having light grip pressure, to the extent I'm barely holding the club.

 

The old chipping thought of throwing the ball underarm can be helpful in relaxing grip pressure. How tight do you grip the ball if you're going to toss it gently?

 

Try to have fun with chipping practice, do a few stupid things to break it up. Upside down left handed, one handed, or totally unrealistic club choice can help engage the creative side of your brain.

 

I haven't read the book Jlukes suggested, but the title makes sense, in particular around the greens.

[bens197]

Start with a 7 iron and make a putting stroke.

 

Develop that feel to the point where you gain some confidence.

 

Then it's the 8 iron, the 9 and so on...

 

There are a bounty of drills and tips to take, play around and find what works.

 

You can do this, half the battle is between your ears.

 

 

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[perseveringgolfer]

Check this out.

 

this is the one I'm going to work on.....makes simple sense. Thanks for all the input people its been very helpful. 

[Shankster]

this is the one I'm going to work on.....makes simple sense. Thanks for all the input people its been very helpful.

Here is the link to the entire video. It's a hour well spent. He goes over a lot of the short game stuff we run into out there. Plus he was a genius. Have fun!

 

https://youtu.be/Om5uhnjksVI

[PlaidJacket]

Honestly, if was a struggling golfer like described above I'd get a Square Strike club or something similar. I have a friend that recently bought one and he's seeing improvement and showing more confidence. I tried it myself and liked it quite frankly. Ok sure... I chip and pitch decently with my regular wedges, etc. But some people don't. Give a club like that a try. And besides... who gives a flip? This game is about getting the ball in the hole in as few of strokes as possible.

Let guys laugh if that want to while you're game improves. I'm a 5 hcp and wouldn't hesitate for a minute to try something that actually might help my scoring.

[Kenny B]

When I practice chipping, I really exaggerate having light grip pressure, to the extent I'm barely holding the club.

 

The old chipping thought of throwing the ball underarm can be helpful in relaxing grip pressure. How tight do you grip the ball if you're going to toss it gently?

 

Try to have fun with chipping practice, do a few stupid things to break it up. Upside down left handed, one handed, or totally unrealistic club choice can help engage the creative side of your brain.

 

I haven't read the book Jlukes suggested, but the title makes sense, in particular around the greens.

+1  soft hands... all great chippers of the ball have soft hands.  Tension is a killer.

[perseveringgolfer]

+1  soft hands... all great chippers of the ball have soft hands.  Tension is a killer.

good point, when you have water or a bunker between you and the green, or water behind the green I can bend metal with the tension in my hands lol

 

Combined with the Seve video above I'll concentrate on grip pressure like I'm holding a small bird

[Peaksy68]

Another thing to consider when practising is not being target focused. Work on feel and getting used to how the ball reacts to the club face and how the club interacts with the ground.

 

Build up to your target after you rebuild your feel. Less pressure on yourself (and your grip)

 

 

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[perseveringgolfer]

*update*

 

Had my 3rd TPI coach lesson today - totally changed my chipping and dispelled many 'myths' about 'slowly', 'soft hands' 'grip lightly' etc etc all things I was doing with terrible results.

 

lets see how it fairs on the course

[perseveringgolfer]

well chipping was awesome yesterday, it was the only part that was, lol (see hip turn update thread)

 

For the first time I could think about where to land the ball as opposed to my usual thoughts which were "dont chunk or thin it" which I inevitably did

 

The coaches advice about back in the stance (comfortable to me), grip it as hard or soft as YOU feel you need (comfortable to me), weight 60/40 on lead foot and keeping the blade at impact and beyond never ahead of the hands- think Zach Johnston finish works very well indeed.

[MeanMachine22]

Talk to me. That's one part of my game that has never failed me. I had a scratch frat brother teach me a few things when I first started playing, and have stuck with it for 30 years. Ball back, slightly open stance and clubface, hit down on ball, and hit down until club hits turf. I make slight mods for various scenarios, but those fundamentals keep me centered. Use multiple clubs and practice “string walking” (archery term). The gist is have one swing for chips but use different clubs for different distance. With the chipping motion, here are my numbers...10-15 yards LW, 15-20, SW, 20-25 PW, 25-30 9. This all depends on how much rough you have between you and the green, but these numbers assume about 5 yards. I try to keep it systematic and consistency follows. The key is to keep the same stroke and change the club for distance.

[PMookie]

Butch Harmon's technique for chipping is the easiest, and reduces chances for blades, heavy chips, etc. His method was in one of the last two months edition of Golf Mag/Golf Digest. Dustin Johnson also uses this method, as he's Butch's student.

For right hander, ball is in front of right foot. Shaft is pretty vertical, hands high, left wrist cocked/firm. Stance slightly open. Toe is pointing down, only the lower to edge is on the ground. Now it's just a matter of rocking the shoulders and, bingo! Soooo easy.

Changing to this method has helped me a ton. I'm more consistent, my touch is better, and I'm now more confident.

 

 

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[808nation]

Same boat here, I've been very inconsistent on my chip shot. Some great advises here

 

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[cnosil]

Butch Harmon's technique for. Hopping is the easiest, and reduces chances for blades, heavy chips, etc. His method was in on of the last two months edition of Golf Mag/Golf Digest. Dustin Johnson also uses this method, as he's Butch's student.

For right hander, ball is in front of right toe. Shaft is pretty vertical, hands high, left wrist cocked/firm. Stance slightly open. Toe is pointing down, only the lower to edge is on the ground. Now it's just a matter of rocking the shoulders and, bingo! Soooo easy.

Changing to this method has helped me a ton. I'm more consistent, my touch is better, and I'm now more confident.

 

 

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this is basically what I do as well.  I do find that some clubs work better that others.   I do this with lob to 5 iron depending on carry and roll needs,  but struggle a lot with the sand wedge.