Teaching myself to chip during the lockdown

[Average Mo]

It feels like forever since the sun was last shining here in northern England and I was able to get out and hit some golfballs in the garden... although it was actually only 8 days ago! 

We're forecast some nice dry weather this weekend so I hope to get out there once again and teach myself some basics to improve my short game. 

Last week I tried a cricket-style shot, as suggested by my brother, where I decrease loft by keeping my hands in front of the club head and pushing through, popping the ball up off the ground and landing with little back spin. It is a delicate little shot, which worked well at a very short range, but I found I was digging the club into the turf. Any tips to avoid doing this? I think this shot could be used within close proximity to the green where there is little room for error...?

Secondly I tried a more conventional chip where my hands are directly above the club head, totally square at the point on impact. I kept a shallow angle of attack and follow through, reducing the thins I usually hit. This worked better for longer range shots and stopped the ball dead due to increased backspin. I think this will become my default shot as it feels great lifting the ball into the aid and dropping it down so nicely. I enjoyed the control of this shot and figured out the placing the ball further forward/back determined how high the ball goes. Result! 

These shots are a real eye opener for me as I have never practiced chipping/pitching and just "go for it" during a round. 

I hope that by the time we get back onto the course I'll be able to put these into practice and see my scores reduce significantly. 

Ps. I hope you are all keeping safe and well, maintaining safe distances and doing everything possible to stay healthy. 

[PMookie]

It feels like forever since the sun was last shining here in northern England and I was able to get out and hit some golfballs in the garden... although it was actually only 8 days ago! 
We're forecast some nice dry weather this weekend so I hope to get out there once again and teach myself some basics to improve my short game. 
Last week I tried a cricket-style shot, as suggested by my brother, where I decrease loft by keeping my hands in front of the club head and pushing through, popping the ball up off the ground and landing with little back spin. It is a delicate little shot, which worked well at a very short range, but I found I was digging the club into the turf. Any tips to avoid doing this? I think this shot could be used within close proximity to the green where there is little room for error...?
Secondly I tried a more conventional chip where my hands are directly above the club head, totally square at the point on impact. I kept a shallow angle of attack and follow through, reducing the thins I usually hit. This worked better for longer range shots and stopped the ball dead due to increased backspin. I think this will become my default shot as it feels great lifting the ball into the aid and dropping it down so nicely. I enjoyed the control of this shot and figured out the placing the ball further forward/back determined how high the ball goes. Result! 
These shots are a real eye opener for me as I have never practiced chipping/pitching and just "go for it" during a round. 
I hope that by the time we get back onto the course I'll be able to put these into practice and see my scores reduce significantly. 
Ps. I hope you are all keeping safe and well, maintaining safe distances and doing everything possible to stay healthy. 

Nice!!! All I know is that I can’t practice chipping or pitching with windows behind my target!!! It would be an expensive practice!


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[M. Parsons]

5 minutes ago, PMookie said:

Nice!!! All I know is that I can’t practice chipping or pitching with windows behind my target!!! It would be an expensive practice!


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I was gonna say the same thing...very brave @Average Mo  Also, if you get a chance to check out TXG videos, there are some recent ones with Matt going through some chipping / pitching drills...this might help with the digging.

 

[cnosil]

Good luck. This is what I practice most often; just haven’t been able to go from practice area to the course.

[Average Mo]

13 minutes ago, PMookie said:

Nice!!! All I know is that I can’t practice chipping or pitching with windows behind my target!!! It would be an expensive practice!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks @PMookie, I was extra gentle and was in constant fear for my life. Mrs Average Mo would have killed me! 

I basically chipped down the garden very gently, then was able to be a little more aggressive on the way back up.

[M. Parsons]

38 minutes ago, Average Mo said:

It feels like forever since the sun was last shining here in northern England and I was able to get out and hit some golfballs in the garden... although it was actually only 8 days ago! 

We're forecast some nice dry weather this weekend so I hope to get out there once again and teach myself some basics to improve my short game. 

Last week I tried a cricket-style shot, as suggested by my brother, where I decrease loft by keeping my hands in front of the club head and pushing through, popping the ball up off the ground and landing with little back spin. It is a delicate little shot, which worked well at a very short range, but I found I was digging the club into the turf. Any tips to avoid doing this? I think this shot could be used within close proximity to the green where there is little room for error...?

Secondly I tried a more conventional chip where my hands are directly above the club head, totally square at the point on impact. I kept a shallow angle of attack and follow through, reducing the thins I usually hit. This worked better for longer range shots and stopped the ball dead due to increased backspin. I think this will become my default shot as it feels great lifting the ball into the aid and dropping it down so nicely. I enjoyed the control of this shot and figured out the placing the ball further forward/back determined how high the ball goes. Result! 

These shots are a real eye opener for me as I have never practiced chipping/pitching and just "go for it" during a round. 

I hope that by the time we get back onto the course I'll be able to put these into practice and see my scores reduce significantly. 

Ps. I hope you are all keeping safe and well, maintaining safe distances and doing everything possible to stay healthy. 

Also, check out @jwlong410 's last post in the Wedge Setup - Need Help! thread...there's a great video from Padriag Harrington

[Average Mo]

2 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Good luck. This is what I practice most often; just haven’t been able to go from practice area to the course.

I've been having the same problem with other areas of my game that I do actually practice such as driving. Maybe the pressure of playing actual golf gets to me... I seem to work out the faults on the range, but forget it all once I step up to the tee box. 

Maybe one day it'll all click onto place... 

[Average Mo]

10 minutes ago, M. Parsons said:

I was gonna say the same thing...very brave @Average Mo  Also, if you get a chance to check out TXG videos, there are some recent ones with Matt going through some chipping / pitching drills...this might help with the digging.

 

Amazing! Thanks @M. Parsons

Much appreciated

This can be my homework for this week.

 

[Average Mo]

46 minutes ago, M. Parsons said:

I was gonna say the same thing...very brave @Average Mo  Also, if you get a chance to check out TXG videos, there are some recent ones with Matt going through some chipping / pitching drills...this might help with the digging.

 

A superb video. I hadn't really considered bounce.

Thank you 

[MDGolfHacker]

Great job on getting that short game practice in! 

 

MDGolfHacker

[azstu324]

Great visualisation Strategy!

On the course, just picture those windows behind the hole and you'll never go too long on your chips



the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

[cnosil]

On the course, just picture those windows behind the hole and you'll never go too long on your chips

That only works if thin is your problem. I would prefer to go long and be on the green than chunk it and have to chip/pitch again.

[CarlH]

8 hours ago, cnosil said:

Good luck. This is what I practice most often; just haven’t been able to go from practice area to the course.

I'm a +2 on the practice range.  On the course, when the heat is on, is another story.   

[Kenny B]

30 minutes ago, CarlH said:

I'm a +2 on the practice range.  On the course, when the heat is on, is another story.   

Agreed!  I firmly believe that the grass is different in the practice area than on the course.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  

[Average Mo]

I really wanted to dig a little hole in the lawn just like James Robinson but I'm sure you can imagine the look Mrs Average Mo gave me... decided to settle for just poking alignment sticks into the ground to simulate the pin...