# Chipping tempo



## Jabba (Mar 17, 2015)

My chipping tempo is extremely fast and my backswing on chips is way too short. Despite many lessons, many hours practice and lots of work with a V easy, my tempo still stinks. If I take the club back an appropriate distance, I feel that it's too far and I end up decelerating which creates a multitude of outcomes......all bad  I can make a nice, controlled backswing but the downswing does not reflect this.

I enjoy chips with relatively straight faced clubs, using the chip-putt method, the problem comes when I have to use a longer swing using a more lofted club. My results are "serviceable" but I believe they would improve greatly if I could use a longer, more controlled swing rather than looking like I've been zapped with a cattle prod.

I'm sure my problem is mental because I can make nice, slow swings with my practice swings. Even the pro ( who has improved my short game tremendously) seems unable to help this affliction. 

All suggestions welcomed please.


----------



## the_coach (Mar 18, 2015)

without seeing what you do, it sure sounds as if the chipping action you have issues with is pretty much an arms & hands dominated one, very easy to do what you describe this way, end up with not much rhythm, takeback overlong so stubs, chili dips & skulls.

chipping & pitching is largely better when controlled through the rotation of the chest & a small hip pivot with connected arms (the triceps stay lightly connected to the pecs throughout the entire motion). that ways the arms & hands don't take over causing fats. skulls etc.

with the larger muscles of your upper body controlling the motion you can make a good smooth motion back & through.
 it also allows you to keep the angle in the back of the right hand so you don't flick at the ball. 

notice how in the motion the chest & the belt buckle turns through the shot to face target, weight stays left from start, ending up with a little more weight left at finish because of the turn. 

(if you have trouble feeling the connection upper arms to chest, get a large towel folded along the lenght at simply put it under both triceps so the light pressure of the upper arms keeps the towel there against the pecs all the ways through the motion you see on this vid)

[video=youtube;ijSB37X5GNA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijSB37X5GNA[/video]


----------



## Duckster (Mar 18, 2015)

Get a metronome app for your phone and use that to get your tempo set.

Find a tune you like that has the same sort of beat.

When your on the course doing your practice chipping swing, hum the tune.  Should start getting you a bit more consistent.

You can use this with different tempo's / tunes depending on the shot you need.


----------



## bobmac (Mar 18, 2015)

I would suggest you dont worry about about slowing it down, just try and make it smoother


----------



## Foxholer (Mar 18, 2015)

bobmac said:



			I would suggest you dont worry about about slowing it down, just try and make it smoother
		
Click to expand...

Given that I leave more chips short than go past the pin, this seems eminently sensible - at least for me!

Using a higher lofted club could be an 'equipment' solution (apologies Bob )


----------



## Jabba (Mar 18, 2015)

Thanks guys, plenty of food for thought. I think the towel drill could be very useful, with the V easy my chipping swing is much smoother and this may well help in the same way.

I bought a pair of Vokey SM5 wedges earlier this year, I can't even blame it on crap wedges.


----------



## SGC001 (Mar 18, 2015)

Jabba said:



			My chipping tempo is extremely fast and my backswing on chips is way too short. Despite many lessons, many hours practice and lots of work with a V easy, my tempo still stinks. If I take the club back an appropriate distance, I feel that it's too far and I end up decelerating which creates a multitude of outcomes......all bad  I can make a nice, controlled backswing but the downswing does not reflect this.

I enjoy chips with relatively straight faced clubs, using the chip-putt method, the problem comes when I have to use a longer swing using a more lofted club. My results are "serviceable" but I believe they would improve greatly if I could use a longer, more controlled swing rather than looking like I've been zapped with a cattle prod.

I'm sure my problem is mental because I can make nice, slow swings with my practice swings. Even the pro ( who has improved my short game tremendously) seems unable to help this affliction. 

All suggestions welcomed please.
		
Click to expand...

You could try gripping it extremely lightly with just the thumb and index finger of each hand (others may be touching grip a little due to position). 
Then swing back and through, if the pivot and bigger muscles are powering your stroke this should be doable even of iffy lies (progress to this).
You should be able to very much sense the weight of the clubhead, its swing and the feeling at transition from backswing to throughswing and finish. If grip pressure isn't conciously increased and you use your pivot back and through to finish it would be difficult for you to jab or deccelerate.

1 arm drills may help too.


----------



## Jabba (Mar 19, 2015)

This is definitely another big weakness of mine. My natural reaction is to grip the club like I'm trying to strangle it. The more tense I get, the harder I grip. I start a practice session holding nice and lightly and finish up like the Boston strangler.


----------



## HomerJSimpson (Mar 19, 2015)

I have the tour tempo app on my phone which also has a short game mode too. However with me at the moment its technique and not tempo but may be worth a look


----------



## Face breaker (Mar 19, 2015)

Jabba said:



			My chipping tempo is extremely fast and my backswing on chips is way too short. Despite many lessons, many hours practice and lots of work with a V easy, my tempo still stinks. If I take the club back an appropriate distance, I feel that it's too far and I end up decelerating which creates a multitude of outcomes......all bad  I can make a nice, controlled backswing but the downswing does not reflect this.

I enjoy chips with relatively straight faced clubs, using the chip-putt method, the problem comes when I have to use a longer swing using a more lofted club. My results are "serviceable" but I believe they would improve greatly if I could use a longer, more controlled swing rather than looking like I've been zapped with a cattle prod.

I'm sure my problem is mental because I can make nice, slow swings with my practice swings. Even the pro ( who has improved my short game tremendously) seems unable to help this affliction. 

All suggestions welcomed please.
		
Click to expand...

I regularly use a "Texas wedge" because chipping was/is one of my weak points, you use it like a putter and yes they are legit unless you play in tournaments but what I found is it's helped no end as now when I use a wedge I find myself setting it up correctly and using it like a putter and "hey Prestow, perfecto chippo" just my personal experience though as I dare say the puritans would tell you otherwise !...:thup:

Ps, if you were to get one it needs to be dedicated left or right handed (not dual faced) and a "standard golf grip" no "putter grips" unless it's just for informal/friendly play !


----------



## Jabba (Mar 20, 2015)

I'm actually pretty fair at these shots using a 6-9 iron. It's the floaty ones that get me


----------

