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Chipping Lesson

HomerJSimpson

HomerJSimpson

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Finally had my long overdue chipping lesson. The guy taught something called the Linear method. Very simplistic (ideal for me then) and its about standing square with the shaft vertical in the middle of the stance. Basically take the club back in a straight line, bring it back down the line and turn the body through.

How simple. No worrying about weight forward, breaking the wrists, keeping the hands in front. Took about 10 minutes to get the feeling right and resist coming too far inside or over-emphasising the turn but definitely something very solid to build on. Apparently one of the GM top 25 coaches Gary Smith is a big advocate. Was looking for a you tube example but couldn't find any. Anyone else use it
 
Apologies but I'm confused..

You mention that previous lessons have had you breaking your wrists. When, during a chip, should there be any breaking of the wrists?? As I say, apologies if I've misinterpreted your post.

Also, the 'straight back and through' method - surely this isn't a new thing?? If I'm playing a delicate chip with, say, a 6 iron then I basically adopt my putting grip and basically 'putt' with the 6 iron. Nothing fancy, just back and through the ball. There's no hinging of the wrists and no movement of the club other than on a straight line. Is there more to this Linear teachings??

One more thing, I'd advocate having >80% of the weight on the left side. I used to be 50/50 and I'd thin more than I hit well. Now, having shifted the weight onto the left side, I've thinned one in six months and my chipping has improved markedly.
 
I used the hybrid chip with my brand new taylormade rescue. Used my putting stroke to roll it 15 yards up hill and onto the green from a rough lie.

My playing partners said they would never have thought to do that and were impressed. I read about that shot in GM and it saved me a nice par!

I like the linear method but I agree its not new. I use something similar but the ball is a little back in my stance and I hit with my weight on the left side.

I am still in a world of confusion about the short game and I do what feels natural and it feels natural not to overcomplicate something so simple!
 
Apologies but I'm confused..

You mention that previous lessons have had you breaking your wrists. When, during a chip, should there be any breaking of the wrists?? As I say, apologies if I've misinterpreted your post.
Click to expand...

As I was. I hadn't had a chipping lsson for two years and had got lost in a minefield of confused technique. I wasn't sure if I was suppose to break the wrist, keep them firm, weight forward, hands in front of the ball etc. In the end I'd stand over it and didn't know whether to stick or bust.

In simplistic terms the weight is much more central as is the stance (with the left foot slightly flaired to allow the hip turn) and it is about using the bounce of the club properly. With my hands forward I was presenting the leading edge hence the duff and thin ones. This gives a wider margin for error and isn't so much a cock of the wrist as a natural hinge for a short chip (the longer shot/pitch the more it becomes hinged). Going back straight you simply let the club drop back the bounce cuts through the grass collects the ball and you turn through to face the target.

I've probably made a real hash of describing it but found the link I wanted. This is what I'm after http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzLzmRPmxJU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzLzmRPmxJU&feature=related
 
Might be Kevin Craggs Homer. he was preaching that technique at the Scottish Golf Show last year.

Andy
 
I don't care if he has Homer doing a handstand, gripping the club with his feet and singing "It's a long way to Tipperary" or if there are hordes of people on the Scottish links deploying exactly the same technique.

If it stops him fluffing his chips, gets him shooting to or below his handicap and slaps a big fat smile all over his Chevy Chase then it's fine by me! :D
 
Spent a good hour this morning working on it. The biggest issue was getting use to the hand position and more importantly the body being the engine to drive the shot (as Gary Smith describes it in the clip). I found I wasn't turning enough. Once I got use to that there is much to be happy about. Even duffed strikes were coming out better and the good ones were much more controlled. Still work to be done in terms of the technique and distance control but we're moving in the right direction
 
Spent a good hour this morning working on it. The biggest issue was getting use to the hand position and more importantly the body being the engine to drive the shot (as Gary Smith describes it in the clip). I found I wasn't turning enough. Once I got use to that there is much to be happy about. Even duffed strikes were coming out better and the good ones were much more controlled. Still work to be done in terms of the technique and distance control but we're moving in the right direction
Click to expand...
Hi,
Have started using it this month after reading it in last month's mag not sure was it golf monthly or todays golfer it is a very good method cuts out the dreaded duff but can lead to a few semi thins but they are better than a duff.
And it works great with t V-easy.
 
Watched both of those videos and dont really understand his "linear method" at all... He's basically telling you to chip pretty much the same way that everyone else does, except with the setup of a full shot...

I'd love to see him attempt a chip where he can't let the ball release 10 yards and has to actually get it to check up. I dont see how he would be able to do it with that stance, as he wont be able to stop the clubhead releasing.

Looks like that method could be useful for those easy chips where you have loads of green to work with and not much trouble to get over, but would be completely useless in all other chipping situations...
 
Apologies but I'm confused..

You mention that previous lessons have had you breaking your wrists. When, during a chip, should there be any breaking of the wrists?? As I say, apologies if I've misinterpreted your post.

Also, the 'straight back and through' method - surely this isn't a new thing?? If I'm playing a delicate chip with, say, a 6 iron then I basically adopt my putting grip and basically 'putt' with the 6 iron. Nothing fancy, just back and through the ball. There's no hinging of the wrists and no movement of the club other than on a straight line. Is there more to this Linear teachings??

One more thing, I'd advocate having >80% of the weight on the left side. I used to be 50/50 and I'd thin more than I hit well. Now, having shifted the weight onto the left side, I've thinned one in six months and my chipping has improved markedly.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate but on shorter chips I agree but on longer chips I break my wrists on the backswing... as do a lot of players I know.

I also dont understand when you would ever need to play a delicate chip with a 6 iron... ever... I have never in my life played a chip with a 6 iron and cant think of any situation when it would be useful. If your chipping with a 6 iron often then my guess is that you are not putting from off the green enough...
 
I dont really know what to make of all this. I wish I had a valid opinion, because short game is my fave part of the game.

Ive never had a lesson but it seems to be my strongest point. I put it down to hundreds of hours practice.

The only thing I do religiously is keep the weight on the left side. EVERYTHING else, is a variant.
 
Hi Homer,

I was just wondering how you were getting on with the Linear Method?

Its intruiging as in theory I just dont see how it can work well, but obviously in practice it could be a different story...
 
Getting there slowly. It really looks strange at set up but my short game was so dire anything was better than what I had. Having some issues, more around having to turn (the body is the engine - check out this months GM for an article on it) and on dealing with tricky lies. There is a DVD by Gary Smith which came today (not watched it yet) which goes into it in more detail than my lesson so I'm hoping to build on the foundations of my lesson and crack on from there. On the course I do have more confidence and I guess that is 50% of the battle.
 
Getting there slowly. It really looks strange at set up but my short game was so dire anything was better than what I had. Having some issues, more around having to turn (the body is the engine - check out this months GM for an article on it) and on dealing with tricky lies. There is a DVD by Gary Smith which came today (not watched it yet) which goes into it in more detail than my lesson so I'm hoping to build on the foundations of my lesson and crack on from there. On the course I do have more confidence and I guess that is 50% of the battle.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Good to hear its working for you.

Will be interested to see the article, as Im still not convinced. Might have to try it out myself!
 
First impression just watching the video;

There seems to be a heck of a lot of lower body movement.

I can imagine a lot of poorer players ( Eg me ) letting the legs drive the shot and ending up in all sorts of trouble.

How does that translate when you're actually playing the shot ?

:D
 
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