Chipping/pitching lesson drill

[John_Findlay]

I've been a dreadful chipper and pitcher of the ball for years now. It was a technical issue but that soon translated to being a mental one. A severe one. Ask anyone who's played with me. It has cost me a few wedges over the years (if you know what I mean) and I'm not out of the woods yet :-(

However, I've been slowly improving, little by little, over the last 9 months or so and I think I'm at last beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm off work this week and plan to do nothing else but play golf.. so I thought I'd start the week off with a lesson, the main plan being that I'm going to spend a couple of hours every morning practicing my short game before going out to play.

My pro gave me a very interesting and helpful drill to help me today so here's a bit of video I took on my GoPro (post-lesson) using a couple of ball baskets as an aid.

http://youtu.be/ypi9UcUHur0

During the lesson itself he used a long (6x2 feet) glass mirror, facing towards the ball, where the baskets would be. That certainly concentrates the mind, I can tell you!

I'm trying to work on my 20-30 yards chips/ pitches which is what I'm worst at. I realise that I'm probably swinging too far back on the backswing in some of these shots but it's a work in progress. Very helpful to use the video to see what I'm feeling too.

 

[bobmac]

John, that basket drill really does help with the swing path but, and there's always a but...
You look like your helping the ball in the air. I'd imagine that wedge has a bit of loft on it so no need for any help.
Try switching the baskets round as per the video below. The idea is to keep the weight on the left side and try and hit the ball UNDER the shaft crossing the baskets. If you get it right, the ball will fly happily OVER the shaft. Always take a nice little divot with this shot.

[video=youtube;84pM1EMya_E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84pM1EMya_E[/video]

 

[John_Findlay]

Cheers Bob. I'll try that.

Yeah, the actual crux of the lesson was to have the clubface coming down onto the ball at the correct angle and (not helping it up)... but the baskets did help stop me from swinging inside myself causing too shallow an angle of attack, which is what my recurring problem is. It's a tricky feeling for me but its getting there.

 

[bobmac]

It's hard to force yourself to hit down on the ball when your on a mat. If you listen to your video, you dont hear a thump as the club hits down onto the mat more of a click as you pick it up cleanly. Listen for the thump, or get on the grass and take the divots

 

[John_Findlay]

I actually find that my best, most controlled, softest landing ones have a lovely soft click (ball first then turf sound) e.g. at 1.26mins. It's very distinctive and a very good indicator of whether I've done it correctly. Just like the nice click sound in your video actually. At the end of the day I feel it works better when I'm simply bruising the turf rather than taking any divot.

 

[the_coach]

worth considering for solid contact, ball first, bruise the turf second for the distances you're looking at - you don't need any weight transference right - vid 'appearing' to show the weight moving into the right foot some.

weight left at address but stays there, the motion driven by the chest pivot/rotation arms lightly connected with the chest walls back & through the motion.

so in the takeback the right hand just softens little ways back on itself as not looking for distance no need either for active wrist set, but weight stays on left foot, the shoulder/chest pivot transports the arms back down long as this stays connected the right arm/right hand will arrive at impact with the angles intact - so no danger of a flip.

that ways you can get a ball first bruise ground second with the right hand angle maintained into impact, releasing after, so still a shallower arc so not to dig the leading edge into the ground being steep like TW of late. chest rotates through to target with the butt of the club pointing to navel area, & left wrist will not have broken down.

 

[Huwey12]

John, that basket drill really does help with the swing path but, and there's always a but...
You look like your helping the ball in the air. I'd imagine that wedge has a bit of loft on it so no need for any help.
Try switching the baskets round as per the video below. The idea is to keep the weight on the left side and try and hit the ball UNDER the shaft crossing the baskets. If you get it right, the ball will fly happily OVER the shaft. Always take a nice little divot with this shot.

[video=youtube;84pM1EMya_E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84pM1EMya_E[/video]

I agree with John, it looks like your wrists are breaking forward a tad at impact trying to help the ball in the air
i was taught a long time ago to keep my front wrist (I'm a lefty) neutral or slightly bowed and my back wrist(left) cupped, which makes you transfer your weight so you get a good descending blow
Also on very short chips you can use a more putting technique with the ball more central in your stance
i think the modern way of teaching is to place the ball more central anyway to use the bounce of the club a bit more

 

[Robobum]

John, that basket drill really does help with the swing path but, and there's always a but...
You look like your helping the ball in the air. I'd imagine that wedge has a bit of loft on it so no need for any help.
Try switching the baskets round as per the video below. The idea is to keep the weight on the left side and try and hit the ball UNDER the shaft crossing the baskets. If you get it right, the ball will fly happily OVER the shaft. Always take a nice little divot with this shot.

[video=youtube;84pM1EMya_E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84pM1EMya_E[/video]

Like this video a lot!

 

[Darren24]

So this might be a stupid question but on short chips under 30ft were would have the ball placed. I know it will vary but for a high handicaper were would you suggest is best?

srry to jump in on the OP question.

 

[the_coach]

So this might be a stupid question but on short chips under 30ft were would have the ball placed. I know it will vary but for a high handicaper were would you suggest is best?

srry to jump in on the OP question.

[video=youtube_share;HCPrPfHk-M4]http://youtu.be/HCPrPfHk-M4[/video]

 

[bobmac]

So this might be a stupid question but on short chips under 30ft were would have the ball placed. I know it will vary but for a high handicaper were would you suggest is best?

srry to jump in on the OP question.

Pretty much the same as the longer shot. The only difference will be less wrist break.
The shorter the shot, the less wrist hinge you need.
If you imagine a short putt will have a short backswing, a longer putt will have a longer backswing, as the shot gets longer and moves off the green then a basic putting stroke with an iron/hybrid. As it gets longer still, a wrist hinge is introduced to increase the speed of the club and therefor the distance the ball goes. So a long chip could become a short pitch.
So think of a short chip as a long putt with a iron/hybrid with no wrist break

 

[Huwey12]

I agree with John, it looks like your wrists are breaking forward a tad at impact trying to help the ball in the air
i was taught a long time ago to keep my front wrist (I'm a lefty) neutral or slightly bowed and my back wrist(left) cupped, which makes you transfer your weight so you get a good descending blow
Also on very short chips you can use a more putting technique with the ball more central in your stance
i think the modern way of teaching is to place the ball more central anyway to use the bounce of the club a bit more

Sorry I meant to say I agree with bobmac but too late to edit
When I referred to weight transfer, i start with my weight 55% on my front foot and increase it on my downswing keeping my head behind the ball
I'm heavily into stack & tilt ( which is a different subject altogether) for my irons, I use it in my chipping play. Sorry for any confusion. Listen to bobmac he's the expert

 

[Marc Cools]

There is also the issue of tempo. If I rush it down, I hit an awful shot. So I wait for the club to be pulled down by gravity force and then turn my body through avoiding the use of my arms. The longer the chip/pitch the more the lower body, especially the right knee is involved. That wait is just milliseconds, you can't read a book waiting.

What I also found out was that it is very important that the weight is forward and stays there. If you go off the ball for like half a cm you are lost and will have a bad stroke.

Some pro's want you to keep the hands before the clubhead to keep the club open. I like to keep the handle pointed at my bellytummy so that arms and wrist don't have to do any action. Just rotating through and let gravity take care of the clubhead. Finishing facing the target with my whole body.

I also look at the target side of the ball. It's there where I want the low point of the chip/pitch to be.

And finally, I take a lot of practice swings feeling the bottom of the chip/pitch. That's very helpful when you are in a tough spot, and aren't we all there?

Maybe these thoughts can help you figure out what works best for you.

 

[Darren24]

Thanks for the replys lads some good stuff for me to work on😃

 

[John_Findlay]

Well, so much for the chipping improving. After the lesson on Monday I went down to the practice area on Tuesday and hit about 350/400 8-15 yard chips and felt that I was really improving and getting in to the new movement well. Played today and had 15 chips in 9 holes. It was frankly embarrassing and a big step backwards once again. I hate this game sometimes. Seriously.

 

[Region3]

It sounds awful and I really feel for you.

What are you thinking about as you prepare for the shot then play it?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It sounds awful and I really feel for you.

What are you thinking about as you prepare for the shot then play it?

"Please god make this a good one!!!" I feel for him as I've struggled big time. Hate duffing chips and most annoying shot in golf for me. I hope JF can find a remedy soon

 

[John_Findlay]

What are you thinking about as you prepare for the shot then play it?

After 10 years of chunking and skulling them I'm usually thinking about... chunking or skulling them.

Thought I'd made progress on Tuesday during my practice session but those tight linksy lies today just did for me. The only acceptable ones were when I had a little grass under the ball. I think I'm gonna have to find a more reliable technique for just a standard bump and run. I've just about given the game up 4 or 5 times over the years because of this part of my game. It's a killer.

 

[Crow]

Have you had a look at Stan Utley's short game book?

It's a really simple method, so simple even I've have some success with it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Art-o...072?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ae4798ce0

 

[the_coach]

put a folded once bag towel at 90º to the line 3" behind the ball (or you can put an alignment rod down instead of towel 3" behind), put a larger towel across the chest under the top of both arms (not jammed right up in the armpits about 1" or so below them)

weight on lead leg & keep it there, chest pivot then provides the energy. hands at address just level with front of the ball, so no great shaft lean at set up. at finish what ever length of chip shot left arm & shaft to be pretty much still in a straightline.

if still problems keeping weight on the lead leg throughout, set up exactly as above but have your right foot 'up' on the toes.