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CHIPPING, PITCHING, & FLOP SHOTS For most new golfers scoring under 100 is a major goal. It's known that at least 40% of all golf strokes are played within 60 yards of the green. So perfecting a variety of short game shots may the quickest way break the century mark. Once you learn how to get the ball airborne and can keep it in play, then its time to get serious about learning short game technique. In this installment of New York Tips, we will focus on the three most crucial short game shots and how to play them. CHIPPING The chip shot is a real stroke saver. It is played from the fairway or fringe; within 20 feet of the green. Take a slightly open stance with the feet about shoulder width. The ball is played near the rear of your stance. Position your hands just ahead of the ball, and shift a bit more weight on to your front foot. Make a few practice strokes and brush the grass. Use a smooth crisp stroke to pop the ball onto the green. It's important to catch the ball first then the grass. Don't scoop the ball to help it go up. To control this shot, select a precise landing spot, usually within the first third of the green surface between you and the hole. Land the ball there and let it roll it the rest of the way to the hole. Club selection is important. You can chip using anything from a 5-iron through the various wedges. Landing the ball softly with a minimum of roll requires a more lofted club, say a 9 iron or a wedge. If the ball must roll out to get to the hole, a 5-6-7- or 8 iron will do the job. To develop a feel for the shot, practice with all the different clubs. Learn to fit the club to the distance. PITCHING Played from the fairway or rough, from good lies and bad, the pitch shot is the supreme test of a golfers skill and creativity. With pitching, you can bounce the ball onto the green or land it close to the flag. Pitching can make the ball stop on a dime or roll across the green. The swing can be long or short. The next time you watch televised golf, take note of the many ways players save strokes by executing pitch shots. You might see them pop the ball out of the greenside rough using a 60 degree wedge of even a metal wood. Facing a tricky uphill shot onto the green, the player may hit his ball into the bank to control the pace. The more short game shots you have, the better you'll play the game. LOB SHOTS The lob is the most elegant and precise of the short game shots. A 60 degree wedge is the most popular club used for this shot. You can even open the face to gain more loft. The lob shot works well from 60 yards and in and can be played from any lie . Using a slow and controlled full swing, the golfer tries to hit the ball very high and lands it softly next to the hole. You can use this technique out of the sand as well. Just remember to hit at least 1" behind the ball so the sand lifts the ball out of the hazard. Now that you know the difference between the chip, pitch, and lob shots, it's time to gain the skills you need to play them. At The Golf Studio and Golf Studio School, we can help you learn how to use the short game and lower your scores. Call today for information about the many ways we can help make your golf game complete. I welcome your questions and comments. Please send them to me at: tips@golfstudionyc.com |
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