How is it that the best Players in the world look relaxed when chipping? While the Golfers at your local course set-up with tense arms and a strained look on their face.

As the struggling Golfer is creating tension by trying to limit hand, wrist and body motion … the great Player uses hand and body motion for feel. Thus, many of the things you’re trying to eliminate in your chipping stroke could be causing you to become more inconsistent.

Typically, we hear Golfers tell us –

“You don’t want to use your right hand – you’ll start scooping.”

“I keep my body still and keep my wrists locked.”

“Rock your shoulders, rock your shoulders”

The philosophy of chipping for these Golfers has morphed into no body motion, tight hands and locked wrists. Yet this technique translates into you having ‘No Feel’ and is the leading cause of bad chipping.

Now, there will always be someone that writes to me saying – “I can’t believe you’re telling Golfers that they need to use their wrists! How can you call yourself a Golf Professional?”

I didn’t say Golfers should exclusively use their wrists when chipping. This is not an issue of “wrists or no wrists”. Watch the best Players on television each week as they use a skillful combination of hands, arms and body working together to produce a nice chipping stroke … that is much different than the chipping stroke the normal Golfer is trying to use.

We have found that there are two types of Golfers that struggle around the green:

Golfer 1: has the problem of trying to scoop underneath the golf ball. Often times hitting the ground before the ball or catching the top of the ball (because they’re afraid of chunking) and skulling it across the green.

Golfer 2: used to have the problem of scooping under the ball, but was told they need to chip with no wrists. With their wrists locked, they attempt at making a pendulum stroke without moving their body.

Most Golfers start out as Golfer 1 and then are influenced into becoming Golfer 2.

Golfer 2 usually sees only short-lived success because as he/she starts to focus on locking their wrists – the ‘Feel’ of the stroke begins to deteriorate.

So after each subsequent bad shot, Golfer 2 will become more adamant about having to lock their wrists even more – “I need to keep my right hand out of this shot!” Which means the next shot they’ll focus on holding the club even tighter.

Golfer 2 then gets to the point of struggling even more than when they were Golfer 1. “When I first started playing … I used to have a pretty good short game.”

If you watch some of the great Players that play this game, you won’t see many use an excessive amount of wrist around the green. They aren’t scooping under the golf ball where their wrists curl up after impact like Golfer 1.

Though at the same time – you won’t see many that are using the Hulk Hogan wrist lock death grip and arms stiff as a 2×4 technique that you often see with Golfer 2.

The Monkey has a chipping stroke that has all the finesse of a battle for the World Wrestling Federation World Championship

The Player knows that there needs to be a blend of feel and mechanics

Go ahead, Be a Player!

Regards,

Marc Solomon – Your Instructor For Life