Grip it and chip it

Setup

In the first instance, the most dependable chipshot starts with a correct setup. Your feet and shoulders should be slightly open, with your weight favouring your left foot, for right-handers.

The key is simply to keep in place the triangle formed by your arms throughout the swing, which is shorter than a pitch shot and without the wrist hinge.

Higher handicappers make the correct move when I ask them to squeeze their forearms together when striking the chip as this negates the tendency to collapse the left wrist in an attempt to lift the ball – which often leads to the dreaded ‘topped’ shot.
It’s important to pay attention to grip pressure – keeping your forearms together can be achieved without increasing your grip pressure.

Situation 1

The situation on the right is a ball in deep rough on an upslope near the green.

In order for the club to strike the ball cleanly without taking too much grass behind it, we are required to hinge the club, thereby presenting a sharp angle to attack the ball.

To get the feel of the wrist hinge, grip the club firmly in the last three fingers of your left hand (for right-handed golfers) and lift the club with the corresponding three fingers of your right hand, as Sally is demonstrating in picture 1.

The next step is to strike down hard with a firm left wrist (picture 2). Rough tends to twist the club so keep the left hand grip firm in this instance. The loft of the club (usually a sand- or lob-wedge for these chipshots) is presented to the ball and it ‘pops’ out and onto the green!

Another thing to bear in mind is that the rough generally leads to the ball running more upon landing – due to grass getting caught between the club and the ball and reducing the amount of backspin.

Release the right hand

A technique for better golfers, which assists in stopping the ball quickly out of the rough, involves the release of the right hand.

You need to hinge in the manner discussed above, but allow the right hand to release sharply under the ball, as in picture 3.

This release begins with a cupping of the left wrist that increases the loft of the club so that the ball flies higher and stops quickly.

Increase clubhead speed

Another very important tip is to increase clubhead speed through the ball.

Many people decelerate through the shot and end up duffing their chip. If played correctly, however, you could end up looking like Phil Mickelson – or at least playing like him!

• The wrist hinge will help you to achieve greater clubhead speed as you attack the ball from a steeper angle. This should allow the ball to release higher and with more backspin – which is perfect for executing those tricky greenside chips.

• Many ammies make the mistake of decelerating into the ball. You need to keep a firm left wrist and commit to the shot, accelerating into the ball to ensure that you get the club through the grass behind the ball, make good contact and get the ball into the air quickly.

• For the more skilled player, the release of your right hand at impact is very important. It’s more like a bunker-shot release, where the right hand stays under the left hand, than a full iron-shot release, where you are trying to trap the ball.

Meet the pro

Former SA Amateur champion Rae Hast spent 12 years on the Ladies European Tour after turning professional, winning the United Friendly Open in her very first year on tour. For the past 15 years she has taught the game full-time. She is head coach at Erinvale and last year was named the WPGA’s Coach of the Year 2009. She is also the president of the Women’s Professional Golf Association in South Africa.

To purchase a copy of her book, Short & Sharp – Skills to Sharpen your Short Game, contact Rae directly on rae@deunet.co.za or find it at your local branch of The Pro Shop.