CHAMPIONSHIPS
INSTRUCTION
INSTRUCTION
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Links Lessons
By George Connor, PGA
Ball Position Plays a Role in Chipping
I
n my years of teaching which now spans almost
three decades I have seen a number of good
players, solid ball strikers that are bad chippers.
I’m not talking less than stellar, I’m talking really bad.
How can an accomplished ball striker struggle to
execute such a seemingly simple motion as a chip?
The first place to look is the set-up. I see a lot of
players that put the ball back in their stance when
chipping. The ball position that gets closer and
closer to the back foot causes a number of problems.
1. Sure a chip shot is intended to be a low trajectory
shot that rolls out. But the ball getting too far
back in the stance can take enough loft off the golf club that the player will subconsciously
attempt to add loft back into the club during the motion. This is what leads to the
wrists breaking down, a scooping motion that leads to flubbed chips and skulled shots.
2. The ball way back in the stance creates an inordinate amount of shaft lean. Regardless of
the club, if you lean the shaft towards the target enough the bounce on the bottom of the
club disappears. Now the leading edge of the club becomes a knife. Once the leading edge
breaks the surface the club is going to sink lower and lower into the ground. Hello “Chili Dip”
14 | CSGA Links // September, 2017
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