Bottom Of Chip Shots

Video Transcript

Chipping around the green for many people presents a huge problem because they do not understand the bottom of the swing. Here is the question. Where is the bottom of the swing in chipping? It is not at the ball, it is about three inches ahead of the golf ball. Yes that is right, the bottom of the swing is about three inches ahead of the golf ball. With most players that struggle with chipping they think that this shot here is the easier shot because there is so much grass under the ball. Yes you might get the ball up in the air but you do not have as much control. The reason they think this is so much easier is that as they are coming through the ball they are doing this. So the bottom of the swing is actually back here and they are scooping the ball up. Players that understand chipping realize that this one is much more difficult because there is so much grass that can get between the club and the ball. This shot here has a much tighter lie and you can see where the bottom of where the ball would be is signified by the tee and the bottom of the swing is going to be ahead of the ball where I am making a little bit of a divot, so I will be hitting the ball first and then the turf. I am going to putt a tee down here to signify where the bottom of the swing is going to be. I am going to hit a shot and you will be able to see it. that gives you control, reliability and repeatability in your short game shots. Give it a try.

Laird Small
Pebble Beach Golf Academy
1700 17-Mile Drive
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
Tel: 831-622-8650

Laird Small is Director of The Pebble Beach Golf Academy and is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #23 instructor in the world.

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