How to Chip Based on Your Golf Skill Level

Here we are at the sixth hole at Pebble Beach, I have a very interesting position here. I am just in front of the green and based upon your skill set, the decisions that you make on the golf course are really going to effect your score. Many times players try shots that are higher than they are able to execute, in other words, they are too difficult of a shot. Play the simplest shot for your skill set.

If you are a beginning player or high handicapper, keep the ball on the ground as much as possible. A middle handicapper, loft the ball on to the green and let it roll, low handicapper, fly it all the way to the flagstick. Let me show you what these shots will look like.

The first one, you can take a hybrid or a putter, I am going to take a putting stroke, I am going to use my putting grip, putting stance and posture, and just brush the top of the grass. I want to keep it as low as possible, I want to factor in the break based upon the shot I am going to hit. Here is what it is going to look like. The ball is rolling up, I will have a nice chance to save my par.

Middle handicapper, what I want to do here is take some of this taller grass out of the equation because it makes the shot a little inconsistent. So I want to carry it to the front of the green, probably three or four feet on the green, and have it roll as much as possible. Now with a pitching wedge my air time to roll time ratio is going to be one part in the air, two parts on the ground. You need to factor in if you are going uphill or downhill and that ratio would change a little bit, but it gives you an idea about what club to use. Again, I am going to use the same putting grip, I am going to use my putting stance and putting posture and have my weight a little bit on to my forward leg. What that is going to do is it is going to help the club swing downward a little bit. My forward stroke is going to be a little bit abbreviated because the club is running in to the ball first and then the ground, so the forward swing is going to be a little less. I am going to factor in the break, land the ball three or four feet on to the green, let's see what that will look like. Ball is rolling up and I have a chance to save my par.

Now with a low handicapper, I want to be able to cover as much ground as I can knowing that I will put more spin on the ball in order to control it that way. I am going to use my lob wedge in this case. I will need to go to a more conventional grip, my swing is going to be a little bit longer, more arm swing, and I have a little bit of body pivot to be able to support the golf club.

So we have three different types of shots based upon your skill set. You get in trouble if the high handicapper was hitting the high trajectory shot when it is not really needed. Make some good decisions out there. If you need some help see your local PGA or LPGA Professional. They really can help you manage your shots around the green.