Chipping Drills

CaptainPendulum

We have a very good short game area in Fota. I'm happy enough with my technique, but am unsure how to practice properly..to date I just hit to random flags & I don't analyse/measure my misses.

Can anyone recommend decent drills?

Also, do you think it is a "feel" thing or a "scientific" thing (such as measuring how far different clubs fly and pacing distance to the landing spot etc?
Thanks in advance.

hades

There was some drills at the back of this months golf digest, seemed to be aimed at kids but look good. Not sure how i'd feel about bringing down hoola hoops to the practice area tho

Must look into joining that Fota practice area next year, i think its €200. At the mo i drive to the East Cork range from Youghal, but its my short game that needs the help.

stockdam

My chipping is by far the worst part of my game. A lot of it is down to confidence and feel but once the old head decides that it's hard then it likes to take over just at the wrong moment and result in a break down of the left wrist.

I think practice leads to confidence (or sometimes frustration) and I think it's much more important to practice than to have set drills. Chipping to a target on the green shows you if your stroke is consistent. The amount the ball rolls after you have hit the target shows if your trajectory and spin are consistent.

Corkblowin

The 'ladder' drill is a good one.

starting about 1 yard onto the green place a row of tees about 1-2ft apart and continue for as long as you like. The drill is then to land 3 balls between the first 2 tees, then 3 between the 2nd & 3rd, then 3rd & 4th....and so on. Some people do it so that if they miss one they start again. Its good because it forces you hit a specific spot on the green - if in a round of golf you can land your chips within a foot of your target point every time you won't be doing too bad!

After that its just trying different clubs with the drill to get used to the roll-out distances.

Now to practise what I preach!!!:)

twounderpar

I use the sort game area in Carton and I leave there thinking I have my short game sorted.But I cant seem to repeat it out on the course.I think its a common problem..trying to bring your driving range form on to the golf course.

stockdam

twounderpar wrote: »

I use the sort game area in Carton and I leave there thinking I have my short game sorted.But I cant seem to repeat it out on the course.I think its a common problem..trying to bring your driving range form on to the golf course.

The difference I believe is in the head.

If I have a down hill flop shot over a bunker from a tight lie and if I think I'm going to hit a good shot then I do. However if I think that I'm going to duff it into the bunker then my head ties to lift the ball and then............QED.

LuckyGent88

Get used to using a number of your clubs for chipping. i.e 60degree to your 7 iron.
Develop a range of shots you can execute in a situation around the greens. Therefore you dont always have the 1 shot you have to rely on to chip with which may not be suited.

Also, look at the trajectory of your chips and how they react on the green. Using your SW, look at how your ball comes off the face with it placed at the front, middle and back of your stance.

But most importantly, when your chiping keep your head down and your body as still as possible as the only body parts moving should be your arms, hands and wrists.
Hope some of this helps.

PAULWATSON

timing/tempo

mr.mickels

CaptainPendulum wrote: »

to date I just hit to random flags & I don't analyse/measure my misses.

You shouldn't analyse your misses in either short game or long game, that is a basic mistake many players make. Analyse your good shots not the bad ones, analyse what you do that is right, and you will make good shots more often, just forget about the bad ones.

The short game is definitely mostly about feel, but there are a few basic guidelines of technique, the most important one being never allow the club to decelerate into the ball, a mistake many make time and again. But once you can hit the ball on target then obviously it all about "feeling" the distance, so thats why practicing the feel for the distance is more critical than technique. As long as you have the basics just work on feeling the shot more, and as I said focus on what you do right, not what you did wrong.

I was never into "drills" for the short game, as boredom can quickly set in, and if you are bored you aren't concentrating, if you aren't concentrating you aren't "feeling" the shots, and in that case you would be better not doing it. Good practice is all about concentration. I would simply suggest you play loads of chip shots from all sorts of angles, lies, distances etc, mixing it up all the time, enjoying it, concentrating on it, and feeling it. And as soon as the mind wanders or boredom sets in then do something else, or you will only be practising bad shots.
Hitting to random flags is great providing you are taking it seriously and concentrating on getting the ball close, feeling the different distances. Afterall the game of golf is made up of shots or random distances. But bear in mind aimlessly hitting to random flags will yield zero progress, you must be concentrating.
The other point I would make is notice how long it takes you to set up and hit a shot on the practice, you will do it quite quickly once you are handy at it. Don't take longer than this on the course, most people take far too long over hitting the ball in the mistaken belief that they are being more careful.