Brady Riggs GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Teacher Chipping Tip
- 00:02:46
- Golf Life
Brady Riggs GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Teacher Chipping Tip
I'M BRADY RIGGS, GOLF MAGAZINE?S TOP 100 INSTRUCTOR. HERE?S A VERY SIMPLE SITUATION. I?VE JUST MISSED THE GREEN. I HAVE A TON OF GREEN BETWEEN ME AND THE HOLE. I SHOULD HAVE A DECENT CHANCE TO GET THE BALL PRETTY CLOSE AND GET UP AND DOWN. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY PEOPLE MAKE THE MISTAKE OF GRABBING THE SAND WEDGE AND, THAT MAKES THIS REALLY COMPLICATED. I COULD BE A HERO WITH THE SAND WEDGE. I COULD HIT A NICE HIGH SOFT SHOT, HITS THE GREEN RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOLE AND STOPS. MIGHT EVEN SPIN BACK A LITTLE BIT AND I?D LOOK GREAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE?S TWO THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN THAT ARE REALLY BAD. I COULD CHUNK IT AND LEAVE MYSELF THE SAME SHOT, OR I COULD BLADE IT ACROSS THE GREEN. NOW, TAKING THE SANDWICH OUT OF PLAY FROM HERE ISN?T NEW ADVICE BUT, IT?S AMAZING HOW MANY PEOPLE STILL TRY TO GRAB THAT SAND WEDGE OR EVEN A LOB WEDGE FROM HERE AND THEY REALLY BLOW IT. TRY HITTING THE 8 IRON. THE 8 IRON GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO MAKE A MISTAKE BUT STILL HIT A DECENT SHOT. IT?S GOING TO RUN A LOT MORE, I DON?T HAVE TO MAKE AS BIG A SWING SO, THE MISSES GET BETTER AND THE RESULTS ARE MORE CONSISTENT. LET?S GO THROUGH THE TECHNIQUE TO HELP HIT THE 8 IRON A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU LEARNED IN THE PAST. WHEN I WAS TAUGHT CHIPPING, I WAS TOLD TO KEEP MY WEIGHT WELL FORWARD IN THE SETUP, MY HANDS IN FRONT AND, I?D BE TRYING TO HOLD ON OR BLOCK MY HANDS THROUGH IMPACT. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT THE LEADING EDGE IS DIGGING INTO THE GROUND AND IT HAS A TENDENCY TO GET STUCK. I CAN CHUNK IT THIS WAY, TOO. THE OTHER PROBLEM WITH HITTING IT WITH THE STYLE IS, I?VE DELOFTED THE CLUB A TON. WHEN I DELOFT IT, THE BALL COMES OUT HOTTER AND IT?S GOING TO RUN A LOT MORE AND, IT?S HARD FOR ME TO CONTROL. WHAT I WANT TO DO IS KEEP MY HANDS MORE IN THE CENTER, THE WEIGHT ONLY SLIGHTLY FORWARD IN THE SETUP POSITION. WITH THIS SETUP, THE CLUB WILL WORK THROUGH THE GRASS A LITTLE BIT EASIER. NOW, IT?S JUST GOING ACROSS THE TOP OF THE GRASS AND NOT INTO THE GRASS. THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING. NOW, THE BALL WILL COME OUT WITH THE SAME TRAJECTORY, ALL THE TIME, I?LL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF ROLL. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GET THE VARYING RESULTS I WOULD GET WITH THE OLD TECHNIQUE. LET?S GO THROUGH THAT SHOT. MY HANDS ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, MY WEIGHT?S ONLY SLIGHTLY FORWARD AND, I'M GOING TO ALLOW THE CLUB TO RELEASE; I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AND HOLD ONTO IT. BY USING THE 8 IRON INSTEAD OF THE SAND WEDGE, I?VE TAKEN THE RISK OF A BAD SHOT AWAY. I?VE HIT A SHOT THAT?S GOING TO ROLL THE SAME AMOUNT, IT?S EASY TO CONTROL. AND, WITH THE NEW TECHNIQUE, I'M REALLY MORE CONSISTENT THAN I WAS WITH THE OLD CHIPPING STYLE. FOR OTHER GREAT TIPS FROM THE GOLF MAGAZINE TOP 100, GO ON OVER TO GOLF.COM.
Golf Life | May 11, 2009
