I wanted to post a few pictures of Wilderness and show the absolute beauty of the golf course during the winter time. I think you will enjoy the posted pictures as much as I do. I actually have a disc with all the great pictures of the course taken by one of our Wilderness members Ken & Mary Emmons. I will have a drawing for a free disc of the pictures that can be used as a screen saver for your computer or for you to print off. Just email me at cthomson@wildernessridgegolf.com to enter the drawing and I will select the winner on Monday, February 4th.
Today I will focus a lesson tip on chipping (I'll get back to Aim, Stance & Posture at another post) and the importance of learning the proper technique so you can get the ball close and one putt for the save. Too often I see golfers come to the practice facilities and head right to the range to smash some balls. The first club they pull out is the driver and many times that's the only club they hit. I stress to all my students (especially the juniors) that the short game is where its at. Competitions such as high school matches, amateur events and even professional events are won and lost due to someones ability to pitch, chip and putt the ball well. I love teaching chipping because I can show a student how to get positive results in a very short amount of time just by understanding proper technique and proper club selection.
Again, most often the core middle handicap player chips only with his wedge or sand wedge. Wrong! If you watch the PGA or LPGA tour you see a variety of clubs from a 7 iron through wedges or maybe even a hybrid. The idea is "minimum air and maximum roll" just like when you putt. Better players line up chips like they would for a putt so that they can try to hit their line and let the ball roll to the hole. You just don't see a good player or a pro try to pitch the ball in the air to the hole, it's too difficutlt to judge your carry distance, spin, roll, etc.
I like to use alignment rods when I teach as this helps the student pick the target line as well as understand the position of the body at the address position needs to be slightly on the open side. Here is a quick checklist to help with getting set up for a chip:
1) Use 3 alignment rods (or clubs). You can buy these at Home Depot for $1.99 ea. See photo for set up
2) Ball in the middle of the rods
3) Stand close to inside rod with body slightly open to the target (right hand players)
4) Choke down the grip and allow the club to stand up more like your putter
5) Feet close together
6) Weight distribution more of the front side
7) Hands slightly forward of golf ball to create a "pinch" when you hit the ball
8) Small swing that is equal in backswing and throughswing without using your hands. I tell the junior golfers they are swinging the letter "Y". The Y forms from each arm and the shaft of the club when you hold it. The idea is to not use your wrists to hit this shot. Remember, we need to control distance and direction.
9) Ball will hop in the air not very high, hit the ground with some check and then release to the target.
Now, the idea here is to have the ball stop in a relatively close 3' radius tot the hole. The next article will focus on the putting drills necessary to consistently make the 3 foot putts. The idea is to marry chipping and putting drills together so that you have a routine to practice and can then incorporate on the course and see results.
Please view the video attached below for a quick synopsis of how the chip set up and swing look. Tomorrow I will post the drills on the short putts and then you can spend some time on the short game instead of just hitting drivers when you come out!
For more information about our lesson programs or junior golf programs please visit our website at www.wildernessridgegolf.com or email me at the above address.
As I get better at blogging and figuring out video's, etc I hope to have the blog up in the mornings.
I hope you enjoy and find the tip useful.
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