You’ve missed the green, finding some deep rough just off the putting surface. This is not the time to lean on your run-of-the-mill chipping method. Dealing with rough on short shots isn’t always easy, especially if there’s grain involved, whether it’s with you or against you. Here’s the smart play.
First off, you need to position the ball farther back in your stance. If you’re like most players, you set the ball in the middle. On chips from rough, place it just in front of your back foot.
As you can see in the photo above, I’m dangling my wedge from my nose to indiate the middle of my stance with the ball significantly behind it.
As far as the swing goes, picture picking up the club with your hands then chopping down on the ball. Combining this move with a back ball position will limit the time the club interacts with the grass. As ever, it’s a good idea to take a few practice chops to see just how much power you need to navigate the cabbage.
Shawn Callahan is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who teaches at Abacoa GC in Jupiter, Fla.
