No matter how good a ball striker you are, you will miss some greens throughout the round. Even in Justin Thomas’ dazzling performance on the weekend at the Players Championship, he still missed five greens over two days. And when you do miss greens, you’ll need to know how to get the ball close so you can save your par.
Chipping might seem like an easy task because the ball travels a relatively short length, but there is an art to hitting these short shots with the correct touch. To learn how to hit these shots properly, instructor Erika Larkin is here to give us some tips on this week’s episode of How to Hit Every Shot.
Watch the video above or read below for five tips on creating crisp contact around the greens.
1. Club selection
Before you even think about hitting the shot, you’ll need to select the proper club. You should try to select a club that will give you many options on the types of shots you can hit. A sand wedge is a good option for this, but a gap wedge or lob wedge can work, too.
2. Intended loft
Adjust the loft on the club either by opening up the clubface to add loft or leaning the club forward to take away loft. The amount of loft you use will be determined by the type of shot you are trying to pull off.
3. Lean shaft
Next, you’ll want to determine how much shaft lean you want to play your shot with. Usually a good rule of thumb is to lean the shaft forward more when you want to create additional roll.
4. Maintain balance
With the club and shot type selected, now you’re ready to hit the shot. Remember to maintain balance throughout the swing and properly pivot in order to make the proper contact.
5. Maintain loft
Pivoting will also allow you to maintain the loft on the club and keep the clubhead stable. A firm wrist through contact will also assist with this stability and promote crisp contact.
