How to hit a bump and run like World No. 1 Rory McIlroy

For amateur golfers, there may be no more useful shot in the bag to have than the bump and run. It is far easier to master shots on the ground than those in the air. Ditching the 60 degree in favor of a lower-lofted wedge or even a short iron can knock stokes off your game if properly utilized.

Rory McIlroy recently broke down his keys to a bump and run in a video posted on Youtube, and there may be no one better to learn from than the reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year. McIlroy, who’s ranked inside the top 20 in strokes gained around the green for the last three seasons, is once again off to a dominant start to the year thanks in large part to his short game.

Watch the video below and read his keys to pulling off the bump and run:

Club down

McIlroy explains that the first key to hitting the low bump and run is taking a lower-lofted club. He usually chips with a 60-degree wedge, but for the bump and run his go-to club is the 52-degree wedge.

Setup

“(The bump and run) is all about setup,” McIlroy says. “You want to keep the ball back in your stance. If anything, you want to try and get a little bit closer to it. Get the shaft a little more vertical.”

From this position, McIlroy explains that you just want to lean onto your left side to drive the ball forward and make it run.

Rock the shoulders

Once the setup is in place, all that has to happen is a simple rocking of the shoulders, similar to a putting stroke.

These steps may sound simple, but when mastered, the rewards result in one of the most useful shots in golf.

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