“We’ve got a second here, Dennis, you’re gonna want to hear this,” Phil Mickelson told his pro-am partner on Wednesday in West Virginia. Dennis Chack, a VP with FirstEnergy Corporation out of Cleveland, rightly took notice: when the greatest wedge wizard of golf’s modern era offers up some in-depth chip tips, anyone would be wise to take notice.
Mickelson had an accomplished athletic audience for this lesson, too: in addition to Chack, he was imparting his wisdom on All-Pro Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who was paying close attention. The videos, captured by Golf Channel’s Chantel McCabe, show Mickelson breaking down the basics. Here’s what we learned:
“Everything we do in chipping is to keep the leading edge down,” Mickelson begins. “There are three things you have to do or you cannot chip.”
1. Keep your weight on your front foot.
“You cannot chip with the weight on your back foot or the leading edge comes up,” Mickelson says. “So the weight has to be forward.”
2. Decide: are you going low or high?
“This is where everybody messes up,” Mickelson says. If you go low, the ball is placed off your back foot. If you’re going high, put the ball on your front foot. “It’s never in between your feet. Never,” he insists.
3. Keep an “inverse line” with your arm and club.
Many amateur chippers have their hands behind the club, Mickelson explains, but that’s all wrong — the angle created from shoulder to wrist to club should actually be the reverse. He demonstrates by cocking his leading wrist, keeping it ahead of the club.
“Once it’s locked in, the leading edge stays down,” Mickelson says, “so you can chip one-handed!”
“Anyway, that’s the deal,” Mickelson concludes matter-of-factly after scooting two perfect wedges across the green. Watch the full videos below for complete insight.
Phil Mickelson played in the pro-am @GBRMilitary with @LarryFitzgerald Hear about his lengthy mid-round short chipping lesson on @GolfCentral at 6 eastern. (Phil’s that is!) pic.twitter.com/5FCxZzGeHD
— Chantel McCabe (@ChantelMcCabeGC) July 4, 2018
More from Phil.
(Pardon my finger.) pic.twitter.com/MMkvjHtA56— Chantel McCabe (@ChantelMcCabeGC) July 5, 2018
