The post Never mis-hit a chip again with these 2 wedge keys appeared first on Golf.

The post Never mis-hit a chip again with these 2 wedge keys appeared first on Golf.

If you want to build a lethal short game, learning to use the bounce properly is one of the best skills you can develop. Yet many amateurs overlook this important feature, often because they’re afraid to open their clubface around the green or simply don’t know how to use it properly.

As Joe Hallett, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, explains in this video, using bounce becomes easier when you understand two simple keys: how the club is designed and how to adjust the clubface for the lie.

Master these two keys and you’ll increase forgiveness, boost your confidence and improve the quality of your contact on every greenside shot. 

1. Keep the shaft and clubhead in line

To use the bounce effectively, you first need to understand how your wedges are designed to work. According to Hallett, most wedges are engineered so that the bounce is exposed when the shaft and clubhead are aligned. This allows the bottom of the club to glide through the turf and avoid the leading edge from digging.

“The bounce is not just to hit the ball up high or a flop shot, it’s to make every shot easier for you,” Hallat says.

However, when the hands get ahead and the clubshaft leans forward, this exposes the leading edge. Making it almost impossible to utilize the bounce as intended.

“If I lean the club [shaft] forward, the bounce is gone,” Hallett says. 

This only increases your chances of catching the leading edge and stubbing your shot. So how do you get that bounce back? The fix is simple: make sure the shaft of your club is in line with the clubhead.

2. Open the face on uphill lies

Keeping the clubshaft and clubhead in line will almost always ensure proper utilization of the bounce, but Hallett notes one important caveat: your lie.

When chipping on an upslope, the leading edge naturally becomes more exposed, much like what happens when you lean the shaft forward.

“How do you get the bounce back? You open the face,” Hallett says, “Now the club will work the way it’s supposed to.”

Always assume your lie is uphill

Remembering to open the clubface on an uphill lie sounds simple enough. The problem is that most amateurs don’t realize just how often they’re actually chipping on an incline. Hallett explains that around the greens, truly level lies are rare — even if it looks flat to the eye.

“99% of the chip shots you hit, you’re going to be on an uphill lie,” he says.

That’s by design. Greens are built to shed water, which means the ground surrounding them subtly tilts away from the putting surface. Sometimes the slope is obvious, but usually it’s just enough to trick your eyes into thinking it’s flat.

“Even when it seems like a fairly simple level lie, guess what happens?” Hallett says, “The ground is up a little bit. So, you’ve gotta open the face.”

“The minute you open this face, you have this thing on the bottom [the bounce] that allows the ground to become your friend instead of your enemy,” he continues. 

To drive the point home, Hallett demonstrates just how forgiving bounce can be by intentionally striking the turf about an inch behind the ball. Despite his low point being off, his contact is still solid because the bounce of the club is able to do its job and glide across the turf.

“The ground is working against you, but now you have leveled the playing field. Use the bounce. It’s your friend. It’s your insurance,” Hallett says. 

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The post A step-by-step guide to chip with your hybrid appeared first on Golf.

The post A step-by-step guide to chip with your hybrid appeared first on Golf.

Whether you’re playing in wet conditions, like we’ve seen this week at the PGA Championship, or navigating tricky Bermuda lies around the greens, one of the best short game shots you can have in the bag this season is a chip with your hybrid or fairway wood.

According to Parker McLachlin, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher to Watch, the hybrid chip is an easy shot to master as long as you nail a few setup keys. 

1. Get close and raise the handle

“I want to make sure that I get really close to it,” McLachlin says, “almost uncomfortably close to it.”

You’ll also want to raise the handle of your club. Not only does this allow you to get closer to the ball, but it also helps you get taller at address — which encourages you to make more of a putting-like stroke.

2. Grip down

With your putting grip, the next key is to choke up on the club. Almost down to the steel, McLachlin says. This should give you more control of the clubhead and help you stay connected to your stroke.

3. Narrow your stance

This shot also requires a narrow stance, so bring your feet closer together so they’re almost touching. This will reduce lower-body movement and allow you to make a smooth, putting-like stroke. 

4. Hands forward, ball back

To execute this shot properly, you want to lean the clubshaft forward and position the ball back in your stance, just off your trail toe. This encourages a slight descending strike, promoting ball-first contact rather than catching the ground or lifting the ball, resulting in crisp, clean contact that produces a low-trajectory shot with minimal airtime and more roll.

5. Make a putting stroke

A common mistake amateurs make when trying to execute these shots around the green is adding a bit of extra pop or hit to them. But, as McLachlin explains, that’s exactly what you want to avoid. 

“There’s no hit involved in this stroke at all,” he says.

Instead, make a nice, long putting stroke. Like you would on the green, avoid any wristy action and let the club do the work. The result should be a controlled shot that comes out low and running, almost like a putt. With a little practice, these will quickly become your go-to shot from poor lies around the green.

You’ll find more of McLachlin’s advice at ShortGameChef.com, which provides golfers with a comprehensive resource to improve their short games. Through personalized tips, drills and expert insights, McLachlin helps players of all levels gain more confidence and a deeper understanding of their short game to lower their scores. You can browse membership options here.

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The post How to boost your consistency and control from greenside rough appeared first on Golf.

The post How to boost your consistency and control from greenside rough appeared first on Golf.

As spring settles in, you may start to notice your local course coming back to life. The fairways green up, the trees fill out and the thin wintergrass becomes a thick, juicy rough. It’s like that old saying, “April showers bring May flowers,” but in this case, they bring a lush second cut that is challenging to navigate — especially around the greens.

That’s because getting out of the rough takes a little extra speed in your swing. But around the green, that can feel counterintuitive. After all, these shorter shots still require a bit of finesse. Fortunately, Parker McLachlin, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher to Watch, has a quick swing key that will help you execute these shots with confidence. Use his simple tip from the clip below to start getting up and down more often.

Deliver more loft for more control

McLachlin says the key to escaping greenside rough is loft — and having a lot of it through impact. 

“I want to provide some loft to this golf ball on the way through,” McLachlin says. “This is going to allow [the ball] to come out high and soft, even though it’s sitting down in this rough.”

When the ball is sitting down, it’s tempting to lean the shaft forward or get steep to try and “dig” it out. But, if you’ve tried it you know it rarely works. That motion actually exposes more of the leading edge at impact, making it easy to catch too much grass. The outcome? Your club stalls out, and you end up hitting that dreaded shot that barely travels forward. On the flip side, if you don’t catch enough grass, you risk blading it across the green.

Instead, focus on delivering the clubhead with a bit more loft. As McLachlin demonstrates in the clip above, this can mean keeping the hands or handle neutral, rather than ahead. It also means avoiding the downward, stabbing motion and opting for a swing that allows the club to continue through the grass. You can even preset some loft at address to ensure you’re maintaining enough through impact to get the ball out. 

By keeping the clubhead moving and letting the bounce do the work, the ball will pop out higher and land softer every time.

ShortGameChef.com, created by PGA Tour winner Parker McLachlin, provides golfers with a comprehensive resource to improve their short game. Through personalized tips, drills, and expert insights, Parker helps players of all levels gain more confidence and a deeper understanding of their short game to lower their scores. You can browse membership options here.

Get 30% Off Short Game Chef Now

Ready to take your short game to the next level? Join me, Parker McLachlin, and gain access to 300+ exclusive videos packed with tips, drills, and strategies to help you play your best golf. Start improving your game today and make every shot count.

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The post Is cross-handed chipping for you? Here’s why it could improve your wedge control appeared first on Golf.

The post Is cross-handed chipping for you? Here’s why it could improve your wedge control appeared first on Golf.

The beauty of golf is that no two players are the exact same, which is why we tend to use different techniques (no matter how unorthodox) to get as comfortable as possible while swinging the club. And this tinkering starts with the grip.

Although you might think about different putting grips as the place players experiment the most, another area that’s worth exploring is the cross-handed chipping grip, which isn’t extremely popular but can be extremely effective in improving your short game.

So is it really all that it’s cracked up to be?

Short Game

To find out, I asked GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joey Wuertemberger to give me a full guide on the benefits of cross-handed chipping. His biggest answer? More consistent clubface control to help make better contact.

But how does this funky grip work, and is it something you should try for yourself? Wuertemberger explains below, and encourages any player struggling with his short game to consider making the switch.

The benefits of cross-handed chipping

“When you watch a golf event on TV, you’ve probably heard the commentators praise a player for being ‘creative’ in the short game,” Wuertemberger explains. “In most cases, they’re referring to the player’s ability to see and adjust to challenging lies, and then to execute the precise shot required to knock it close to the pin.”

So what helps the pros pull off those pressure packed up-and-downs that so many amateurs have a hard time with? Wuertemberger says it all begins with having better clubface control — which starts in the hands.

News

“Pros use more of a body-driven motion with reduced tension in their arms, helping them ‘quiet’ their hands to better control the clubhead path through impact in the short game,” he adds. “This improved contact allows them to execute the shot they envisioned before ever addressing the ball.”

But just because a pro’s a pro doesn’t mean the mid-handicapper reading this can’t steal some of their secrets to increase their up-and-down percentages. And one way, albeit unconventional, is to try cross-handed chipping, according to Wuertemberger.

“Cross-handed chipping promotes the use of your larger muscles (like the shoulders and upper torso),” he explains. “By simply swapping your hands on the grip (with the left hand low for righties, and the right hand low for lefties), you gain a new sense of control and stability — which naturally helps reduce the tension in the wrists and forearms to allow for a smoother and more relaxed swing. This encourages a straighter, more controlled club path — a must when you’re seeking clean contact and more accurate shots.”

Wuertemberger says that this new hand stability will free your mind and allow you to focus more on the proper weight transfer and shoulder rotation — instead of trying to compensate for flaws in the downswing.

“Too many amateurs either ‘break the wrists’ or ‘flip the club’ to save the shot at the last moment while chipping,” he says. “But there’s no consistency when doing these small hand and wrist adjustments, which is why you probably blade or chunk your wedges more frequently than you’d prefer.”

How to practice cross-handed chipping

OK, so now that you understand why cross-handed chipping can help your short game, Wuertemberger explains how to actually practice the unique technique — which simply starts with using your favorite wedge on the range to help get the feel for the switch.

“Begin by placing the lead hand below the trail hand on the club, ensuring both hands feel comfortable. The lead hand should be firm but not overly tight, which helps allow for a smooth motion,” he instructs. “Next, shift 60 percent of your weight onto the lead foot and position the ball just slightly back in your stance to promote a descending strike.

“When swinging, use your shoulders rather than your hands. I suggest taking some small practice swing at a slow pace to feel how the cross-handed grip quiets your hands (and prevents excessive wrist movement) throughout the swing.”

Instruction

After taking some practice swings, Wuertemberger reminds players to use solid fundamentals to make good contact.

“Notice where the clubhead’s striking the ground and adjust the ball position accordingly, since you want contact with the ball first and not the ground behind it,” he adds. “Now hit 6-to-8 standard chip shots, trying to land the ball a few different places on the green to see how far they run out. Once you’re comfortable, try incorporating more variety, such as a bump-and-run or some short pitches to increase your creativity around the green.”

While cross-handed chipping may seem unusual, it can be a game-changer for the player who feels stuck with an inconsistent short game. So if you experience bad results while chipping and tend to chunk or thin chip shots, try making the switch to the cross-handed grip, which can lead to better contact, added clubface control, reduced wrist movement, and more positive results.

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The post 6 simple steps to master the bump and run shot appeared first on Golf.

The post 6 simple steps to master the bump and run shot appeared first on Golf.

The bump and run is one of the most adored shots in golf because it’s easy to hit and reliable from most greenside lies. And with the right setup keys, you can master this trusted chip and leave yourself inside a makeable distance every time.

Follow along with these six steps from Parker McLachlin, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher to Watch, to perfect the bump and run, and dial in your short game. 

Start by grabbing a low-lofted club, like a 7-iron. This will produce a lower launching shot that rolls like a putt and is easy to control.

“We’re going allow the lack of loft on this club to do the work for us,” McLachlin says. 

Step 1: Get close to the ball

As you set your feet, narrow your stance and get closer to the ball. Your feet should be a few inches apart and about six to ten inches from the ball, like McLachlin demonstrates in the video above.

Driving

Step 2: Raise the handle

Raising the handle of the club allows you to get more vertical or upright at address. McLachlin explains that this is key to creating solid contact because it helps you utilize the toe, allowing the club to glide the club through the turf rather than having the heel catch or dig. 

Step 3: Take your putting grip

For this shot, McLachlin says to choke down on the grip, almost to the steel, and use your putting grip. This clever adjustment tricks your brain into thinking about the shot as a stroke and not a hit. 

“I don’t want to be hitting this ball, I want to be stroking it,” McLachlin says.

Step 4: Neutral ball position

One of the most important setup keys for a bump and run is proper ball position. If your ball position drifts too far back, you’ll deloft the club and dig it into the ground, producing a shot with little to no height on it. Which is why you might occasionally stub or thin these greenside shots.

Instead, McLachlin says to play the ball between the middle of your stance and your trail toe. A great way to find your optimal ball position is to take a few practice swings and see where your club naturally bottoms out. 

Gear

Step 5: Rock your shoulders

“We’re going to make this a ‘shoulder stroke’, not a ‘hands stroke’,” McLachlin says.

To do that, McLachlin says to rock your shoulders back and through, like you would on a putt. This helps you harness big muscles, creating a smooth, fluid stroke. Once you nail that shoulder rocking motion, focus on keeping your lower body quiet. Then put it all together.

Step 6: Pick your landing spot

Knowing where to land your shot is essential for the bump-and-run. And according to McLachlin, the ball should ideally land one or two paces onto the green. This allows your shot to roll like a putt, which McLachlin says gives you the best chance of leaving it close—or even holing out.

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The post Here’s why you’re skulling your chips — and how to stop appeared first on Golf.

The post Here’s why you’re skulling your chips — and how to stop appeared first on Golf.

There are few things more deflating that stepping up to a greenside chip or pitch with hopes of getting the ball close, only to end up skulling the ball over the green or into serious trouble, like a deep bunker or penalty area.

Why do these shots happen? Golf instructor Kelley Brooke has the reason — and even better, a solution to fixing to the problem.

In a video posted to the LPGA Professionals YouTube page (see above), Brooke explained that there are two primary reasons why a player might skull the ball.

“The first reason is that their setup isn’t great and their weight shifts too much to their rear foot,” she says. “They hang back on their rear foot and they hit up on the ball. Ideally, we’d like to hit down on the ball.

“The second reason is that people get way too wristy when they pitch.”

Brooke then offers two fixes for these problems.

“As I said, we don’t want to be on your rear foot when you strike a ball because you’re going to be hitting up on it,” she says. “What we want to do then, is we want to make sure that our feet are closer together when we pitch and we really want to roll those knees.”

By rolling the knees, Brooke demonstrates a weight shift at address in which approximately 70 percent of her weight is positioned on her lead foot.

Short Game

“At that point, I’m going to forward press my hands,” she says. “During the back swing, I don’t want to shift my weight because if I do, I’m going to skull that ball. We want to stay on the front foot.”

If staying on the front foot is a struggle for you, Brooke has a drill that can help.

“Put your feet very close together and then you’re going to lift your rear foot up and put it behind you, so you have no weight on it at this point. It would be almost impossible for you to shift your weight. So what this is teaching you is to be on your front foot at impact.”

From this position, you can hit pitches simply by rotating around your lead leg, Brooke says.

If your weight shift is sound and you still find yourself hitting skulls, Brooke says it’s likely that you’re using too much wrist. In that case, an alignment stick is all you need.

“Grip the alignment stick on your lead side of the club with both hands,” Brooke says. “Set up, notice that alignment stick is outside my rib cage. Take some 10-yard shots with the alignment stick. Try not to hit your rib cage.”

If you the alignment stick ends up hitting your rib cage, you’ll know your wrists are engaging when they shouldn’t be.

Give Brooke’s solutions a try during your next practice session and start hitting crispier chips.

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The post 2 simple chipping flaws are crushing your short game appeared first on Golf.

I’m not sure what’s been going on lately, but my short game continues to just cripple my scorecard — which is a common theme for other amateur golfers, too.

Over the past few months, I’ve been crushing the ball off the tee and have had above-average approach shots, but as soon as I get near the green, everything seems to fall apart.

Chunk here, skulled shot there, and don’t even get me started on how bad my distance control has been on pitch and chip shots.

As frustrating as it all is, I know there’s hope — since the quickest way to shave strokes is by dialing in the short game. But to fix an issue you need to identify where the problem starts, which is why I tapped GOLF Top 100 Teacher Trent Wearner to help.

So keep reading to see two common chipping flaws Wearner says he often sees with players — and some easy tips on how to fix both.

Avoid these mistakes when hitting a chip shot

“If you can chip well, it takes so much pressure off your iron game,” Wearner tells me. “While getting up and down is a two-part skill — one part chip and one part putt — it all starts with executing the ideal chip shot.”

However, he says too many mid-handicappers are nervous or just don’t know how to perform well because of bad habits.

“Many golfers are anxious over chips,” he adds. “It tends to stem from one setup item and one in-swing item — which are both easily fixable when you follow these tips.”

At setup, you’re standing too far from the ball

“When you’re standing too far away from the golf ball at address, it positions your hands too low, leaving the bottom of the wedge to sit up in the air,” Wearner explains. “The club shaft needs to be very vertical, so you’re going to stand much closer and taller at address.”

Wearner says a simple at-home drill can help dial in your setup position.

“An easy way to test your setup position is by using your hardwood floor at home,” Wearner says. “Simply set a wedge on the floor so you can see and feel what it takes to get the bottom of the club flat (or even with the heel slightly up) at address. If the toe’s up at all, the heel will commonly catch the grass at impact, which won’t allow the club to glide through the grass properly for good contact.”

Instruction

You’re not turning your body

Another common issue that Wearner sees in the short game is one that amateurs often struggle with in the full-swing — not enough rotation in the body. But in the short game, it’s a different kind of turn.

“People just don’t turn their body enough through the downswing, through impact, and into the finish — especially in their hips and chest,” Wearner says. “Instead, their arms often swing down without a quality body pivot. This makes the club hit the ground before the ball, resulting in a chunked shot, and often leading the golfer to subconsciously pull their arms in, which causes bladed chip shots.”

Either blading or chunking your chip shots is no way to go through life, so Wearner suggests the following to improve your rotation in the short game for instant improvement.

“You should strive to turn your body open through impact, leaving the shaft of your club to finish fairly low, yet keeping your body open and tall at the finish,” he says. “When watching golf on TV, notice how open and tall Tour players’ bodies are at the finish position when hitting shorter shots.”

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The post Copy these 4 moves from Nelly Korda to chip it close every time appeared first on Golf.

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The runaway leader in the Rolex Women’s World Golf ranking, Nelly Korda, had a five-tourney win streak earlier this season — a surprising burst except to those who have followed her progress for the last several years. The 13-time tour winner and two-time major champ — and gold medal winner at the 2020 Summer Olympics — came out of the gate hot on the LPGA Tour, winning during her first pro season at the ripe age of 20 in the fall of 2018.

Truth be told, Nelly was destined for sports greatness, being the daughter of Czech tennis stars Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtová. That DNA also courses through her LPGA-star sister, Jessica, and their brother, Sebastian, a highly ranked tennis pro. 

Nelly’s swing technique is widely thought of as a model of efficiency. In the off case where she misses a green, here’s how she continues that efficiency with a no-nonsense chip swing. Copy her four key moves and card more up-and-downs your next round.

1. Hands tight

Nelly’s hands remain close to her body through impact. Most rec players tend to “shove” their hands toward the target. Try to finish with the butt of the club close to your left pocket.

2. Toss it

Nelly hinges her wrists on the backswing and unhinges them coming down, as if she’s “tossing” the clubhead at the ball. That little bit of hand action gives short shots the finesse they need to land close.

3. Stay tilted

Korda does a great job of maintaining the forward tilt established at address well into her follow-through as she rotates through the ball. Maintain your height like Nelly does.

4. Match lines

Korda preserves the loft on her club by refraining from flexing her left wrist, keeping the club’s scorelines relatively parallel to the center line. Subtle, but very, very effective.

New Orleans–based Brian Manzella is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who operates the Brian Manzella Golf Academies nationwide.

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The post 10 things you *must* do to leave your chips near the pin appeared first on Golf.

The post 10 things you *must* do to leave your chips near the pin appeared first on Golf.

One of the great things about having a solid short game is how it can save amateur players from any inconsistencies earlier in the hole. So if you struggle off the tee or with your irons, having the ability to regularly get up-and-down can keep your scores low.

So how does a mid-to-high handicapper accomplish that? With proper technique and understanding how to control distances with their wedges.

Since there are different types of short game shots, I’m focusing on a chip shot today — which is a version of the bump-and-run, where the ball will roll equal to or greater than the distance it carried in the air.

Sure, this may seem like an easy shot, but since so many amateurs struggle with it, here are 10 things to focus on in order to execute it more consistently, which will help leave your ball closer to the pin.

The setup

1. Grip low

Holding the club a little bit lower on the grip will help you make a smaller swing motion, which helps with touch on these shorter shots. When doing this, your club will become closer to the length of your putter, which will make it easier to accurately control distance.

2. Narrow your stance

Your stance should be quite narrow when hitting a chip shot, so I recommend your feet being about one clubhead-width apart. By having a narrowed stance, your swing motion will be limited, which, as stated above, is what you’re looking for on these chip shots.

3. Ball position

On chip shots, I suggest putting your ball centered to just slightly back in your stance. Be careful with how far back you put it, though, because the more your ball position is back, the lower the trajectory and increased amount of roll.

Another issue with the ball being too far back is that the shaft will naturally lean a bit, which can cause the club to dig too much when it hits the ground.

4. Lean proportionally

By leaning both your body and the club towards the target, it will help slightly deloft the clubface and help drop the lead shoulder. When you lean forward, be mindful that you don’t lean the shaft any more forward than the center line of your body — which helps ensure it won’t dig.

Dropping the lead shoulder will help you make better contact, allowing the club to hit the ground after the golf ball.

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The stroke

5. Use a smaller stroke

If I sound like a broken record about the size of your chipping stroke, that means it’s important — so remember to have it resemble your putting stroke.

While the size of the stroke may vary, it shouldn’t be as large as hip level. Ideally, the club will stay below the hip, because anything bigger only increases the chance of a mishit.

6. Get the club to the ground to lift the ball into the air

Sure, there are times when you may hit a thin chip and get away with it, but that’s not the way you want to play a round of golf. Remember, the key isn’t to get lucky every so often, it’s to stick it near the pin every single time.

This is why solid contact is important, which all starts with getting the club to the ground.

During your practice stroke, you should hear the club “thump” the ground, which is your cue that you’re good to go — so now you must repeat that feeling as you take your shot. A good training aid to help practice this is the Divot Board, which I often recommend my students use near the greens.

7. How do you want to use your wrists (if at all)?

Whether or not you use your wrists on chip shots is totally up to you, as I’ve seen really great chippers do it both ways.

Regardless of what you decide, I suggest being relaxed enough to let your wrists move if they want to. Just let it come naturally as you swing and see what the results are. By having less tension, you’ll increase the ability to feel the clubhead, which is really important when it comes to making good contact and controlling your distances.

Distance control

8. Pick a target

OK, so you’ve got a feel for both your setup and stroke for solid contact, now it’s time to dial in your distance control — which all starts with actually choosing a target and desired distance.

For example, work on 20- to 30-yard chip shots using your pitching wedge. You may find that this club prefers one of these distances more than the other — which is important info for when you’re out playing during a round. The last thing you want to do is either leave it 10 yards short or watch the ball roll 10 yards past your target.

Once you define the distance of this club, spend some time practicing with it, which will help you reinforce the feel of the stroke size in order to regularly repeat it.

9. Change distances and clubs

A really efficient way to control your chipping distance is to simply change your club selection. For example, try using higher-lofted clubs for shorter distances and less-lofted ones for longer distances. After practicing with a broad set of club choices, chart your distances so you’re able to refer to them during your next round.

10. Identify your landing spot and react to it

When practicing chip shots, I suggest ignoring the flagstick and instead recommend placing a target on the ground. Now focus on landing your ball near that target when it first hits the green and track how much roll-out it has. This helps test your understanding of how much each club rolls compared to its carry distance.

Once you get comfortable or really good at landing your ball on that target, move it to other spots on the green to see how the ball rolls when on an upslope versus a downslope. All of this will help you master your distance control.

Looking for more golf content? Give me a follow on Instagram to get tips and playing advice.

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The post ‘I don’t want power, I want precision’. How to reimagine the bump and run appeared first on Golf.

The post ‘I don’t want power, I want precision’. How to reimagine the bump and run appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com series in which we’re sharing improvements, learnings and takeaways from amateur golfers just like you — including some of the speed bumps and challenges they faced along the way.

Like most amateur golfers, I typically default to using some sort of wedge when I’m around the greens — usually a 60-degree (lob wedge). But the problem with doing that is it puts more pressure on me to be nearly perfect in my execution.

Sure, there’s a time and place when attempting to hit a flop shot can be fun (despite how difficult it is for a mid-handicapper like myself), but most of the time, just hitting a simple bump and run is the way to get your ball close to the hole.

Short Game

For instance, just the other day I was hitting balls with my father-in-law around the short-game area. We were both using our lob wedges and we both struggled to find any sort of consistency. That’s when I ditched the damn thing and decided to go to a bump and run instead — which led to me taking his money on our closest-to-the-pin challenges.

The best thing about the bump and run is that it’s nearly foolproof. Whether you’re an experienced pro or just a beginner, everyone can usually keep the ball low and watch it roll.

In a recent lesson with GOLF Top 100 Teacher Mike Dickson, he showed me a new way to hit a bump and run. While the trajectory and roll looks the same, Dickson had me reimagine my club selection — and the results were absolutely lethal.

Reimagine the bump and run by expanding your club selection

In the video above, Dickson explains how so many golfers work on their full swing to hit the ball better, but when they get near the pin, they often see scores balloon because of poor club selection.

“We get by the green and, all of a sudden, we start choosing the wrong tool,” he tells me. “So we want to get the ball on the ground, and this is very common, everyone grabs the club with the most loft in the bag because we’re close to the green.”

Wedges

Dickson points out the difference in loft between the putter (which typically has 3-4 degrees of loft) and the lob wedge (which has 60 degrees of loft), and how players generally misuse the latter while around the putting surface.

“If you’re just off the fringe [of the green], you’ll probably putt it,” he adds. “If I take one step back, though, I’m going from 4 degrees to 60 degrees? That doesn’t make any sense.”

This is where Dickson says more players should experiment with unconventional club options while around the green.

“So we’re going to do a bump and run,” he says. “A short chip is going to be a pitching wedge, a medium chip is going to be an 8-iron, and the long chip is going to be a 6-iron.”

Wait, what? Dickson’s really suggesting I use either an 8-iron or a 6-iron from about 35 feet from the pin? That’s not somewhere I would have arrived on my own, but his logic checks out. Let’s get it!

“We’re going to start with the 8-iron, so what I want you to do when you hold the club up is zero out the left wrist,” he explains. “We do that by putting the grip right underneath the thumb pad instead of under the heel pad. This is the only shot we’re going to grip down on.”

The image below shows how this should look.

Next Dickson has me address the ball, making my setup mirror that of a typical putting motion.

“Pull your elbows in slightly, and then bow to the ball. We’ll probably be about 10 inches away from the ball with our toes,” he instructs me. “The heel of the club is actually up off the ground, so less of the club is going to grab.”

As I hit my shot, I use a backswing of about 20 percent, which ensures the ball goes about one-third of the distance to the cup, and then rolls the rest of the way.

Short Game

Finally, Dickson explains what most amateurs do wrong when trying to hit a bump and run.

“People don’t get close, so I want to get that shaft more vertical,” he says. “I don’t want power here, I want precision.”

By rethinking your strategy around the greens and expanding your toolbox of club options, you’ll have more shot types — including the bump and run — to get your ball to finish closer to the hole.

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The post ‘I don’t want power, I want precision’. How to reimagine the bump and run appeared first on Golf.