Golf

‘Shave off up to 10 shots’ by mastering chips from tight lies

Learning how to hit off tight lies is vital so as to shave strokes and keep away from blow up holes.

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Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a brand new GOLF.com collection by which we’re sharing enhancements, learnings and takeaways from newbie golfers similar to you — together with among the pace bumps and challenges they confronted alongside the way in which.

Although I haven’t performed a lot golf since my daughter was born a month in the past, my most up-to-date spherical introduced a problem that brought on me fairly a bit of hysteria.

After crushing my driver down the left aspect of the green, I left myself simply 35 yards from the inexperienced on a brief par 4 (the exact hole can be seen here) — so birdie was a really actual risk. From such a distance, I may both go together with a 60-degree or use an alternate membership up to an elevated inexperienced and really feel good with my determination.

But that is the place my thoughts started to wander and doubt creeped in.

My ball was sitting on a particularly tight lie, with a tree department simply to my left, stacked bunkers staring me proper within the face on the entrance left of the inexperienced, and one other huge bunker that dropped down about 15 ft on the appropriate aspect of the inexperienced. The picture beneath reveals the precise format.

The 17th hole at Fircrest Golf Club
No. 17 at Fircrest Golf Club in Fircrest, Wa.

Screenshot through YouTube/Fircrest

So I had to hit this shot almost good, ensuring it was a excessive, mushy shot that caught on the placing floor.

As a mid-handicapper, this isn’t a shot that I typically observe, however right here goes.

Making positive I did my finest to keep away from the entrance left bunkers, I swung manner too onerous, mishit it, and located myself within the worse bunker on the appropriate aspect of the inexperienced. Luckily, I hit a pro-level bunker shot, however the harm was already performed; and I walked away with bogey after a brutal 2-putt.

This is the place having assist from a GOLF Top 100 Teacher like Kevin Sprecher is clutch, as he’s able to explaining precisely how to chip off tight lies with out the concern I skilled.

So have a look beneath to see what Sprecher has to say about these sort of pictures from tight lies, and find out how to hit them safely close to the pin.

How to chip off tight lies

As a trainer, Sprecher says he witnesses mishits from amateurs on a regular basis — typically from the green. He even noticed a taking part in companion in a latest Pro-Am wrestle with pictures inside 50 yards time and again all through the spherical collectively.

“I witnessed skulled shots, chunks, and even a double hit,” he says. “When they performed pictures from the identical distance, however from the tough, they carried out higher.

“So why do amateurs wrestle from the green, however not the tough? The tough gives a margin for error.

“For example, a player can hit slightly behind the ball and still end up on the green. You can’t do this from the fairway, as you’ll lay sod over the ball.”

To assist newbie gamers see extra success on tight lies, Sprecher suggests doing the next.

1. Use a less-lofted membership

If potential, use a less-lofted membership and take a look at to roll the ball onto the inexperienced — it’s even simpler to use a hybrid or an 8-iron to roll the ball to the inexperienced.

When going this route, you don’t want a giant swing, and the mishits have a tendency to be skinny or drop kicks; which can nonetheless advance the ball to the inexperienced.

To play this shot, place the ball in the midst of the stance. Grip down two finger widths from the highest, and add some stress to each fingers. Stand nearer to the ball than normal, and lean your physique and the membership shaft in direction of the goal. Use your higher physique to transfer each your arms and membership.

2. Use a wedge that enables for probably the most snug swing size

I train my college students to have three totally different size swings with their wedges: half, three-quarter, and full.

The key to swinging at totally different lengths is to keep your regular swing tempo. Most amateurs use the identical size of swing, however gradual their tempo, which adjustments the timing of the swing. This sometimes leads to a poor shot.

So make certain to observe half and three-quarter swings utilizing your regular full swing tempo. I like to recommend working towards from totally different lengths, utilizing totally different wedges, and study what swing size and wedge loft is finest for you.

3. Learn your distances

If you don’t know the way far the ball flies, it’s troublesome to commit to a shot. And whereas it takes time to find out how far the ball flies, it might make all of the distinction in your scorecard whenever you grasp it.

I extremely advocate spending half of your observe time on the brief sport space, ensuring you dial in your distance management. You may shave off up to 10 pictures!


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Nick Dimengo

Golf.com Editor


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