Used Toms chipping tip on weekend (walk in, hands lower on grip and toe goes up) yesterday and never chipped better around The green - first one I chipped in!
Hi Tom, i just saw this, thanks so much for your reply. Yes i will move the ball position around and monitor. Once again thanks! I love the course, I've been watching taking notes etc.!
Its part of my daily routine, as i want more than anything, is to have consistent contact hit it CRISPY with mashed potatoes!!
By the way, I suggest that you keep tabs on this forum as there is a lot of valuable and very helpful information regularly being shared by your fellow members!
Welcome to this great forum community, @Rob Brugnoli!!
With regard to your short iron issues, since it's isolated to these clubs let's first default to checking the setup before considering any kind of swing intervention. 90% of the result is already determined before we even take the club back, yet I've seen so many folks make a mess out of an already sound swing because they overlooked or did not consider the foundational elements of the setup. I would begin with tweaking ball position, as this is something you can experiment with that does not involve making any adjustments to your swing. This is always the preferred way to begin when trying to correct a specific ball flight or contact issue. Move the ball back in your stance in small increments with your shorter irons and monitor the results with each change.
The stock ball position for this swing system is in the middle of the stance for short irons, two balls inside the lead heel for middle irons, and creeping more forward for the longer clubs - the farthest forward being even with the inside of the lead heel for the driver - with the stance width increasing as we move from shorter to longer clubs. From there we certainly have some leeway to allow for personal preference; just let your ball striking and shot shape be your guide. (By the way, I strongly suggest using alignment sticks when monitoring ball position - one on the foot line, a second one parallel to the first to mark the target line, and a third perpendicular to these to show ball position – as our side-on view from above tends to skew our perspective of the actual location of the ball relative to our stance.)
If this does not resolve the issue then we can dive into the swing itself, but if you are currently hitting your driver and other longer clubs well, then you may just be a few inches of ball position away from crispy compression with your short irons.
Hello all, been having good success with driver and longer clubs. But have been stuggling a bit with my shorter approach shots. Pw, 9 iron, hitting fat, and pushing right?! Im right handed. Any thoughts, thanks.
I thought Mr. Runyan's Carry/Run-out chart for every iron was very interesting. Below is a screenshot of it.
A few years ago at the PGA Show Dave Stockton was kind enough to give me a putting lesson. Our conversation then shifted to chipping, and he advocated chipping like you putt (including using your putting grip) - very similar to what Mr. Runyan is talking about in the video shared by Doug.
@Patrick Anlauf - And that would seem to lend itself well to Paul Runyan's method as well as what I learned from Dave Stockton. Plus you're eliminating the variable of spin - or check - which may look cool but doesn't necessarily provide the most consistent results.
@Tom Saguto Paul Runyan’s grip for Chipping seemed a bit weird to me where he adjusts right and left hands at 45 degree angles to hit the golf ball. Works for him!
I found him, Paul Runyan. He drove the other players on the tour crazy, because he always got up and down. He didn't hit it as far off the tee as the other players, so he made up for that with his short game.
Definitely. Consistent short game practice is the most important thing now my HC is coming down. Stop that practice and you go back a step. Consistency even if just a few shots a day in the garden is key
Lol, I had that yesterday. I didn’t use the putting stroke, but that was my only option. I got it over the bunker but had about a 12 foot par putt. I made that. Haha, just one of a few pars.
Very good! Some call it the Chang chip. Bring the shaft up, helps prevent the chunks. Chang didn’t come up with it, there was a guy from way before him, that was an absolute master of the short game, he did that. Putting stroke with wedges and short irons. I‘ve messed with that, I found for me, the stroke has to be somewhat short. You saying 9’oclock, is pushing the envelope on this putting stroke. Keep messing with it and keep us posted on how it works out on the course.
I went to the Short Game Practice Greens today and chipped from 15 and 20 yards off the green. At 15 yards, I used my 56W, leaned forward with my weight some, and hit the ball with a putting type stroke and taking no divot. The putting stroke worked the best for me. Came close to the hole (s). At 20 yards, used the same Wedge, leaned weight forward, hit down, took a divot. The balls rolled out more with a Divot Shot at 20 yards. It appears the ball had more back spin when taking a divot shot. I need more practice with the divot type stroke. Then, I practiced with my 60W where I am hitting over a Sand Trap.No fear, just hit the ball. I put the ball forward in my stance, leaned forward with my weight and took 9 o’clock strong shots. Most popped up onto the green and some into the Sand Trap. Overall, I like the Putting Stroke up close and the Divot Shot further out from the edge of the green. Will need to check out some of the SAGUTO videos on chunking wedges. Yes, they did happen.
Great update, @Patrick Anlauf!! This type of short game work can pay the most immediate dividends with regard to scoring. It's just a matter of doing what you're doing: finding the best technique for you, figuring out how to dial it in, and then ingraining the heck out of it through repetition.
Listened/watched the 3.1 series on Chipping Flaws and did not realize over all these years of playing golf that a divot shows up in front of the ball. In the past, I have been clipping the ball and goes on the green close by the hole or elsewhere (not close). On 11/30/21, I will practice the ball/divot method and see how things go with it. 56W is my club of choice.
It’s been much improved since I introduced Toms method. I just stick with that and can’t go wrong as it really works. Important thing though is consistent practice. I find as soon as I slow practice down,,,I started thinking too much overall ball and lose ‘flow’If your method works for you Doug then stick with it but my advice is practice practice practice it and judge effectiveness on results / if you see improvementTom’s method is so simple it’s quite easy to take to course (I found) 👍
It was on the fringe but nice contact, looked up and hit the flag and dropped! I played in a pro on Sunday as well and had a few tricky ones around the green and nipped them well every time….so long as keep the weight moving forward it really does simplify the shot and makes it so much easier to play. It feels like cheating!
@Tim Lloyd How's the chipping been going? I've been really struggling, I think I found something, at least for me, it came really late in my practicing just a little bit ago. I've opened up my stance significantly. My chest is almost facing the target. Still very upright, left arm straight, but not "locked" grip is very loose, basically a shoulder rock. Sometimes things "come" when practicing, that aren't worth doo doo on the course. I hope that isn't the case, time will tell....
Hi Tom, i just saw this, thanks so much for your reply. Yes i will move the ball position around and monitor. Once again thanks! I love the course, I've been watching taking notes etc.!
Its part of my daily routine, as i want more than anything, is to have consistent contact hit it CRISPY with mashed potatoes!!
Best regards: Rob Brugnoli
Welcome to this great forum community, @Rob Brugnoli!!
With regard to your short iron issues, since it's isolated to these clubs let's first default to checking the setup before considering any kind of swing intervention. 90% of the result is already determined before we even take the club back, yet I've seen so many folks make a mess out of an already sound swing because they overlooked or did not consider the foundational elements of the setup. I would begin with tweaking ball position, as this is something you can experiment with that does not involve making any adjustments to your swing. This is always the preferred way to begin when trying to correct a specific ball flight or contact issue. Move the ball back in your stance in small increments with your shorter irons and monitor the results with each change.
The stock ball position for this swing system is in the middle of the stance for short irons, two balls inside the lead heel for middle irons, and creeping more forward for the longer clubs - the farthest forward being even with the inside of the lead heel for the driver - with the stance width increasing as we move from shorter to longer clubs. From there we certainly have some leeway to allow for personal preference; just let your ball striking and shot shape be your guide. (By the way, I strongly suggest using alignment sticks when monitoring ball position - one on the foot line, a second one parallel to the first to mark the target line, and a third perpendicular to these to show ball position – as our side-on view from above tends to skew our perspective of the actual location of the ball relative to our stance.)
If this does not resolve the issue then we can dive into the swing itself, but if you are currently hitting your driver and other longer clubs well, then you may just be a few inches of ball position away from crispy compression with your short irons.
Hello all, been having good success with driver and longer clubs. But have been stuggling a bit with my shorter approach shots. Pw, 9 iron, hitting fat, and pushing right?! Im right handed. Any thoughts, thanks.
I thought Mr. Runyan's Carry/Run-out chart for every iron was very interesting. Below is a screenshot of it.
A few years ago at the PGA Show Dave Stockton was kind enough to give me a putting lesson. Our conversation then shifted to chipping, and he advocated chipping like you putt (including using your putting grip) - very similar to what Mr. Runyan is talking about in the video shared by Doug.
Very cool. Thanks for sharing, Doug!
I found him, Paul Runyan. He drove the other players on the tour crazy, because he always got up and down. He didn't hit it as far off the tee as the other players, so he made up for that with his short game.
Yes works every time. Much more consistent method.
Doug O. Good job. I will be golfing in the 80s soon. Short Game is key to that happening.
Doug S The 9 o’clock was with the 60W over the Sand Trap.
Very good! Some call it the Chang chip. Bring the shaft up, helps prevent the chunks. Chang didn’t come up with it, there was a guy from way before him, that was an absolute master of the short game, he did that. Putting stroke with wedges and short irons. I‘ve messed with that, I found for me, the stroke has to be somewhat short. You saying 9’oclock, is pushing the envelope on this putting stroke. Keep messing with it and keep us posted on how it works out on the course.
I went to the Short Game Practice Greens today and chipped from 15 and 20 yards off the green. At 15 yards, I used my 56W, leaned forward with my weight some, and hit the ball with a putting type stroke and taking no divot. The putting stroke worked the best for me. Came close to the hole (s). At 20 yards, used the same Wedge, leaned weight forward, hit down, took a divot. The balls rolled out more with a Divot Shot at 20 yards. It appears the ball had more back spin when taking a divot shot. I need more practice with the divot type stroke. Then, I practiced with my 60W where I am hitting over a Sand Trap.No fear, just hit the ball. I put the ball forward in my stance, leaned forward with my weight and took 9 o’clock strong shots. Most popped up onto the green and some into the Sand Trap. Overall, I like the Putting Stroke up close and the Divot Shot further out from the edge of the green. Will need to check out some of the SAGUTO videos on chunking wedges. Yes, they did happen.
Listened/watched the 3.1 series on Chipping Flaws and did not realize over all these years of playing golf that a divot shows up in front of the ball. In the past, I have been clipping the ball and goes on the green close by the hole or elsewhere (not close). On 11/30/21, I will practice the ball/divot method and see how things go with it. 56W is my club of choice.
It’s been much improved since I introduced Toms method. I just stick with that and can’t go wrong as it really works. Important thing though is consistent practice. I find as soon as I slow practice down,,,I started thinking too much overall ball and lose ‘flow’ If your method works for you Doug then stick with it but my advice is practice practice practice it and judge effectiveness on results / if you see improvement Tom’s method is so simple it’s quite easy to take to course (I found) 👍
@llydisommma1 Wow, nice!
Well done, @llydisommma1, and congrats on the chip-in!!