By Cameron Orford
If you are one of the many golfers who get a cold sweat when standing over a chip shot, this could be for you. The key to consistent, stress-free chipping is the way your club interacts with the ground.
Ideally you need a gentle shallow brushing. To achieve this, you must engage the trail edge or bounce of the club and avoid the sharp, wide leading edge.
The set-up is fundamental to your success. You must avoid any excessive shaft lean either in the set-up or during the swing. Stand close enough to the ball that the butt of the club raises up and the heel is slightly off the ground and now cannot interact with the turf.
Use a narrow neutral stance, ball and grip both in the middle just below your sternum. You can use your normal grip, or you can use your putting grip depending on how far you need the ball to carry. Grip down low and use as little loft as possible. The more time the ball spends on the ground the more room for error you will have.
The movement itself is simple. You are just trying to return the club back to your set-up position. Let the gentle rotation of your upper body around the sternum take control of the length and speed of the arc of your swing and let the club just go along for the ride.
You are just moving the butt of the club in a wide shallow motion and let your legs react to what your upper body is doing. The magic is in the brushing.
Good golfing.
CAMERON ORFORD, is Heiniger Golf/Noosa Springs senior PGA teaching professional
