The movement of the upper part of the body whilst chipping
the ball is very similar to the full swing movement but a lot shorter.
Keep the weight over the left leg at all times to avoid any minute swaying action.
The set
up is practically the same as the full golf swing, but the
stance is slightly open with the weight of the body predominantly
on the left leg so that the hips are partially facing the target
area.
It only requires the golfer to use the rotational movement
of the shoulders and the arms whilst held firmly together so that you have a solid triangular shape of the shoulders and the arms.
After making a back swing that you consider to be the correct amount of movement to strike the ball the calculated distance, use the rotations movement of the hips to force the slightly twisted body to rotate around the central core of the spine until the club head strikes the ball.
So theoretically you simply use the club head to
separate the grass and the golf ball as if you are driving a wedge
between the grass and the ball whilst the club face is facing the target point.
But importantly you must totally focus your eyes on the back edge of the golf ball, keep the head
perfectly still and the hips firmly held over the centre of your
stance without any hint of swaying and actually watch the ball
until the precise moment the club head strikes the ball.
It is also vital that you keep the majority of the weight
of your body over the left leg and fully focus your eyes on the
ball position until well after the ball has been stuck.
Therefore if you wish to chip the ball with precision, you
must watch
the ball until the precise moment the club head strikes the
ball and keep the hips firmly held over the centre of your stance,
but importantly, you must also see the ball move away from the
spot that it was resting.
THE END OF THE BACK SWING MOVEMENT.
During the back swing the majority of the weight of my body
is over the left leg and the passive arms/golf club have been
pushed into a half back swing with the leading
edge of the club face remaining square to the ball position,
but importantly, I am also focusing intensely on the back edge
of the golf ball.
THE PRE-IMPACT POSITION.
All I have done to return the club head to this position is
to use the rotation of the hips to force the slightly twisted body to rotate around the central core of the spine until the club head strikes the ball.
At this stage in the swing movement I am totally concentrating
on keeping the hips very firmly in the original address position
and using the rotational movement of the hips to control the speed of the club head.
The whole idea of
the chipping action is ensure that leading edge of the club head
separates the ball and the turf with a descending
blow.
In fact if I really analysed the movement, I have no conscious
thoughts about the club head striking the ball, I am simply concentrating on making sure the club head strikes the ball with a descending blow whilst swinging straight to the target line
and concentrating
on how much power should be applied, but ensuring that the club
head continues to move to the bottom
of the swing arc.
If I only want to move the ball a very short distance, I only
make a short back swing movement and subsequently control the rotational speed of the hips in the down swing movement. - however if
I wish to move the ball further I make a slightly longer back
swing movement and a longer follow through movement, thus increasing
the impact speed, but the tempo of the swing movement and the
mechanical action of the swing movement remain the same - but
all the time performing the chipping action so that the club head
travels on the parallel to the target line.
However, regardless of how far I want the ball to go, as well
as keeping the hips firmly held in the original address position
I concentrate solely on the action of making a clean
strike and then swinging the club head to the bottom
of the swing arc. ( Therefore regardless of how far the ball
has to travel, the only thing you adjust is the length of the
back swing movement and the length of the follow through movement.)
The upper body unit remain closely held together as the club head approaches
the ball, therefore it is vital that you keep the left arm perfectly
straight as the club head continues to move to the bottom of the
swing arc.
The weight ratio of my body remains about 70% over the left
leg
My head is firmly held in the Fixed
Frontal condition, but importantly, the head is firmly held in the original address position to a "pin
point accuracy" and the upper
body angle has been strictly maintained.
THE IMPACT POSITION.
The wrist joint has simply unhinged slightly to allow the
club head to slide under the ball and move to the bottom
of the swing arc.
From this point onwards, the rotational movement of the hips will continue to
pull the passive arms/golf club, so that the club head swings through the ball position.
Because the bottom of the swing arc is located beyond the
ball position, the club head will continue to move in a downward
and forward motion straight to the target line.
Therefore it is absolutely vital that you keep the elbows
close together as the club head swings under the ball and importantly,
you must watch the club head strike the ball and do not allow the hips to sway.
THE CHIPPING ACTION.
Move the mouse over the picture to see the complete action.
As I perform this stage of the chipping action, I am simply
concentrating using a combination of the rotational movement of
the hips to force the whole twisted body to rotate around the central core of the spine, but importantly watching
the back edge of the ball very closely, whilst the club head
strikes the ball with a descending blow.
( In order to chip the ball very well you must learn to strike
the ball with a slightly descending blow
and also keep the hips in the original address position to eliminate
any swaying action.)
THE FOLLOW THROUGH ACTION.
As soon as the club head
reaches the bottom of the swing arc, the shoulders, the arms and
the wrists remain in a firm condition whilst the hips continue to force the twisted body unit to turn towards the target area, but the upper
body angle is strictly maintained.
However it is vital that the head remain slightly behind the ball with "pinpoint accuracy".
Please Note.
If you focus your eyes intensely on the spot that the ball
was resting, as soon as the ball moves away from this spot, the
white image of the ball will convert to a black image for a milli-second.
- this indicates that you have watched the ball correctly.
Trust your original judgement.
The other important element of chipping the ball, is that
you must play the shot exactly as you performed the practice swing.
You must not quit on the shot, trust you original judgement of
the length of back swing movement, but importantly, trust your
original judgement on the amount of follow through movement required
to land the ball where you want.
If the hosel touches the ball it will create a "shank"
-- Therefore in order to reduce the possibility of a shank,
instead of aligning the ball to the centre of the club face, I
align the ball to the outside edge of the club face - this allows
for a larger margin of error.
Remember, the chipping action is a controlled but relaxed
swing movement, but it is absolutely vital that you watch
the ball so that you actually see the club head strike the
ball and then continue to swing the club head to the bottom of
the swing arc but all this will be in vain
unless you hold the hips in the original address position until
well after the ball has been struck.
