It pays to master chip, pitch shots
Here’s a golf tip you can’t hear enough: Practice your short game more and your long game less.
By perfecting your chip and pitch shots, you’ll lower your score, and improve your golf swing. These two shots are the foundation of the golf swing.
Chip shots are low running shots used to get the ball close to the hole. Generally, 7- or 8-irons are the most preferred clubs, but I use all my clubs depending on how much green I have to work with.
The technique stays the same no matter what club is chosen.
Chip shot tips:
• Stance narrow and open.
• Lean more weight on the target side foot.
• Weight stays on this foot the entire swing.
• Hands slightly in front of ball.
• Ball back in your stance.
• Little to no wrists.
• Stroke similar to putt.
Pitch shots are used to carry over bunkers and to loft the ball softly on the green with little to no run. The clubs needed for this shot are the pitching wedge, sand wedge or lob wedge.
Pitch shot tips:
• Stance is square to slightly open.
• Lean more weight on the target side foot.
• Very little to no transfer of weight.
• Hands slightly in front of the ball.
• Place ball in the center of your stance.
• Use a miniswing (picture numbers on a clock and go take your backswing
to 9, then finish at 3) with a little wrist break.
Pam Phipps is director of golf at the Black Lake Golf Club in Onaway, Mich. For additional information, visit www.blacklakegolf.com.
For golf, call 989-733-GOLF. For lodging, call 866-UAW-GOLF.
