Butch Harmon on Playing the Deep Pins

Today: a quick tip from Butch Harmon (care of Golf Digest) on how to chip it close to those back pins.



Okay, it's dirt simple but it's something many (if not most) players don't know. If you're just off the green and the pin is a long way away, DON'T try to lob it with your wedge. Instead, use a 7- or 8-iron and make a hook chip.

To quote Butch:

"When you set up, put more weight on your front foot and the ball off your back foot. When you take the club back, bring it slightly inside. As you come into impact, swing the toe over so that the face closes slightly."

By hooking the chip -- that's why you swing slightly inside on the backswing -- you get the ball on the ground quicker and it runs farther without making a huge swing.

And just for the record, with your weight more on your lead side and the ball positioned off your trail foot, that inside swing path should happen almost automatically. That makes this a fairly natural shot for most players.

It's hard to hit the ball fat or thin with this method, while lobbing it with a wedge can bring both possibilities into play. In other words, this is a percentage shot; the odds of getting a usable result with the hook chip are much better than with a lob.