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Sunday, January 28, 2018

Andrew Jones on Basic Chipping (Video)

Yes, here's another video on chipping technique! Why am I posting this one from Golf Monthly's Andrew Jones? Because he demonstrates something that I think is important for good chipping but is rarely stressed by instructors.



I am a big believer in staying relaxed when you play, regardless of whether you're making a full stroke or a short game stroke. And please understand that I don't just mean your hands and wrists are relaxed -- I want your entire body to be relaxed! Hands, arms, shoulders, neck, back, hips, knees -- your whole body. Tension just impedes rhythm and speed.

When I swing, especially in my short game, I like to think of myself as a big piece of elastic, stretched from the ground up to my head. Unlike a mechanical skeleton where the top part moves while the bottom is immobilized, I want my body so relaxed that all rotation is spread evenly from ground to head. Even on a short stroke, that means my knees might move a little -- not because I'm trying to move them, but simply because relaxed muscles respond to the motion easily. This way, it's easier to keep everything in sequence as I swing back and through, which is particularly important in the short game.

This video includes some unusually clear shots of what a relaxed swing looks like. Note that it's not jerky. There are no sections where the club suddenly picks up speed; all the accelerations during the stroke are smooth and gradual. This helps you keep from stabbing the clubhead into the ground. It makes it easier to get consistent contact. And it creates more speed than you might expect.

There's a lot of good instruction in this short video, but pay particular attention to the motion in the chip shot. You'll be surprised how much more consistent you'll become if you try to copy the feel of Andrew's swing.

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