03/13/2020
I sincerely hope and pray that everyone is staying safe and healthy. It is getting a little crazy and to answer your question: No, I don't have any extra toilet paper.
In light of the current events in our nation and, more specifically, the sports world, I would like to suggest an alternative. The Harvey Penick Golf Academy. Keep in mind that golf and golf instruction are very safe according to the CDC. We are outside where it is warm, in small groups and we have to stay a safe distance away from each other to keep from getting beaned in the head!
In all seriousness, if you are feeling well and looking for something to do, please consider us as a safe option. Space is available in every academy from April-June.
I am including a golf tip below so please share with your golf friends.
Thank you and God bless you!
Jim Hopkins
512-547-8106
www.Harveypenickgolfacademy.com
Chipping
When chipping, the average golfer will tend to use a club with too much loft, making what should be a simple shot much more difficult. Obviously, a short, lofted approach is an excellent shot to have in your arsenal and is absolutely needed at many, modern golf courses. However, using a sand or lob wedge from just off the green when a 7 iron or even a putter would work much better is just asking for trouble. Even a professional golfer, who can hit that soft lob with an almost full swing, will use a putter from off the green when required. Most people watching golf on TV will not remember the putter from off the green because it is not fancy or memorable but it saves strokes for them and it will for you too. Just remember: Putt when you can, chip if you have to and only pitch the ball in the air when the shot forces you to. Follow that rule and your scores will improve.
Now let’s talk about the proper way to chip the ball.
The set-up.
A drive is just a big chip and a chip a little drive. Harvey Penick
This classic line from Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book really makes a great point; very little changes from one shot to another. A chip is just a small version of your full swing. Change too much and you are asking for trouble.
Your grip should be the same with the only adjustment being that you should place your hand down lower on the grip when using a longer club to chip with. Place your feet closer together and shift most of your weight to your front foot. The ball should be in the center or slightly back of center of your feet and the hands forward, over your front leg. The most important fundamental is that the hands must lead the way. A chip is made with a slightly downward blow and your weight and hands must be forward to produce this. The alignment of your feet, hips and shoulders should be square to slightly open. Most importantly, the clubface must be aimed at your target.
The swing
The swing should be approximately the same length back and through. Many amateurs make too big of a backswing and have to decelerate the club at impact, cause poor contact and lack of control. Whether the swing is short or long, the club head must be accelerating through impact. At the finish of the swing, your hands should still be in front of the club and the club head should be low to the ground. The biggest mistake most golfers make is to try and help the ball into the air instead of trusting the loft of the club. (This is true for most shots, not just chipping.) Harvey’s classic drill of chipping under a bench is used to get the student to change the way they think. Think low and let the club do the job. When you try to help the ball up into the air, all you do is lift the club and mish*t the ball. You cannot get under the ball. You hit the back of it with the loft and the club lifts the ball.
Another drill is to put something on the ground between yourself and the green and try to hit it. Harvey said you could just lay you golf bag in front of you and if you try to hit it with your golf ball, the loft of the club will naturally lift it up and over the bag. Even smaller things will work. A water bottle, another golf ball, even a golf club will work, as long as you focus on low, the ball will come up. This was the basic premise that the great and mostly unknown golf instructor, J. Victor East put forth in his classic book, Better Golf in 5 Minutes. Mr. East was the man who sent Harvey his weedcutter and also used the drill of swinging a bucket of water. He was also a club designer and made Bobby Jones’ golf clubs. He believed that the club should do the work of getting the ball in the air. Your job was to get the club down to the ground where the ball is.
Club Selection
When practicing your chipping, it is very important to learn what each club does so you can trust them when you are on the course. For this reason, it is best to limit the number of clubs you use. A good choice might be a 7 iron and a pitching wedge. You want them to have enough change in loft to tell the difference in the trajectory of the two clubs. It is better to learn what these clubs do (how far they tend to roll, how high they fly on a short chip, what kind of bounce they produce on the green, etc.) then to try to use three or more different clubs. What clubs you choose are up to you and there is no reason why you can’t use different clubs for other situations but you first need to learn what a couple of clubs do before going on the other shots.
There are no hard and fast rules to follow as to when to use more or less loft. You need to devout a few hours of practice to learn this yourself. However there are a few guidelines that may help.
You probably want to chip if:
· The shot is uphill
· The lie is poor.
· The green is severely sloped or undulating
· The is doubt in your mind
You may want to use more loft if:
· The shot is downhill
· The lie is good
· The green is mostly flat
· There is an obstacle.
One other thing to keep in mind: Try to keep the ball low if the green conditions are poor and/or bumpy. A higher shot will have a greater tendency to bounce off line than a low one.
