Opinion & Analysis
The Lost Art of Chipping
From a teacher’s perspective, golf on TV is a double-edged sword. It seems to have both positive and negative influences on the people I teach.
One of the most destructive influences for the average golfer is watching the touring professionals around the greens. This is the part of the game that really separates good players from great players. The athletes we are watching are in the upper 0.01 percent of golfers worldwide. Their touch, feel and imagination around the greens is really quite extraordinary. A prime example of this might be their scoring statistics; the best golfers in the world miss an average of 5-6 greens a round, yet they consistently shoot under par. How do they shoot 68 or 69 while missing 5 or 6 greens every round? Well, for one thing, they’re getting up and down. It also doesn’t hurt your score when you’re hitting it to kick-in distance 3-4 times a round. But I teach golfers who are not the best in the world, so my whole day is spent trying to teach logic and percentages.
The modern game has changed so much in so many ways. With the onset of the 60-degree wedge and the modern golf ball, the tools of today are superior. Regardless of how adept a player is with the modern equipment, however, I suggest that the average golfer will still make a lower score a higher percentage of the time if they opt for more straight-faced, bump-and-run style shots. Maybe the best players in the world can pull off high-spinning, low-flighted, check-on-the-second-bounce kind of deals, but for the average golfer this is still a recipe for disaster. And don’t forget that the pros are hitting band new golf balls… from perfectly manicured fairways… with a spotless wedge… while employing nearly flawless technique.
I might suggest this rule of thumb for most who are reading this — get the golf ball on the ground as quickly as possible around the greens. When you have ample green to work with and there is no obstacle between your golf ball and the hole, a chip shot will be safer than a lofted one. I cannot tell you how many students I bring to the green and when I ask what club they would use for a 30-yard shot across an open green, they say, “Well, lob or sand.” From there, we get into a discussion on the law of averages. Just last week I told one very well-heeled student (and friend) of mine, “I’m glad you don’t invest the way you chip.”
Try this simple practice routine and see if your chipping game improves. When you look at a long, flat shot to a big green, instead of looking at the hole, pick a spot 3-4 paces on the green and try a 7, 8 or 9-iron to chip the ball no further than the spot you’ve selected. In practice, put a ball or a head cover at the 3-4 pace spot and chip to IT, not the hole.
Personal Beef: Another reason many golfers struggle with long chips is they don’t get to practice them enough. Most golf courses have a large putting green and a much smaller chipping green or “short-game area.” In fact, the large green often has a “no-chipping” sign on it. So you get to practice only short chips with rarely a chance to run out long ones.
Now let’s say you’re chipping stroke comes up short with a 9-iron. Instead of hitting the ball harder or with a bigger stoke, grab an 8 iron. The 8-iron comes up short? Grab a 7-iron, and so on. Make the smallest, easiest stroke you can to get the golf ball on the green and running EARLY. When many of you try this, you’ll hit your shots too far. The reason is you’re accustomed to taking big swings with lofted clubs.
In addition to the simplicity of the stroke, the other reason I prefer this method is the visual perspective one gets when looking down the line. It’s not unlike bowling over the arrows. The flagstick bowling pins are 60 feet away, but the arrows are much closer. Looking at and getting a feel for a hole some 60 feet away is difficult compared to looking at a spot few feet in front of you and only a few paces on the green.
Personal Story: My eyes just ain’t what they were, and this visual trick has helped my chipping tremendously. Once I was quite adept around the greens; it was the best part of my game, but in my later years it left me. I first blamed it on not playing as often and my failing eyesight. Then it hit me; I used to play a lot of bump-and-run chips. And without even realizing it, I fell victim to TV golf and the 60-degree wedge era. I was playing many more shots in the air, trying to hit, check and trickle them instead of playing the higher-percentage shot. I’m back to my old method now and the odds are more often in my favor.
I can’t be more emphatic about the benefits of chipping with my students. It WORKS. To boot, at 60 feet away, if I drop kick a 60-degree wedge or lay sod over it I still have 50 feet to the hole. I can skinny an 8-iron up much closer, even on a miss. Needless to say, this is a straight-forward chipping situation. Playing over hills or hazards is a whole different ball game. But we have the trusty lob wedge handy for those times, don’t we? We just don’t need it all the time. Play the odds for a change; your score will reflect your more conservative approach.
As the country song says: “Never hit 17 when you play against the dealer; the odds don’t ride with you.”
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
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In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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Bradley R Brown
Jul 16, 2020 at 11:44 am
Great info, thank you!! When you open the face, do you adjust your aim, or will you hit to the left? I’m just asking for clarification as this would be a new technique for me. Thank you
~j~
Feb 5, 2018 at 11:41 am
Would argue against. I solely use a 60* from 100 yds and in. I know the feel of it from a slight bump and run to a 72-yd short-side shot. While having plenty of green to work with is great, it shouldnt be often one misses the green on the complete opposite side of the flag (with exception of missing the green short or long). Most of my buddies can only do the bump ‘n run 7i’s and such, couldn’t hit a 56-60* to save their asses, or pars, literally. Without a rounded shortgame, pats are going to be hard to save.
Bob Jones
Feb 5, 2018 at 11:40 am
What I learned one time from watching a tournament on TV is that the pros are not trying to get the ball close. They’re trying to sink it. And they do that by rolling the ball to the hole. I built my chipping game around that idea and I have a very good chipping game.
Dennis Clark
Feb 5, 2018 at 7:56 am
Three rules around the green:
Putt whenever you can
Chip when you cant putt
Pitch it only when you must
Raymond CHASTEL
Feb 6, 2018 at 3:47 am
You should learn the “RULE OF 12 ” to select the proper club to chip with around the greens .Ancien “greats ” such as JOHNNY REVOLTA and PAUL RUNYAN taught you to keep the ball as low as possible when going for the green .More recently SEVERIANO BALLESTEROS ridiculized all his opponents whan chipping around the greens ,especially at one memorable BRITISH MASTERS.The “BUMP AND RUN shot “is also quite useful.
Dennis Clark
Feb 7, 2018 at 6:13 pm
Do you mean “have I read it”? The answer is yes and it, too, is good common sense.
Acemandrake
Feb 4, 2018 at 10:47 am
RE: Bump-and-Run Shot
Is the bump-and-run more like a putting stroke or more of a strike down on it type of shot?
Dennis Clark
Feb 5, 2018 at 7:53 am
I thik there is a little more wrist hinge in chipping, we set the wrists going back and hold the angle a bit coming through providing some down attack angle. Thx
Acemandrake
Feb 5, 2018 at 8:59 am
I like it, thanks!
Acemandrake
Feb 5, 2018 at 8:59 am
I like it, thanks!
orv
Feb 3, 2018 at 1:56 pm
NO NO NO ….!!!!
All you gotta do is buy the Square Strike Wedge being advertised on WRX.
https://www.squarestrikewedge.com
acew/7iron
Feb 3, 2018 at 8:51 am
There is never enough written about face angle when chipping and its importance in pulling off a successful shot. If you take a 8 iron but have too much shaft lean front or back …Fail
If you have the toe too far up or down…Fail
If you have face too open or too closed…Fail
There is a Art to chipping and its a very difficult one to master…matter of fact…Its very difficult to just be avg around the greens.
Dennis Clark
Feb 7, 2018 at 6:17 pm
or…too lofted or de-lofted. And you’re right it is difficult but well worth the effort!
freowho
Feb 3, 2018 at 1:49 am
Good article. How bad was Patrick Reeds club choice on the last hole of the PGA. $50 lesson off Dennis might have earnt him another half a mill!
Nick Nack
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:30 pm
When you get closer to the green there are so many possibilities. Most people confuse a short pitch (fly more than roll) with a chip (roll more than fly) and call them both chips shots. I let the lie and any obstacle between help determine my choice and then I visualize how the shot should look. I usually use an 8 iron for chipping and a wedge for short pitches. Oh yeah, I practice a lot!
bcsquare
Feb 2, 2018 at 3:56 pm
Great article. This is the same conversation I had my local pro during a lesson. We went through the same exercise on a 19th hole and after looking at my bag, said dump the lob wedge and fill it with a utility.
Joe
Feb 2, 2018 at 8:57 pm
Best advice I’ve gotten all year…..thank you!!
ChipN'Run
Feb 2, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Dennis,
Someone needs to tell younger competition golfers about this. I volunteered as a marshal for the 2014 Curtis Cup (USA vs. British-Irish women amateurs), and it seemed the American women were addicted to the lob wedge.
In the rounds I observed, the Americans several times hit a lob shot into an uphill slant of the green, only to have the ball spin 30 feet back. The B-I visitors did a much better job on selecting chip-and-run, using everything from a PW to 5i. And they used putters well from just off the green.
——————————
As for me, I use an even mix of wedge pitches and 8i chip-and-run. If I have a 60 yd. shot into a cross wind, I often will use a 7i punch and run for control. And, the bounce-ons are a good way to defeat false fronts on greens.
Greg V
Feb 2, 2018 at 3:08 pm
About 6 years ago I learned to chip with a putting stroke, putting grip, and toe of the club down. I now save strokes from off the green. I wish that I had learned the technique 50 years ago – yes, I am showing my age.
Dennis Clark
Feb 7, 2018 at 6:21 pm
Agree greg, if you’ll recall it’s the technique Phil Rogers taught jack Nicklaus in 1980 when he decided to remake his short game. The only limitation of it is long chips, the toe killls it. But it’s the most ANTI-SHANK chip in the game.
North Butte
Feb 2, 2018 at 1:47 pm
Five little words…
Putter
From
Off
The
Green
Jim
Feb 2, 2018 at 12:17 pm
Completely agree. Chipping saves you so many more shots around the green versus trying to hit the perfect flop shot. And having the creativity to use anything from a wedge to a 5 iron is great fun as well. It’s amazing how many people grab their sand or lob wedge when around the green and then chunk it. Grab the 8 iron more often and learn to chip, you’ll save a bunch of shots during the round.
James T
Feb 2, 2018 at 11:42 am
As a kid I would even chip with a 5 or 6 iron at times. It was a shot I practiced a lot. Like Dennis I was known for my up and down dead-eye chipping back then. Now I have a wedge in my hands too often.
Thank you Dennis for reminding me about the odds. Time for me to be a kid again.
juststeve
Feb 2, 2018 at 11:28 am
Now a question for Dennis. What do you think happened. In the past I played a lot of recreational golf with Ray Floyd in particular and he played short shots as you suggest. He ended us closer to the hole more often than the guys I see on TV yet his style, and Paul Runyan’s style are now out of fashion. My question is why?
Ryan
Feb 2, 2018 at 1:14 pm
The greens on the Tour appear to be much faster. Add the fact that guys on TV have fresh wedges and unlimited supply of ProV1’s, the pro’s can stop it on a dime.
Dennis
Feb 7, 2018 at 7:10 am
Steve, I’m sorry for the delay here…the biggest reason is golf courses have changed. I think newer courses have much more protected hole locations with flags placed precariously close to the edges of greens. That may be one of the reasons.
juststeve
Feb 2, 2018 at 11:13 am
Another sound article from Dennis
C
Feb 2, 2018 at 10:55 am
Raymond Floyd would approve of this method.
alexdub
Feb 2, 2018 at 10:46 am
Great article Dennis. The 8 iron runner from 20 or 30 yards is one of my favorite shots.