Golf Tip: Get Up and Down

Many golfers try and help the ball in the air when they are hitting little chip shots around the green. It seems logical to try and add some loft to the shot because you want the ball to sit softly.  Unfortunately, when most amateurs try and add loft to their chips by scooping with their wrists they generally end up hitting the ball thin and it rolls across the green.

To truly hit a classy chip shot, you need to hit down on the ball. In order to achieve this, you need to feel that the club head is not passing your hands at impact. 

Try the following drill to keep your club head lower to the ground after impact; this will help with making crisper contact:

The next time you go to work on your chipping, bring a water bottle with you. Balance a club on top of the cap of the water bottle. Now place a ball on the ground 12 inches behind the grip of the club. Start making practice strokes keeping the club head under the shaft of the club. If you start with a scooping motion in your wrists, you will end up knocking the club off the water bottle.

Practice until you can make practice swings without touching the club. Once you are able to make practice swings without knocking the club off the water bottle, start practicing little chip shots.

You will notice that you need to keep your left hand and arm moving through the shot in order to avoid knocking the club off the water bottle.

Here is to making that clutch up and down!