Free Golf Short Game Lessons

[?] Subscribe To This Site

Your Trusted Source For Golf Short Game Lessons

This is the Chip-Putt Stroke Lesson. These short game lessons are designed to help you develop an efficient stroke so that you can take advantage of this great short game shot.

The chip-putt is a nice shot to have in your repertoire. Once you have a chance to learn and practice this method, it can be extremely helpful in saving shots around the green to help you lower your scores. The beauty of this shot is that it is as simple as a putt. Essentially you are using your putting stroke with a different club.

By using an 8-iron or hybrid, you will get the loft you need to carry over the fringe but then the ball will roll like a putt when it hits the green. Please see Chip-Putt Club Selection for more details.

Golf Short Game Tip Step #1 : Address

Please see Chip-Putt Set Up Lesson for more details.
A very important key is to make sure your hands are even with the ball. This will help with proper ball contact at impact. If your hands are behind it will lead to poor contact.

Golf Short Game Tip Step #2 : Back Swing

Since this is a putting stroke, you want to use as little movement as possible. Any extra movement can lead to inconsistent contact.
You don't need a lot of power to play this shot so...keep your lower body very still. This will allow you to keep your stroke very smooth and on the proper path to the golf ball. Moving and turning your hips is unnecessary and only complicates the swing.
There should be a nice triangle formed by your arms and shoulders. It is very important that you maintain this triangle through your stroke. If you bend your wrists you will break your triangle and this could lead to poor contact.
Use your arms, hands and shoulders to pull the club back away from the ball.

Golf Short Game Tip Step #3 : Impact

Your move back to the golf ball should be the same as the move on your backswing. Your arms, hands and shoulders should control the club, while the rest of your body stays as still as possible.
In order to have great contact at impact your hands must be even or slightly ahead of the ball. This should happen automatically if you used your arms and shoulders to make the stroke. If you use your wrists in the stroke then you are likely to have the club get to the ball before your hands. If your club is ahead of your hands then you will most likely blade the shot and send the ball screaming over the green.
You will know you if you have a good impact position if your left wrist is flat at impact. This will help create good contact.

Golf Short Game Tip Step #4 : Follow Through

Your follow through should mirror your backswing. You want to have the same principles for both sides of the ball.
Be sure to maintain your triangle with your arms and shoulders.
Your lower body should remain very still.
Keep your head still through impact and into the follow through.
To help judge pace your backswing and follow through should be about the same length. Please see the Putting Distance Control Lesson for more details.

Golf Short Game Tip Step #5 : Hold Finish

The best way to learn and practice your feel for these shots is to hold your finish until your ball stops rolling. This helps ingrain the feel of the swing and contact with the result of the shot. That way you can use that memory the next time you are faced with this type of shot.
The more shots you have in memory the better you will become at playing and executing the shot. This will help you get the ball closer to the hole...and you may even knock a few in as well. That certainly helps the scorecard!

Thank you for taking the Chip-Putt Stroke Lesson. Once you are comfortable using your putting stroke with a more lofted club then take try the Chip-Putt Club Selection Lesson. It will show which club to choose given a variety of situations in which you can use the Chip Putt.

Good luck with your practicing and playing. May you achieve you golf goals sooner with the help of free-golf-lessons.com

Return to the Main Chip-Putt Page from Golf Short Game Lessons Return to the Home Page from Golf Short Game Lessons

Site Sponsorship Information

PGA Tour Winner Quick Lesson

Congratulations to Steve Stricker on his victory at the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

I believe the commentators said he has won 9 times in his 40s. That is amazing!I also agree with Sir Nick and Johnny Miller that his swing will be copied in the future. Technology has reduced the need for hand action in the golf swing to generate power. Watch the old videos of Bobby Jones to see how much action he created compared to that of Steve Stricker.

A great objective for any player is to eliminate any unnecessary movement. Stricker does a great job of that. His hands stay very quiet on the backswing. His wrists hardly hinge at the top of his backswing. You can see from the above video that his backswing is all shoulder turn.

His downswing starts from the hips and he simply turns everything through the golf ball at the same time. His hands and wrists release naturally without any effort. This is a great way to have a consistent rhythm through the golf ball on every shot. This swing delivers enough power to win on Tour.

European Tour Winner Quick Lesson

Congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen and his victory at the 2012 Africa Open.

Louis burst onto the scene with his dominating performance at the Open Championship. Many have predicted multiple wins for this player. His victory this past weekend is likely one of many to come.

In the video above pay really close attention to when the video ends. Take a look at his left foot. Notice how all his weight his on his left heel. This is a great sign that he has cleared his hips properly.

One of the key reasons for starting the downswing with your lower body is to clear your hips out of the way to create more room for your arms to swing through impact. It is a great indicator as to how well you cleared your hips, when almost all your weight is on your heel.

If your weight is leaning on you toes or even the middle of your foot then you have not rotated and cleared your hips enough through your downswing and past impact. You really want to feel the pressure of your weight on your heel like Oosthuizen.

Make sure you start your downswing with your lower body. At the top of your backswing; either pull your left knee or your left hip (right handed player) towards the target. Also make sure your hips keep rotating through impact and into your finish position with your weight on the heel.