How to Chip in Golf – How to Put More Spin on Your Chip Shots & Pitches

25 Comments

1. Good article..agree

2. You would want to use a lower lofted club with a little more forward shaft
   lean. I would recommend the lowest loft possible to get the ball to land
   4-5 feet on the green and then have the ball roll out to the hole. You will
   adjust the club based on the amount of green to work with and the distance
   of the shot. ~Clay Ballard

3. and if you want the ball to not check up?

4. Thank you

5. I am sure he releases the club then holds it off in the follow through, the
   difference being his takeaway and approach are steeper, but with the ball
   forwards and the face open he compensates for the vertical attack, his
   method is more brisk and aggressive! just watch him( i mean come on Clay!)

6. I agree, this is definitely not the hinge and hold technique. I was only
   referring to the fact that the hinge and hold method is actually a hinge
   and small release. I have had students come in that are hitting the ball
   very heavy trying that method, since they are not getting any release and
   chopping down on the ball. I didn’t want other players to have the same
   struggles and hit fat shots. ~This is Rotary Swing instructor Clay Ballard
   answering this question, just to be clear.

7. Yes but his angle of approach is not shallow, its steeper, his club does
   not follow a long and shallow path as your method does, thats what i am
   talking about and thats what Phils is talking about and thats what hes
   telling people to “run from”, nothing personal here Clay i’m simply
   pointing out the difference.

8. am I the only one watching this?

9. This is very similar to the technique Phil uses. He is referring to the no
   hinge approach, when he says steer clear. Like the putting approach a lot
   of people teach. You are still hinging here too. Phil says he holds the
   angle, but in reality he releases the club, just like all great golfers.
   You can watch this on many slow motion videos of him chipping. In reality
   Phil uses the “hinge and small release” method just like this. I admit
   hinge and hold, sounds a lot better. ~Clay Ballard

10. The first one is much more difficult. ~Clay Ballard

11. Good luck to you too! I haven’t had a good discussion about pitching in a
    while. Glad to see someone that is very adamant about their short game. I
    always like when someone challenges anything I promote, since it makes me
    look into it further and back up what I believe in with facts rather than
    statements. I found out some good info about Phil’s angle of attack and
    release angles that I can use in the future. I enjoyed it. Good luck with
    your game!! ~Clay Ballard

12. Thank you.

13. We are on the same page. I just wanted to make it clear that in Phil’s
    method there is a release and not only holding that angle. I have watched a
    lot of slow motion video of Phil with the wedge and he releases the club. I
    just measured his release (from his hinge and hold tutorial) and he
    releases the angle of the club 57 degrees while demonstrating the hinge and
    hold technique. Again, I am not bashing Phil, I like Phil, only want to be
    clear on the motion he is making. ~Clay Ballard

14. I think you are focusing only on the words and less on the technique that
    is being shown. If you watch the technique being demonstrated here, the
    hands are over the ball and the club is lagging behind a good foot and a
    half behind. This is nearly identical to the angle of attack Phil
    demonstrates. They are coming in with the same angle of attack. Phil talks
    about how he doesn’t like the “no wrist” instruction that is out there and
    Chuck is talking about how he is not a fan of putting (cont.)

15. @Chuck, Phil breaks his wrist DIRECTLY off the ball, which sets up for a
    steeper decent into impact, not long and shallow like you’ve demonstrated
    in this video, he moves the ball more forward in his stance and by having a
    steeper decent into impact he gets more spin and can be more aggressive on
    the shorter shots, sorry but what your teaching is not Phil’s hinge and
    hold technique.

16. That is all I am saying. He is actually releasing the club. The downswing
    in both methods are almost the same. Both have the “hinge” as you are
    coming down, both release that hinge, both use the bounce through the turf.
    The description is different, but many of the same things are happening.
    Phil comes in very shallow through impact with his hinge and hold method.
    The downswing is steep, because his hands are far forward. (cont.)

17. Also, just to add. Phils quote from the video was that if someone tells you
    to swing the club very far back, or to lock your wrists, go see someone
    else. We wouldn’t recommend either of these moves either, and would agree
    with Phil. If someone tells you to lock your wrists, or make a long
    backswing while chipping, I would not take their advice. ~Clay Ballard

18. .Great video.The point of this video is about utilizing the “bounce” in a
    wedge. The engineers put it there for a good reason and that reason is not
    cosmetic. It’s scientific. Bounce prevents digging, which minimizes fat
    shots. There are times when a shallow approach like this (no wrist cock) is
    useful(tight lies for ex.) but in the rough (to minimize grass getting
    between ball and club) a steeper approach (using wrist cocking and
    uncocking….Phil’s “hinge and hold) is preferable IMO.

19. I play a lot of links golf see lots of guys skulling there ball or thinning
    . . depends on your lie depends on your chip. . . PS why do folks compare
    themselves to Phil Mickleson he spends 8 hours a day on his short game. .

20. I hope not, haha!! ~Clay Ballard

21. Cheers mate enjoyed it to, just for the record i believe phils approach is
    more vertical not long and shallow like your method, thats all, let others
    challenge our differences if they wish, i’m done, bye.

22. Good luck to you to Clay, i stand by my comments…..

23. The bottom line is if it works for you or others, stay with it 🙂
    peace…….

24. (cont.) the ball way back in the stance and coming down steep. Pause Phil’s
    hands when they are over the ball and do the same for Chuck and you will
    see both of their clubs in the same spot in the downswing, coming in at the
    same angle. If you are getting good action on your pitch shots and they are
    checking up after a couple of bounces and stopping, then you are most
    likely doing this move correctly also. Good luck with your game Dreama40!
    ~Clay Ballard

25. Interesting but the complete opposite of what Phil Mickelson teaches, he
    says that when someone teaches you this method of a shallow approach to
    impact, quote “You got to run people!, and find someone who knows what
    there talking about” end quote. Phils method is proven at the highest
    level(many times), Phil wins! Hinge and Hold!!!

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