The Professional Touch-2

Use your experience and judgment to visualise how the ball will react upon landing – identify your landing area and focus your attention there, not on the flag

Basic chipping technique

– how to pre-set a good impact position To impart the controlling backspin you are looking for on a basic greenside chip shot (indeed on any iron approach shot from, say, the 6-iron and down) your goal is to take ball-then-turf – i.e. good technique sees the clubhead meet the ball with a slightly descending blow. In a full swing the dynamics at work (as you shift your weight away from and then towards the target) enable you to achieve this without thinking about it, and you will see most good players remove a shallow divot with their iron shots. But when it comes to the short game, there is simply not the time nor the significant body action to transfer weight onto the forward foot to create that downward strike – and so you have to pre-set the conditions of impact at address. Here are the key checkpoints to follow:

• Adopt a comfortably narrow stance – this is surprisingly important, as it reduces leg action and helps to place the onus for control on the shoulders and upper body. (It is not like putting where the legs must remain still).

• Play the ball opposite inside of back heel – this is where the club will make contact with the ground when you make a a good chipping swing. So that’s exactly where we play the ball in order to enjoy taking the ball first before bruising the turf. (If you tend to hit the ground first then check your ball is not too far forward in your stance).

• Hands fall opposite inside of front leg – this ensures the shaft is set at the correct angle. You want the hands to be slightly ahead of the clubhead at address – just as they should be at impact. If they start in the correct place, then there is no need to compensate during the swing.

• Weight favours the front foot – a ratio of 65:35 is ideal. Again, you want your weight on your front foot at impact, so it makes sense to place it there in readiness at the set up. The swing is too short for a significant weight transfer so it needs to be ‘’pre-set’’ at address. During the chipping swing keep the weight on this foot to ensure a downward strike and good contact.

• Head just in front of the ball – unlike most full shots the head position with a chip is actually ahead of the ball. If you lean back to get your head behind the ball it puts your weight onto the back foot and this can cause you to hit the ground first. Passive hands, active shoulders

Clearly, a chip shot does not require any great power – it is a shot played with a relatively short swing and quiet, passive hands. Using your wrists increases clubhead speed – which may be desirable in certain situations, but not in the playing of a basic chip shot. With the motion generated by the shoulders, the arms and the club can be seen to interact and work together, and the ball is clipped forward with positive acceleration.

The most important swing key is the path the club takes during the execution of the shot. The backswing and follow-through are mirror images – what you do on one side of the ball you need to repeat on the other. The benefit of a mirror image path in chipping is that you will bruise the turf at the same point every time, giving you the benefit of a consistent strike on the ball.

With your feet together, you want to feel that you settle the majority of your weight on your forward foot, leaning gently toward the target. Your body centre is then nicely ahead of the ball, which is played opposite the rear toe

Now here’s a challenge: having completed your setup position, you should be able to lift your rear foot up off the ground and support your body on your forward leg. This actually creates a terrific drill – try hitting a few shots and experience the sensation of ‘pinching’ the ball off the turf with a descending strike

With ball back, weight forward, the handle leans to the target

Having pre-set impact, keeping your hands passive as the upper body controls the motion will see the hands lead the clubhead through the ball – perfect

In this situation a more lofted club is required to land the ball on the towel with a trajectory that sees it check and roll out the desired distance to the hole – it’s up to you to practice in order to perfect this art and develop your repertoire

Jeremy Dale is one of the world’s leading trick-shot exponents and one of the few who is as comfortable playing left-as he is right-handed. Visit his website for information on his one day Scoring Schools: www.jeremydale.com