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The Basic Steps to Perfect Golf. Masterfile. ** To return to the previous page, click on the arrow in the top left hand corner.** |
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Chipping action -( Changed - 03/07/2008) The chipping action is a very simple movement and similar to the full swing movement. The set up is practically the same as the full golf swing, but the stance is slightly open with the weight of the body predominantly on the left leg and the hips partially facing the target area. Therefore the difference to the full swing is that the lower part of the body remains quite still. It only requires the golfer to ensure that as the shoulders return to the original address position, they are held firmly in this position whilst the shoulder muscles move the arms/golf club towards the bottom of the swing arc, thus striking the ball with a descending blow. You must focus on a the striking the back edge of the golf ball but in effect you simply use the club head to separate the grass and the golf ball, as if you are driving a wedge between the grass and the ball.
It is also vital that you keep the majority of the weight of your body over the left leg and fully focus your eyes on the ball position until well after the ball has been stuck. Just to clarify, you must watch the ball until the club head strikes the ball, but importantly you must continue to focus on the spot that the ball was resting until well after the ball has been struck.
THE END OF THE BACK SWING MOVEMENT.
This is the limit of my back swing movement when making a chip shot of about 20 yards. ( The muscles of the left shoulder and the muscles of the left upper arm has pushed the arms to this position.) In this photograph, the majority of the weight of my body is over the left leg and from this position it is the movement of the hips in conjunction with the rotational movement of the shoulder/arms-unit that causes the arms to swing into the contact area, but importantly, I am focusing intesly on the back edge of the golf ball. The down swing movement for the chipping action is a combination of the hips, the shoulders and the arms moving together with a controlled but relaxed movement. However as soon as the shoulders return to the original address position, they stop rotating whilst the shoulder muscles pull the passive arm/golf club to the bottom of the swing arc.
THE PRE-IMPACT POSITION.
In this photograph you can see that I am holding the hands back from returning to the original address position, but you will notice that the arms are working together as a complete unit. ( See solid red line on the photograph)
The hands will move a fraction more toward the target area as the club head continues to unfold, but they will not return to the original address position until the precise moment that the club head makes contact with the ball. At this stage in the swing movement I am totally concentrating on using the rotional movement of the shoulders to control the speed of the club head. The whole idea of the chipping action is strike the back edge of the ball with a decending blow before touching the grass. However as soon as the club head strikes the ball, the shoulder stop rotating whilst the shoulder muscles pull the arms/golf club to the bottom of the swing arc.
In fact if I really analysed the movement, I have no conscious thoughts about the club head striking the ball, I am simply concentrating on making sure the club head strikes of the ball with a descending blow and concentrating on how much power should be applied, but ensuring that the club head continues to move to the bottom of the swing arc.
If I only want to move the ball a very short distance, I only make a short back swing movement but swing through the contact area with an gradually accelerating action - however if I wish to move the ball further, I make a slightly longer back swing movement and a longer follow through movement, thus increasing the impact speed, but the tempo of the swing movement and the mechanical action of the swing movement remain the same.
However, regardless of how far I want the ball to go, I concentrate solely on the action of making a clean strike and then swinging the clubhead to the bottom of the swing arc. ( The pitching action is exactly the same, regardless of how far the ball has to travel, the only thing you adjust is the length of the back swing movement and the length of the follow through movement.)
The shoulders and the arms remain "bonded as one" as the club head approaches the ball, therefore it is vital that you keep the arms perfectly straight as the club head continues to move to the bottom of the swing arc, but you must at all times use the muscles of the lower back to rotate the shoulders back and forth. The weight ratio of my body remains about 70% over the left leg
You will notice that my head is firmly held in the Fixed Frontal condition, but importantly, the head is firmly held in the original address position to a "pin point accuracy" and the upper body angle has been strictly maintained.
THE IMPACT POSITION.
In this photograph you will notice that the shoulders are held on the parallel to the target line whilst the shoulder muscles swing the arms/golf club through the contact area. But will also notice that the hands have been firmly held back from returning to the original address position until the precise moment the club head made contact with the ball.. The wrist joint has simply unhinged to allow the club head to slide under the ball and move to the bottom of the swing arc. (See solid red line in the photograph)
From this point onwards, the shoulder muscles will simply pull the arms/golf club to the bottom of the swing arc whilst the shoulder remain parallel to the target line. ( See rollover image below) Because the bottom of the swing arc is located beyond the ball position, the club head will continue to move in a downward and forward motion. Therefore it is absolutely vital that you keep the arms together as the club head moves under the ball and watch the club head strike the ball.
These particular photographs do not fully show how strictly I am controlling the upper body unit, but I can assure you that as the shoulders rotate, the elbows are still held as close together as is physically possible, whilst the hands are being held back from returning to the original address position until the precise moment the club head strikes the ball.
THE CHIPPING ACTION.
Move the mouse over the picture to see the hand action. As I perform this stage of the chipping action, I am simply
concentrating on holding the shoulders parallel to the target line
whilst the shoulder muscles pull the arms/golf club to the bottom
of the swing arc, but ensuring that the clubhead strikes the ball
with a descending blow whilst concentrating on the necessary application
of power as the club head moves to the bottom of the swing arc.
THE FOLLOW THROUGH ACTION.
( In this photograph I have left the ball in place to indicate its original position.) In this photograph you will notice that as soon as the clubhead reaches the bottom of the swing arc, the shoulders, the arms and the wrists have been firmed up so that the complete unit, which has been "bonded as one" begins to turn towards the target area, but the upper body angle is strictly maintained.-- ( see rollover image, below) However it is vital that the head remain slightly behind the ball with "pinpoint accuracy".
Move the mouse over the picture to see the movement of the body after the club head has made contact with the ball.
When you carry out the practice swings, you must make sure that the arms remain in a straight condition, so that the club head continues to move to the bottom of the swing arc after the clubhead has struck the ball. This action is a simple movement, but you must keep the arms totally straight and bonded with the shoulders. Further, you must train yourself to stop the hands from returning to the original address position until the club head makes contact with the ball and keep your head firmly in the Fixed Frontal condition. One of the most important elements of chipping the ball, is to keep the eyes fully focused on the back edge of the ball so that you make a clean descending blow to the golf ball and continue to swing the clubhead to the bottom of the swing arc.
Trust your original judgement. The other important element of chipping the ball, is that you
must play the shot exactly as you performed the practice swing. If the hosel touches the ball it will create a "shank" -- Therefore keep the chest muscles, the upper back muscles and the upper arm muscles in a taut condition so that the correct swing plane can be maintained. However in order to reduce the possibility of a shank, instead of aligning the ball to the centre of the club face, I align the ball to the outside edge of the club face - this allows for a small margin of error.
Remember, the chipping action is a controlled but relaxed swing movement, but it is absolutely vital that you watch the ball so that you actually see the club head strike the ball and then continue to swing the clubhead to the bottom of the swing arc. **To return to the previous page, click on the arrow in the top left hand corner.** Please Note. If you have any comments relating to this website, or if you want anything clarified about the golf swing as described, please contact me:- Here
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