Chipping action detailed by the basic steps to perfect golf

The movement of the upper part of the body whilst chipping the ball is very similar to the full swing movement, but the difference to the full swing is that the lower part of the body remains quite still.

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.

It only requires the golfer to swing the arms/golf club towards the bottom of the swing arc, thus striking the ball with a descending blow, so theoretically 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 but importantly you must totally focus your eyes on the back edge of the golf ball and actually see the physical contact between the club head 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.

Therefore if you wish to chip the ball with precision, you must watch the ball and physically see the club head strike the ball, but importantly you must also see the golf ball move away from the spot that the ball was resting.

During the back swing the majority of the weight of my body is over the left leg and the compact upper body unit has been rotated into a half back swing but the wrists have not been allowed to break - the whole upper body unit including the hands have been solidified so that the upper body and the golf club move as a single unit, but importantly, I am focusing intensely on the back edge of the golf ball.

All I have done to return the club head to this position is to use a combination of the hips and the lower back muscles so that the compact upper body and the golf club moved together as a complete unit.

At this stage in the swing movement I am totally concentrating on using the movement of the hips and the lower back muscles 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 descending blow before touching the grass.

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 before touching the turf 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. ( Therefore 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, the arms and the golf club 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 a combination of the hips and the muscles of the lower back to rotate the shoulders back and forth.

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.

In this photograph you will notice that the shoulders are parallel to the target line at the precise moment the club head strikes the ball.

The wrist joint has simply unhinged slightly to allow the club head to slide under the ball and move to the bottom of the swing arc.

From this point onwards, the movement of the hips and the lower back muscles will continue to force the compact upper body unit to rotate, so that the club head swings to the bottom of the swing arc. ( 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 shoulders,the arms and the club head in a rigid condition as the club head swings under the ball and importantly, you must 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 whole unit is tightly held together so that the golf club is always under strict control.

As I perform this stage of the chipping action, I am simply concentrating on holding the upper body unit and the golf club as a solid one piece unit, watching the back edge of the ball very closely, 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.
( In order to chip the ball very well you must learn to strike the ball with a slightly descending blow.)

( 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 remain in a firm condition whilst the complete unit 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".

As long as you focus intensely on the spot that the ball was resting, as soon as the ball moves away from this spot the white image of the ball will convert to a black image for a milli-second. - this indicates that you have watched the ball correctly.

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.

The other important element of chipping the ball, is that you must play the shot exactly as you performed the practice swing.
You must not quit on the shot, trust you original judgement of the length of back swing movement, but importantly, trust your original judgement on the amount of follow through movement required to land the ball where you want.

If the hosel touches the ball it will create a "shank" -- Therefore 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.

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