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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 - 07/09/2011) 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 does not rotate as much, but importantly the hips must not be allowed to sway at any point in the chipping action. 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 so that the hips are partially facing the target area.
It only requires the golfer to use the right shoulder/right
upper arm muscles in conjunction with the rotational movement of
the upper body unit to swing the club head towards the bottom of
the swing arc with a cutting action so that the hands move past
the centre line of your body and the whole body begins to face the
target area before the club head strikes 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 until the precise moment the club head strikes the ball and keep the hips firmly held over the centre of your stance, but importantly, you must also see the ball move away from the spot that it was resting.
THE END OF THE BACK SWING MOVEMENT.
During the back swing the majority of the weight of my body is over the left leg and the passive arms/golf club have been pushed into a half back swing with the leading edge of the club face remaining square to the ball position, but importantly, I am also focusing intensely on the back edge of the golf ball.
THE PRE-IMPACT POSITION.
All I have done to return the club head to this position is to use a slight rotation of the hips and the right shoulder/right upper arm muscles to pull the passive arms/golf club into the contact area with a slicing action so that the hands go past the centre line of the body before the club head strikes the ball but importantly, the right shoulder has also begun to rotate under the chin. ( See solid red line on the photograph)
At this stage in the swing movement I am totally concentrating on keeping the hips very firmly in the original address position and using the rotational movement of the very compact upper body unit to control the speed of the club head. The whole idea of the chipping action is ensure that leading edge of the club head separates the ball and the turf with a descending blow. 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 divides the ball and the turf 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 with a slicing action.
If I only want to move the ball a very short distance, I only make a short back swing movement, but I still swing through the contact area with a 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 - but all the time performing the chipping action so that the club head cuts across the parallel to the target line with a slicing action.
However, regardless of how far I want the ball to go, as well as keeping the hips firmly held in the original address position 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 elbow remain close together as the club head approaches the ball but with the right shoulder/right upper arm muscles in control, therefore it is vital that you keep the left arm perfectly straight as the club head continues to move to the bottom of the swing arc with a slicing action. 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 right shoulder is much lower than the left shoulder at the precise moment the club head strikes the ball, this is because the right shoulder has already begun to rotate under the chin in conjunction with the rotational movement of the hips as they turn to fully face the target area. 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. (See solid red line in the photograph)
From this point onwards, the rotational movement of the hips and the right shoulder/right upper arm muscles will continue to pull the passive arms/golf club, 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 elbows close together as the club head swings under the ball and importantly, you must watch the club head strike the ball and keep the hips held firmly in the original address position.
THE CHIPPING ACTION.(Animation.)
Move the mouse over the picture to see the complete action. As I perform this stage of the chipping action, I am simply
concentrating using a combination of the rotational movement of
the hips and the right shoulder/right upper arm muscles to pull
the club head into the contact area with a slicing action, but importantly,
watching
the back edge of the ball very closely, whilst the club head
strikes the ball with a descending blow.
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 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".
Please Note. If you focus your eyes 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 elbows remain close together but using the right shoulder/right upper arm muscles to control the club head, 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 but the hips must not sway away from the original address position. 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 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 larger 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 with a slicing action but all this will be in vain unless you hold the hips in the original address position until well after the ball has been struck. **To return to the previous page, click on the arrow in the top left hand corner.**
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