Master the chip and run

1

The chip-and-run comes into its own when just a few feet of fringe stand between you and the green. You might end up whacking a putt and not really having full control, so it may be better to take the fringe out of the equation. Let length of shot dictate club selection – here I used a 9-iron to a back pin – and adjust flight and roll by changing clubs. There is very little hand action – notice how the clubhead always finishes lower than the hands on the follow-through.

2

Caution:

Don’t think of it as an extension of the putting stroke. You still need a hint of a hinge to strike the ball and get a little bit of elevation.

At address, feel your hands, arms and club are all in a straight line with minimal shaft lean, while your weight should favour your left side 60/40. I tell people to lift their trail heel off the ground to help keep weight on their left side throughout. Some people shift weight to the right as they play, but if your right heel is off the ground you can’t do that. Do this out on the course, too, not just in practice – you can’t play golf off your trail leg.

3

Gripping down the club and pushing your hands a little higher at address gets the heel of the club off the ground and keeps your arc more neutral. If you grip too high up and get the hands too far away from your body, you then risk digging the heel in and bringing the fat into play. You want to feel you’re just brushing the ground through the ball with a shallow angle of attack, rather than getting the club digging in and taking a divot.