Chipping tips: How Freddie does it

Freddie Jacobson has always been known for his stellar short game. True, there are a lot of moving parts when the Swede's in action with his full swing but he proved this weekend that he can get the job done.

He showed that he was moving into top gear at the US Open at Congressional a week ago with rounds of 74, 69, 66 and 73 to finish in a tie for 14th and once he'd got his driver under control. it was just a matter of time before he converted his form into that first PGA Tour win.

And he set it up with a flawless 63 on Saturday at The Travelers Championship, where he used a set of three Callaway X-forged wedges, including a new C-grind 58-degree model with 10 degrees of bounce that was made for him on the Callaway truck ahead of the event. It enabled him to get up and down 19 times out of 20 if he missed the green.

So apart from the hardware he uses what's his chipping technique secret to keep the bogeys off his card when his accuracy might be a little off in his approach shots?

Freddie positions the ball in the centre of his stance with his hands slightly forward and weight slightly favouring his left side - something he's been working on with Callaway's wedge guru Roger Cleveland.

With his head slightly tilted and eyes focussed just behind the ball, he retains the V between shoulders and firm wrists in his take-away and, without cocking the wrists, maintains the V back and through impact with his head steady and following the momentum through to the target.

It's a very relaxed action but at the same time solid and repeating.

He says: “It meant a lot to join that group of Swedish winners on the US Tour. That’s why I came over, and I’ve been here for quite a long time now, since 2003. I won a few times in Europe and I came over because I wanted to see if I can win here.

“That’s always been my goal. That’s the drive for me. I just wanted to focus on those things that get me to hit good shots and hit good putts and see if we could get it done.”

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