Master the chip and run with Dave Pelz

After chatting to Golfmagic about his short game theories, Dave Pelz ran through the benefits of playing a chip shot back in your stance.

It’s important to create a little body motion on chip shots.

Leaning slightly forward, with the ball back in my stance, I will never hit anything fat back here [points at right ankle] if I make a half decent swing.

I want everyone to get over ball, put on back ankle, perpendicular to ball, turn and face hole, get as close as you comfortably can without your arms rubbing against your body. Look how relaxed this is. You’re just going to roll the ball to the cup. It’s going to go up there. It’s not a hard swing.

We’ve found in our schools that the back ankle position doesn’t cause enough spin to hurt running chip shots and is the best way for people to make crisp contact.

You would be amazed at the golfers who we have in our schools, who turn their toes and they think the ball is at the back of their stance, when really, when they straighten their toes, it’s forward. It’s not your toes, look at your ankles. Put the ball on your back ankle, and you can do anything what you want with your toes.

Just don’t move your heels, your ankles, as that’s where you’re anchored into the ground. If the bottom of your arc is behind the ball, you will probably hit it fat. If that point is in front of ball, you’ll have a descending blow and you’ll be fine.

In terms of spin, remember spin is created when the club face passes the ball, which slides up the face of a lofted club. Spin can also increase when the club pinches the ball against a firm surface like hardpan or firm sand.

On low running chip shots like these, the club never passes the ball or hits it hard enough to make it slide up the face, so they won’t have much spin.

Playing this weekend? Try out Pelz's tip and let us know how you got on in the forum, via @Golfmagic or on our Facebook page.

Click here to get involved with the Dave Pelz Schools. For more information visit www.pelzgolf.com and The Grove at www.thegrove.co.uk

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