The Force is not with me and I’ve been trying to clear my head lately on an area of my game I used to consider a strength (chipping) but the proverbial stew of techniques, approaches, new wedges, and adjustments for Myrtle Beach is staring to take on Death Star proportions. I am tumbling head over heels around the greens, like a big ball of matter through outer space, with giant chunks of confidence falling off at inopportune moments. Looking for some stability fast. Here’s how the mess started.
I’ve chipped my best when I work with one technique and can laser focus my attention on a specific landing spot. For some reason, this method has left me coming up short on all chips and I don’t know why. Late last season, a skinny chip started creeping in to my repertoire, mostly with my old 56 and now with my new 58 and the root cause is a mystery as well. I’m working with three new Cleveland wedges, which I use very successfully in practice, but can’t seem to transition to game conditions. Third, I’m trying to relearn a low spinning shot I need off the tight Bermuda surfaces around the greens in Myrtle Beach. I used to hit this great with my old 56 and even when I clipped it skinny, it would fly very low and have a tremendous amount of spin, and would bite hard and sit down instantly. There is no deep rough in MB but that’s all I’m playing out of in our plush courses around the DC area. I can’t find a comfortable technique on this play.
Finally, I’ve got two techniques in my head and cannot reconcile. The first is the Stan Utley approach of squaring everything up and making a concentrated pivot on every chip. The second is the Michael Breed drill of identifying a percentage of distance you want to fly your chips to the hole (say 40%) and then identifying different clubs that will take you different distances. I did have some success blending the two in my post round practice session, but during play, was dreadfully inconsistent.
Anyone with some surefire chipping techniques from good greenside lies, or on tight Bermuda surfaces, please pass them along. KISS please, thanks!
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