CHIP TO THE LIE
W L
GOLF
CHIP TO THE LIE
BY TOM ATKINSON , PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
We are all going to have to chip at least once when we play golf , so , let ' s talk about grain , what it means and how to approach it when using your wedge .
Quite simply put , the grain is the direction in which the blades of grass are growing , having this knowledge and more importantly , how to play in it is crucial .
Quick Recap - DOWN GRAIN STEEPER ATTACK ANGLE - LOWER FLIGHT
Bare Lies
Against the Grain
Although the grass may have been flattened by traffic or the mowers etc , when the club impacts it , it ' s going to stand back up - think of the effect being like that of a bunker shot , and the resulting friction . A common mistake here is to get steeper on the shot , and fall into the trap of hitting down on it with a sharp leading edge and lots of shaft lean , if the lie is similar to that in the sand then why not play the shot in the same manner . Open the face up , offer the bounce to the ground , cut across the ball and then , most importantly of all , keep the speed up , it ' s easy to quit on this one , trusting that the grass will feel like the sand isn ' t easy , however if you don ' t apply sufficient speed then the club will dig and the ball will barely make half way . Try it with a less lofted wedge , say a 54 degree
Quick Recap - INTO THE GRAIN SHALLOWER ATTACK ANGLE - HIGHER FLIGHT
This one is dreaded by lots of amateurs I come across , it need not be . Start with a square face at address and slightly raise the heel off the ground , strike here is absolutely paramount , that said I want you to lock your wrists of the swing , take away the variables , drive the shot in low off the surface . Loft will be the biggest factor here , higher loft will roll less and vice versa .
With the Grain ( Standard Lie )
This is theoretically an easier shot to play , you can reach for your lob wedge here if you wish but don ' t forget that your trajectory here should be governed by the flag position , there ' s actually not a lot different other than speed , we still need an open face , with a little more shaft lean and we want to get the strike closer to the ball , less of a ' bunker ' type impact , it ' s less important to use the bounce . The ball should come out lower with a lot more spin than the against grain shot .
Above all , like any shot , or anything in general you will need to go out and practice , and then practice some more to even think about becoming proficient .
Lessons are available at Heswall Golf Club .
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