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PUTTING & CHIPPING AT HOME
BY TOM ATKINSON, PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
Hello golfers, or back garden practiser as you are at present.
Good health is by far the most important thing right now
but whilst you have no choice but to stay away from your golf
courses then you may as well make the most of improving your
short game.
In this issue, I’ll show you a simple drill for chipping in your back
garden, and also for improving your putting indoors.
LADDER DRILL - CHIPPING
Chipping for me by definition is any shot between 0-20 yards off
the fringe of the green and like the majority of shots from 100 yards
and in is a game of distance control. Get the length right and you’ll
never be far away. Therefore with chipping it’s about two main
things, the correct club and landing the ball where you want to.
Here’s where this drill comes into its own and it uses something we
all should have to hand. A simple ladder !
Place the ladder around 6-10 feet in front of you along your
intended ball to target line, from there choose a chipping club and
simply work up the gaps between the rungs. If you can make it all
the way up landing the ball inside without a mistake, keep working
until you can make it back down again too. It’s a simple but effective
drill. Once you can make it up and down with one loft, try it with
another club, and so on.
PUTTING DRILLS
Like I say, speed is everything when it comes to your shortgame
and putting is no exception. One of the biggest factors behind
inconsistency in the speed of your putt is the strike. An off centre hit
can result in the ball travelling as much as 25% shorter over a given
distance versus a centred strike as the ball won't be coming off the
club as quickly.
TRY THESE 2 SIMPLE DRILLS AT HOME
Get two coins, ideally 5 pence pieces and using some blu-tac, stick
them to your putter face just far enough apart that the ball can sit in
between them in the middle of the club, now, should you miss the
middle of the putter and catch the edge of either coin, the ball will not
come off the face at a right angle as it should, in fact it will feel like the
dreaded shank! Repeat this until you can get a true roll.
Secondly here’s Tiger Woods’ gate drill. Done with tee pegs in the
putting green originally this is a superb way to find the correct start
line. I’ve modified it slightly so you can practice at home, place two
balls in front of you, 3 or 4 feet away to start with then further as
you get better and simply try and roll your ball through the gap. This
will provide instant feedback should you consistently hit either of the
balls, is your strike off? Is your face open or closed? The very best
feedback will come if you do as I have below and combine the two
drills together.
Now as I’ve told you before and will tell you again the common
denominator for good golf is practice, stay safe and healthy and go
and improve your short game. You can contact Tom at Heswall
Golf Club on 0151 342 7431, www.heswallgolfshop.co.uk or @
heswallgolfshop.
58 wirrallife.com