Rick Shiels – PGA Teaching Pro

Now when you practice your chipping make sure it's got a purpose, there's no point in just hitting a 100 chip shots just for the sake of it. Make sure you know where you are at and what you're trying to plan, and what you are trying to aim for and even keep track of your score. A really good game to improve your chipping and keep that competitive edge is to get a golf notepad or get a little notepad and make it kind of your golf journal, and what we do is pick out a target whether it's on the driving range or on the practice chipping grip, pick out one flag from one location and you're going to take 10 shots of that flag. Now score it don't just hit and go, oh that was rubbish, or you hit one and go, “oh that was good.” Give yourself a score for it so for example if you get a shot inside, if you get it in the hole you'll award yourself with 5 points, if you get an inside one club you give yourself four points, two clubs three points, three clubs two points etcetera up until you've got no points. That way you've got something to write down and something to record so do your ten scores, write it down, make sure you know exactly what you've scored. Aim for as most points as possible 50 is your maximum but good luck if you get that. You shouldn’t be watching this video if you get in that, but if for example you've only got 10 points, next time you do it try and beat it, next time you beat it, next time you do it beat it, beat it, beat every single time don't just stand there hitting ball after ball aimlessly aiming at a flag. Also challenge a friend, challenge someone that you play with regularly, challenge or someone new and if you are on driving range just the guy next to you, if you want a bit of a challenge it keeps that competitive edge. And I will guarantee you this will improve your chipping and also improve the almost nervousness over the shot. Do that next time you practice and you will become a much better chipper.