This drill does not have anything to do with your physical technique, but rather it is concerned with making sure you can ‘see’ the proper path for your low chip shots to take toward the target. It is important to have a clear mental picture for all of your short game shots – and, in fact, all of your shots around the course – but many amateur players struggle in this area. Through the use of this drill, you should be able to bring together the mental and the physical sides of your technique nicely.
Once again, we provide a quick step-by-step process for this handy drill.
There is nothing particularly new about the setup here, as you will again need a pitching wedge, golf balls, and a place to practice. Some golf tees will be necessary again here, just as they were in the first drill.
Drop your golf balls a few steps off the side of the practice green, and pick out a target for these shots. The target you choose should be on the other side of the practice green, so you have a somewhat significant distance to cover (at least 20 yards or so).
Before hitting any shots, stand back and picture the path that you expect the ball to take to the target. Where is it going to land? How many times will it bounce before it rolls out the rest of the way? Do your best to focus intensely and ‘see’ the shot play out in your mind.
Once you have visualized the shot, take your tees up to the green and place them into the ground. You are going to line up a few tees to form a ‘wall’ directly on your target line. This wall should be between where you expect the ball to land initially, and where you expect the ball to land after the first bounce. In other words, you will be trying to bounce your chip shots over this wall on the way to the target. Push the tees most of the way into the ground so that only the very top is still visible. You don’t want to create a tall wall; you just want a visual aid to help you play the shot.
Go ahead and begin to hit shots toward the target. It is going to be difficult to land the ball in the right spot to bounce it over the tee wall, but don’t get down on yourself. Stay positive and gradually improve your ability to land the ball at precisely the right spot on the green.
The drill we offered in this article will each help you hit solid, low chip shots toward your target. It is easy to overlook the importance of the short game in the big picture of golf, but don’t make that mistake. Give yourself an advantage over the competition by prioritizing your short game skills. Good luck!
