Golf Tips by Dan Key

Consider for a moment your last round of golf. How many greens did you hit in the regulation number of strokes? Could it have been 14? Maybe 12? Could it have been 8, maybe 9 or even lower?

Just for your information the PGA Tour leader for greens hit in regulation is Phil Mickelson at 72%. That’s right, Phil Mickelson, one of if not the best player in the world only hits 13 greens in the regulation number of strokes.

What does all this mean? It means if you want to lower your scores you better have a good short game. Short game specialist Dave Pelz says that 68 percent of the shots we take during a round of golf are less than full swings – 43 percent are putts, and 25 percent are chips, pitches, and sand shots. Yet, we constantly see players spending all their time on the driving range working on the full swing seldom, if ever, working around the green on the scoring shots.  

Chip Shot
The chip shot is designed to give your shot minimum air time and maximum ground time. Our goal is to get the ball on the putting surface as soon as possible and let it run as far as you can to the hole depending on the amount of green available to you. With the ball on the green, we now have more control over what the ball may do.

Here are a few tips to help you hit the shot correctly (based on a right-handed golfer…if you’re a lefty, just reverse your feet obviously):

• Take a stance that is slightly open to the target (left foot slightly back of your right foot).
• Your weight should be more toward your left foot with the ball placed in the middle of your stance or slightly back of middle.
• Start with your hands slightly ahead of the golf ball (butt end of club should be pointing at your left leg or pocket).
• The stroke is similar to a putting stroke (pendulum action using your shoulders).
• Most important for a successful stroke is the lack of use of your hands. The hands should stay firm, not loose, in making the stroke.
• Any club from a Sand Wedge all the way up to a 6 iron is acceptable. The most common club to be used is the Pitching Wedge.

The golf ball will react differently with each club you use. For example, when using a Sand Wedge with no up or down slope involved, I know that when my ball lands on the green the ball will role approximately four to six paces. When using a Pitching Wedge under the same circumstances, I know that when my ball lands on the green the ball will role approximately 8 to 10 paces.

Knowing this information helps me decide which club to eventually use, enabling me to use the same stroke whether I am using a Sand Wedge or 7-iron. It is important to understand that these distances may be different for each individual so practice is of utmost importance in determining what your distance may be.

If you have any questions on how to improve your game, please feel free to give me a call at 785-354-8563 or e-mail me at dkeykats@aol.com. I look forward to helping you in any way with your golf game.