Help with chipping and pitching
 

Hi Yoda and all,

I have a lot of problems with my chipping and pitching. I tend to hit a lot of shots fat. I have been reading TGM over the last year and I have recently purchased a wrist Tic Tac and Pureball striker. From what I see I "think" I am a hitter.


My problem with a FLW and BRW is I seem to get no elevation and can still hit it fat :crybaby:

When I hit it fat I mean fat "with" a flat left wrist (no click on the Tic Tac), not flipping at it.

Is this a pivot problem? A setup issue?

My stance is square, about a foot wide and ball position central, with hands at "impact fix"

I seem to chip better with a closed stance for some reason..........

Thanks all for any help

One thought is:
Start with and let your weight pressure remain on your left side. That way you are in position to strike down on and hit the ball first (as opposed to hitting the earth first). Being in this position, the right wrist will have no desire to flatten.

Chipping/pitching drill
 

Use a headcover or something similar and place behind the ball about 15".
Start with some short chips and gradually work back to some pitches, with care to not contact the headcover either on the way up or down.

I do seem to struggle keeping weight in one location

Any drills/ideas on practicing this?

Additionally, no click on the tic tac does mean that you are not losing at least some degree of the frozen condition of the brw and flw.

Hit chips, constantly monitoring the brw, flw, and weight pressure. Be able to tell yourself when you performed correctly and just as important, when you did not perform correctly.

Ballpos./aimingpoint/followthrough???
 

Couple of thoughts:

Ballposition might be too much back in the stance, try to move it to 2" inside left heel.

Do you hit down on the ball with your mind in pp#3?

Do you hit down and keep the feeling of hitting down until follow through (both arms straight)?


Sometimes the things you describe happens to me, it's often when I hit the ball with my mind in the clubface and trying to help the ball in the air by hitting up on it.

Measure to the bottom of the ball, not to the ground. The left arm should be straight at address and the club should be resting VERY lightly even with the bottom of the ball. Of course if the ball is sitting up in the rough then the club will be above the ground. Gripping down, all the way to the bottom of the grip makes it much easier to have a straight left arm at address. I found I had to feel as though I was standing much taller in order to accommodate a straight left arm.

As far as the weight, move the knees slightly targetward then fix then move them very little until after impact when they can move even more targetward. Find video of Seve in order to see these mechanics beautifully illustrated.

Matt

Thanks you for the responses so far.

Appreciated guys

Hinge Action & Ball Position
 

Thom mentioned ball position already but I wanted to add something if I may. Ball position is in relation to low point and low point is all about the center of the club head orbit i.e. the left shoulder. So, it is better to measure it in relation to low point rather than just moving it back or forward in your stance, although it does sound like it is too far back of low point. Trajectory is largely a product of the selected hinge action. A ball too far back, say with a full roll of horizontal hinge action will result in a low screamer. Perhaps the fat shots are a result of you trying to help the ball up? I typically use a no roll (that feels like a half roll - angled hinge) on chips and pitches. Hope that helps.