Making Greenside Gains
Chip a few strokes off your next round with these expert tips.
According to the National Golf Foundation, about 45% of golfers regularly score over 100, and 60% score above 90 on average. For this majority, reaching the green in regulation, or two under par on a given hole, can feel like a triumph worthy of celebration. Yet, even for the scratch golfer, this triumph can be elevated to greatness or be undone entirely by one simple stroke: the putt. Despite its unassuming distance, making a putt is one of the greatest opportunities to lower your score by one, two or even three strokes.
Chipping and putting, which are often treated as an afterthought during practice, account for nearly half of a player’s total score. This begs the question: Why do golfers spend so much practice time swinging away with a driver when the key to breaking 100 appears to lie in improving skills around the green? Three short game experts at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center (GPC) offer tips to shave strokes with savvy chipping and putting.
USING PUTTER JUDGMENT
David Angelotti, Elite Instructor-Putting Specialist, asks golfers to visualize the path of the ball when considering the track of the putter. “Before you address the ball, determine where you best see the putt from,” he says. “Your set-up can impact your perception; not everyone should have their eyes over the ball. A putter fitting can help match the best visual for you and help you have better alignment.”
Phil Kenyon, Master Instructor-Putting Specialist
“One misconception is that the putter should work straight back, then straight through in a linear fashion,” he says. “From the player’s perspective, the putter may appear to work in a straight line, but that is not the case. The putter works on an arc: in and up on the backstroke and down and out on the downstroke before returning in and up after impact.”
Angelotti suggests imagining a corridor that the ball will follow on its way to the cup. “You can either hit it softly, so the last revolution of the ball drops it in the cup, or hit it firmly, aiming about three feet past the cup,” he explains. “These two lines create all the possibilities for the ball to reach the cup.”
Zen Green Stage putting platform
With a master’s degree in sports science and experience as a professional golfer, Phil Kenyon, Master Instructor-Putting Specialist, is one of the world’s most sought-after putting coaches and is always looking for new ways to help golfers.
Kenyon teaches that speed control is one of the key factors in successful putting. He shares that many golfers believe they must accelerate through the ball, but he advises golfers to “focus on even backswings and follow-throughs and let the ball get in the way. Don’t force the acceleration. Build up speed for longer putts through bigger backswings.
CHIPPING AWAY AT THE FUNDAMENTALS
David Errington, Elite Instructor-Short Game Specialist, encourages simplifying the process by starting with the set-up as the foundation for an effective chip or pitch.
“When you take your stance, keep your feet slightly open and square to the target,” he advises. “When viewed from the front, your shirt buttons should be over your belt buckle and level with your chest, reducing spine tilt as much as possible.”
Once the stance is comfortable, the grip comes next. The lead, or non-dominant, hand should rotate to show the first two knuckles on that hand. The trail, or dominant, hand becomes weaker so that the palm would be facing the target if it were not gripping the club.
David Errington, Elite Instructor-Short Game Specialist
Ball position plays a crucial role in determining the type of shot. Standing with the ball towards the back of the stance, and the handle ahead of the ball produces a lower, longer ball flight, while standing with the ball forward in the stance with less handle lean produces a higher ball flight.
Finally, Errington suggests not moving inside too early in the backswing. “Avoid taking a deep divot,” he says. “If you can control the swing’s low point and just brush the grass, then chipping can become more successful.” This simple sweeping motion will help maintain control and lead to more consistent results.
Whether aiming to break 100 or simply enjoying a more consistent round, focusing on the fundamental tools of set-up, grip and visualization will lead to steady, purposeful improvements in short game.