Whether it’s chunking or thinning, lots of amateurs struggle to make consistently good contact when chipping, which saps their confidence and costs them shots.
Having a short game lesson with your local pro on how to hit chip shots would almost certainly help you to improve your consistency around the greens, but in the meantime we have provided you with an opportunity to learn from one of the best short game experts in the world.
In this video and article, short game guru Dan Grieve shares his famous 'three releases', which will cover you for most positions you are likely to find yourself in. These key techniques will allow you to make better contact more often, generate more spin with your chip shots, and get up and down from anywhere around the greens...
Dan Grieve: 3 Releases Explained
Release One
Release one is ideal for a chip-and-run. At address, flare your left foot out a little and have your feet a clubhead’s width apart. With your weight favouring your left side, this creates a pivot from your left foot, through your hip and into your shoulder. Stand a little closer to the ball and lift the handle so there’s no angle in the left wrist. Rotate around your pivot and aim to get the butt of the grip pointing at your left hip in the follow-through.
Release Two
For release two, your stance should be the width of two clubheads and keep your left foot flared out. Have the ball just forward of centre with a neutral shaft lean. On the backswing, the toe of the club should be pointing up, as that will protect the loft and bounce. Swing the club past the hands so the butt of the grip points at your belt buckle after impact. This will slide the club under the ball for more spin.
Release Three
Release three is the lob shot technique, which requires a longer swing and a wider stance. The ball position should be towards your left heel, with the shaft angle pointing slightly away from the target. Keep your hands low at address so there’s some angle in your left wrist and open the face. You want to actively release the club through impact so the butt of the grip points towards your right hip.
