Jordan Spieth is a short-game wizard, renowned for his creativity and flair around the greens in a career that is littered with accolades.
Pitching and chipping is an area that amateur golfers often struggle with, leading to big scores and frustration on the golf course. Finding different ways to save par is crucial for golfers wanting to lower their handicap, so a short-game lesson from a serial PGA Tour winner is just what the doctor ordered.
In this article, Jordan Spieth shares his expert tips on how to play one of his trademark chip shots... the 'one-hop-and-stop'.
Jordan Spieth: How To Play The 'One-Hop-And-Stop' Chip Shot
Some recreational players are intimidated by ‘tricky’ half shots from 40 to 60 yards. But after practising this tip, these short shots will be as automatic as throwing darts, and you’ll be knocking a lot of them to tap-in range.
On these half wedges, I like to hit shots that hit the green, take a small hop, and then immediately stop. These are closer to miniature full swings than long chips.
Apply more speed than finesse to create enough spin on the golf ball to hop and stop, but not so much spin that your ball grabs and pulls backwards and further away from the pin. Use the following technique and practise with different wedges to see how much carry you get with each club.
Step 1: Set your weight slightly forward (about 60% of it on the front foot), then open the clubface slightly and narrow your stance by a few inches.
Step 2: Make a chest-high backswing while hinging your wrists to the maximum. This extra hinge offers added fizz at impact from your shortened top position. Let your shoulders turn as they normally would, but keep your hips still and your weight over your front foot to produce more of a descending blow.
Step 3: Although you shortened your backswing, this is not a slow-swing shot. Make an aggressive downswing while releasing all the hinge in your wrists. Feel as if your right arm and the shaft form a straight line at impact.
Step 4: Hold your left wrist angle through impact so that the logo on the back of your glove faces the target in an abbreviated finish. This move creates cut spin to stop the ball after its first bounce, as well as a lower-than-normal trajectory, which heightens accuracy.
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