“Y chipping in the lower case”

Having a nice basic chipping method that will not only work for many situations but help to build confidence in your short game is something that all golfers should have in their tool box. The Y shape chipping method is a stable starting point for this. Its name comes from the shape of a lowercase “Y” formed between your arms, hands, and clubshaft at address and the maintaining this shape throughout the swinging motion. Here are some key points to look for.

• Place the ball somewhere between middle of your stance and your back foot. Experiment with what works best for you.
• Have the weight distributed so at least 70% is on your forward foot.
• The shaft and hands are pushed forward in your address. Notice the lowercase “Y” formed between your arms, hands, and clubshaft
• Get the feeling of locking in your wrists however you do not want to squeezing your grip and arms tight.
• The stroke will largely be an arms and upper half movement with very little going on below the waist.
• At the finish, you should still see your weight forward and the “Y” intact.
• Use the higher-lofted clubs (LW, GW, SW, etc.) and the lower-lofted clubs (PW, 9, 8,) in the same way and notice the different results you get with each club.
• Try not to change the length or tempo of this shot, just change your club to get different results.

Generally speaking this method has its limitations but with a little bit of adaption you should be able to create more results from the basic methodology.

Paul Thompson has been the Fellow PGA Professional at Powerscourt Golf Club in Wicklow since 1995. In addition to providing coaching on-site he also is a coach with The Golfing Union of Ireland. Appointments with Paul can be booked via Powerscourt Golf Club Reception: Tel (01) 204 6033 or the Golf Shop Tel (01) 204 6031. Read more about lessons from Paul Thompson by visiting the Powerscourt Golf Club Website.