You flub chips. It happens, and it’s not just the result of poor technique. There are tricky lies all around the green, the hardest of which is to judge when you’re chopping into the grain. Even Tour players have trouble recognizing it.
If you like grain, using your standard chip swing with your sand or lob wedge usually results in the leading edge of your club digging into the ground behind the ball, even with a great swing. It’s just one of those things.
Luckily, you have clubs in your bag that can almost automatically turn that missed shot into a great chip. You just have to think beyond relying on your sand wedge or lobe, whose design promotes burrowing, especially when you’re in the grain.
So try this (and not just for lies that get to the core). Grab your gap wedge or pitching wedge and set it up as normal, but lean the shaft back so the handle is pointing toward your back hip (top left). This does two things: 1) it adds loft to the club, turning your hole into a sand wedge, for example, and 2) it lifts the leading edge off the ground and positions the trail edge to help the club glide over the turf better instead of digging.
The result? A clean shot without a mistake. It takes some practice, but the results will be fantastic whether you chop into the grain or from somewhere else.
Kevin Weeks is a GOLF teacher to watch who teaches at Cog Hill Golf & CC in Lemont, Illinois.
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