Playing tip of the week  

The Chip-putt

One of the easiest and most effective methods for chipping is the chip-putt method. Chip-putting was devised by short game wizard Paul Runyan back in the 1930's. Lil' Poison as nicknamed by his peers was a short hitter off the tee but with a lethal short game which left his opponents gasping how'd he beat me?

Basically, chip-putting is chipping with a putting stroke. The basic setup is like the setup for putting. You want to stand closer to the ball so you hold the shaft more vertical than its intended lie angle. This will put the heel of the club off the ground and slightly deaden the hit as you'll be using the toe of the club to hit the ball. Bend over enough at the waist so your eyes are over the target line. Choke way down on the grip. Use an arm and shoulder stroke. The club head will stay on line longer so your chips will also start on line more often. Vary your club selection to adjust the amount of carry and roll for different shots.

In firm European conditions tour players such as Nick Faldo, Sergio Garcia and many others use this technique very effectively where chipping prowess is a big priority. For more on the chip-putt as well as many other wonderful short game tips read Paul Runyan's "The Short Way to Lower Scoring" 1979. Golf Digest. Currently out of print but available at Amazon.com.