Watson's Shortcuts - Brief Article

Golf Digest, Feb, 2000 by Tom Watson, Nick Seitz

Chipping to varied holes refines feel

I was fortunate to grow up at a course with two practice greens I could chip to. I played a lot of little games against myself and my friends to develop my recovery skills. One good way to improve your chipping is to play balls from one spot to different holes.

Choose the club that fits the shot

Chipping to different holes will sharpen your touch, and if you do it before a round, it will give you a feel for the speed and firmness of the greens that day.

I believe most golfers should use a variety of clubs for different chipping situations and let a club's normal loft do the job rather than adjust the technique. For a long shot covering a lot of green, you might choose a middle iron. For a short shot to a tight pin position, it might be a wedge.

Before you hit each practice chip, go through your normal preshot routine. The main mechanics of my chipping stroke itself are to address the ball with my stance slightly open and my hands ahead of the ball, then let my left arm control the club back and through, using very little wrist action.