Tip Tuesday – Finesse Wedge Training Part 4: The “Putt Chip”
In the latest installment of their finesse wedge training video series, Ted Frick of the Classic Swing Golf School in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and LPGA Tour player Haylee Harford demonstrate how Haylee will integrate a putting approach to her wedge game around the green.
Ted Frick:
Alright. So we’re going to show you a really cool variation. It’s called a putt chip. This is a motion that Paul Runyan back in the thirties and the forties and early fifties utilized. And he was a magician around the greens, Paul Runyan. Haylee’s just going to go through why this shot is in her bag, where and when she uses and watch the setup, the uniqueness of the setup, the putt chip shot.
Haylee Harford:
So anytime I’m playing and I’m really close to the green, ideally, I would love to be able to putt whenever I can. So if I was going to this first pin here, I would love to putt it and give myself a chance for birdie. But unfortunately the fringe here is a little rough. Or maybe if you have a bad spot in your way, what can I do to get it over that, but then get it rolling so I have a chance of getting it in the hole? So as you can see, I have a variety of clubs because you could do this with anything up to even hybrids. So going to this first pin, I’m going to take a 54 degree.
And in the setup here, I’m going to stand as close as I can to it and very upright to where I have the heel of the club off of the ground. And I’m actually going to take a putter grip, how I grip my putter. And it’s all about just using my shoulders and no lower body. Just really making a putting stroke, trying to hit, maybe like a lag putt. I’m going to set all of my weight forward and I’m even going to lean the shaft of the club forward. And then I’m just going to rotate my shoulders back and forth like a putt motion.
Ted Frick:
Okay. So now we’re in the same vicinity, but instead of the pin being 20 feet away, it’s now closer to 40 feet away. So let’s see. Does she think about the same shot and the same club? What are you going to do now?
Haylee Harford:
I’m definitely thinking the same shot because I really only have a couple feet of fringe to go through, but I am going to change clubs and take less loft. So I’m going to use a nine iron here with the same exact setup, same motion and just carrying it just onto the green and letting it release out down to that pin.
Ted Frick:
So we have found this shot to be really awesome when the landing area is within 10 feet of us. So when we do three paces from the green, so 1, 2, 3. Right in this area here, this is an awesome option to your game. And you can see the risk reward, a lot of rewards on this shot.
