Date: 22 Nov 2006 16:12:47
From:
Subject: I just love the stranger who taught me this!
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As a young boy starting out playing this game, I received a wonderful
'golf chipping tip' that has stayed with me throughout my life. A
stranger/golfer/guru approached me on the practice green where I was
hitting a few bump and runs with my 9-iron. He said, " You do know
that the ball is supposed to jump up and not your club. Try dragging it
like a rake."
He noticed my baffled look and took me over to a nearby tree and told
me to gather some leaves with my club. "Now tell me what you are
doing and how it feels?"
He was really friendly and had a voice that reminded me of my English
teacher, with whom I also had great rapport, so I dragged a few more
leaves into an ever increasing pile and replied, "Actually I'm not
doing very much just pulling the sole of the club along the ground and
the club face is collecting the leaves."
"In order to understand my 'golf chipping tip', don't tell me
what the club is doing, tell me what you are doing?"
I thought hard and started again and explained to him that I was
standing over the pile of leaves I had already gathered and was pulling
more leaves towards the pile from the right-hand side. I also remarked
that my hands were keeping the club shaft at an angle where the club
head stopped behind the pile and my hands would always reach further to
the left over the top of the pile.
I also established that I was automatically keeping the clubface
square to the direction I was pulling by keeping the palm of my right
hand facing the ground at the same angle as my shaft was in relation to
the ground.
"Great stuff!" replied the stranger, "Now try dispersing the pile
you have gathered using a mixture of what you were just doing and a
swing that resembles a chipping swing." He then advised that I again
try to tell him what I was doing and how it felt.
After swishing the pile of leaves off to the left, I was able to report
that the swing was now a little more dynamic and felt more like a
sweeping than raking motion.
I knew I had got to where he wanted me because he then said, "OK you're
ready, let's get a ball and close in on this 'golf chipping tip'."
He then told me to make a couple of moves, raking along the grass, as a
practice swing and feeling that I was doing this toward the target. And
then once more a little more like sweeping and then without much
thought the same with the ball.
This has to be tried to be believed. All at once my understanding and
feel for the dynamics of this shot were quadrupled.
I always use this 'golf chipping tip' with my pupils and they thank me
for my wisdom. So Mr. Stranger for the years that I have enjoyed
success in this part of my game and then being able to pass it on to
others...
"I truly thank you."
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