Chipping from greenside rough is typically a tricky proposition for many amateurs, with so many potential issues coming from hitting a poor shot.
Some players skull it. Some chunk it. Some swing too softly and don’t get it near the pin.
If you struggle from the greenside rough, it might be time to adjust your approach. Sure, that may mean using a different wedge to play with, but it can also mean trying a different setup than you’re used to.
That’s where Parker McLachlin, aka the Short Game Chef, comes in.
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McLachlin has worked with a handful of pros and hundreds of amateurs in the past few years, helping them improve their touch around the greens.
In the video above, McLachlin shows how a modernized approach to hitting from the greenside rough can land you softly on the green — giving you more opportunities to shoot lower rounds.
The old way of setting up from greenside rough
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As McLachlin says, “I see a lot of people who get into the rough, and immediately, all they’re trying to do is find good contact. They’ll put the ball position in the back of their stance, and lean the shaft forward. They’ll try to hit really down on it to try and get great contact; because the ball is sitting down [in the grass].”
Instead of defaulting to this common setup, McLachlin offers a new approach to hitting these shots — which won’t produce a result that runs the ball past the pin by 30 or 40 feet.
The new way of setting up
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To start hitting high, soft chips from greenside rough, McLachlin says it’s time to rethink how you’re setting up.
“I’m going to go clubface more wide open, shaft more neutral, with the ball position a little more forward in my stance,” says McLachlin. “My release pattern’s going to be a little bit more like a bunker shot. So I’m going to try and slide this thing [the clubface] right underneath [the ball].”
As the video shows, the shot releases high and lands softly onto the green, leaving a shorter putt to finish up the hole with.
To do this successfully, McLachlin reminds amateurs to embrace turf interaction.
“I’m going to get quite a bit of grass interaction,” adds McLachlin. “So I’m giving [the shot] a little bit extra as far as the [club] speed goes.”
By following this modernized approach to the short game, you’ll begin to see improvement from the greenside rough, putting you in position for less putts and lower scores each round.
For more tips from the Short Game Chef, check out McLachlin’s website.
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