Giving my chipping the X Factor...

Rob Akins: coaching wizard

Fortunately this is not a story about high waisted trousers and irritating Irishmen. It is a story about a little tip I found that has revolutionised my chipping. At first I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinking I could never chip the ball by the holes side. I spent oh so many nights just feeling sorry for myself, but I grew strong and I learned how to get along....err right..erm yes well anyway at first I was a bit rubbish at chipping. I had a lesson and things got a little better, then they got a little worse. My club selection was crazy, taking far too much loft far too often. Then Golf Monthly sent a couple of intrepid golfers off to a Wilson fitting and Padraig Harrington gave them both a little chipping masterclass. The key lesson that stuck in my mind was placing almost all my weight on my left side.

Since then my chipping has got much better but I still occasionally duff a few or chip too hard with no check and run away from the hole. Then this month's Golf World had the answer to my prayers. A little bit of guidance from Rob Akins, coach to David Toms. He states that "most amateurs ahave been told to lean towards the target at address and maintain that position through impact". I'm reading this thinking my god 'that's me' and wondering why this is so bad as since I've started doing that my contact has been much better. Akins continues stating that not only does this deloft the club too much (he's bang on the money there) but also that "the club's leading edge can easily get stuck in the turf". Rob you've just described every problem I have with my chipping, you have my undivided attention please continue. In the video below you'll see the X shape I'm talking about. At set up the shaft is leaning forwards but the spine is leaning away. If you drew a line along the shaft up to shoulder level and a line from the right shoulder down the arm to the floor you'll create the X.

So on my lunch break yesterday I headed up to the heath to try the X chipping technique.Oh. My. God. I was getting so much more loft on my chips, more control and a cleaner crisper connection. I'm not a fan of the 'preassemble for impact' description given in the video but the technique works beautifully. Pretty good I thought but it gets better. Over the page there is instruction on how to create spin to check a ball on landing. I have always wanted to be able to do that and given the success of the X tip I headed to the club after work. Now the X chipping method is great but the technique to spin chips is much harder. Practice required but for now I'm revelling in growing confidence and skill around the greens. Rob Akins, you've got four yesses and you're through to the next round!