Due to the Old Chatham Member Guest, Patrick met me at Knightâs Play for a practice session today. This is exactly what it was. I had practiced the chipping motion over the last few days and we focused solely on that. When practicing by myself, I felt my left hand bowing to make better contact. While this might be something that matters in the finished product, I know I should not be focused on my hands or arms at this point in the swing.
If I start my swing with my left obliques and get my left side moving, I can hit the ball rather well with the chipping motion. I showed Patrick how I was hitting the ball with the chipping motion and he wanted me to make the follow through shorter. I tend to have a very short, chipping backswing with a super long follow through and finish to the swing.
I hit some good ones and then I started to hit some off the heel of the club. I know that eventually I am going to stop hitting the ball off the heel but it seems to be the common indicator that my swing still has a long way to go.
I have tried to accept it is a process and not get down about it, but it can be discouraging when you hit 10 good balls and then you hit one off the heel and almost shank it.
At the end of the practice chipping session at Knights Play, Patrick told me to practice the first move being the downward movement of the left side with the pressure being on the left quad. From there, I am to use the back side of my left obliques and turn my upper body without moving my arms and bracing with the right side of my lower body. This will be something I practice quite a bit over the weekend and into next week.
UPDATE: Well, I am now on lesson #182 and we have spent all time since Covid started at Knight’s Play. I have come to know the range quite well. I have also done thousands and thousands of chips in the chipping motion. It is crazy how far I have come with this exercise. I can now compress the ball and hit it hard doing this drill. In the past, I was afraid to really go after it because I would use my hands and arms and end up shanking it. What a crazy game.
