Breaking 100

By Bobby Clampett with Ron Kaspriske

Photos by Dom Furore

Breaking 100

January 07, 2010

Another way to hit solid chip shots is to focus on the left wrist's position through impact. PGA Tour pro Chris Couch chips cross-handed, with his left hand gripping the club lower than his right hand.The reason he does this is to help ensure the left wrist remains flat through impact. Chris even chipped in on the final hole to win the 2006 Zurich Classic of New Orleans using this technique.Most high-handicap players tend to scoop a chip into the air. The left wrist cups, and the right wrist bows. They actually should be in the opposite position through impact.

I went to the range the other day with a friend, and I began taking practice swings, complete with divots. "What are you doing?" my friend asked. "I want to take a divot on my real swing, don't I? So, why wouldn't I take one with my practice swing?" I told him.You should, too.To get used to hitting down through the ball, rehearse your real swing by taking a divot -- in front of an imaginary ball -- with your practice swing. Don't forget to replace the divot.

In many ways, the flat left wrist at impact qualifies as golf's master dynamic -- even when putting. Here's a little exercise that will let you sense what a flat left wrist at impact feels like.Take the back of your left hand and press it flush against a wall. Notice how the back of the hand and forearm create a straight line? Now move your arm from the wall and take your normal putting grip, keeping this straight line with your left arm, the back of your left wrist and the puttershaft. Extend your arm directly in front of you so the shaft is parallel to the ground, and you'll see the straight-line configuration.