Want spinnier chip shots? Use this swing thought to copy the pros
J.D. Cuban
Mark Blackburn was voted No. 1 by his peers on Golf Digest's 2026-'27 ranking of The 50 Best Teachers in America. In this series, “What the Pros Do That You Don't,” Blackburn highlights the key adjustments that tour players make to play the right shot at the right time.
When you're in the fairway, just short of the green, it’s tempting to opt for a bump-and-run or even a putt. That’s often the right play, but pros know it doesn’t work in every situation. If the pin is cut just onto the green or the grass is wet, they carry the ball onto the putting surface for consistent results. You can hit this higher pitch, too.
First, open the clubface and keep it open throughout the swing. (Play every greenside shot, aside from a bump-and-run, with an open clubface.) Take the club back slightly to the outside, then think, body, body, body. Look at how I’ve rotated through so that you can see the back of my pants and shirt.
Good players keep turning and nip the ball. Amateurs duff it because they use only their hands and arms. That looks a little like this, below. Notice how I'm falling back with my upper body and my chest doesn't rotate. That's no good.
Instead, turn through until your belt buckle and shirt buttons face the target like I demonstrate below. You’ll catch the ball solidly and stop it with backspin. That’s how to do it like the pros!
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Blackburn’s new book, The Coaching Code, is out October 1. In it, he explains the concepts he has used in coaching dozens of tour players, including Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick, Max Homa and Collin Morikawa. Blackburn is a Golf Digest Teaching Professional.