Greg Nye, PGA
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Greg has served twenty+ years as a Member of the PGA teaching several students of the game, throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. Greg, a four-year All American collegiate player, is in his eighth year as head coach of the Penn State men's golf team and his seventeenth year at the helm of an NCAA Division I Golf Program. His knowledge of the game and coaching skills has awarded Greg many accomplishments in particular 1987 Mid-American Conference Coach-of-the-Year.Greg's Golf Tips:
Chip before you pitch when appropriate.
With all of the different pitching clubs we see advertised these days many golfers young and old begin to see the high pitch shot greenside as the only shot. These clubs of various lofts between 52 and 60 degrees definitely have uses when you are faced with a true pitch shot. The definition of a pitch shot is maximum air time, minimum ground time. This shot is used when the golfer does not have much green to work with, and must get the ball up in the air so as to get it stopped quickly on the green near the flagstick. When the golfer has ample green to work with the easier shot to play is a chip shot. A chip shot is defined by minimal air time maximum ground time. Learn to use your old friends the 6, 7, 8, and 9 irons to produce these easy to play chip shots. The chip shot is easier to play for a several reasons. One, the chip shot requires a much simpler physical motion (like that of your putting stroke) to produce the shot, and two the target that you land the ball on is much closer to you than the pitch. Lastly, it is easier to predict a straight first bounce of low chip shot than a high pitch.
To chip a ball use a narrow, slightly open stance, and center the ball. Lean slightly to your left with your upper body to help insure a descending blow on the ball. Move your arms in a one levered pendulum motion, accelerating slightly through the ball. The ball will jump the grass around the green, land quickly on the green, and roll the rest of the way to the flagstick.
I have been around golf my entire life, and enjoyed listening to the secrets of those highly skilled golfers that have passed this way before me. I have repeatedly heard them say that, "a good golfer will always looks to get ball on the ground and rolling as soon as possible, and they prefer to chip before they pitch if it is possible to chip" I urge you to practice chipping with your 9 - 6 irons around the practice green, then when the situation on the golf course requires a chip you will be ready for the challenge.
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