Golf Digest South Africa - June 2024

B

BODY / SHORT GAME

KILL YOUR CHIPS SOFTLY Release the clubhead with your hands to deaden the ball By Jason Birnbaum

the 17th green at Man- hattan Woods Golf Club is a devilish one. There’s water left

Another critical element to this shot is that you must let the clubhead release through the grass. It’s not a normal, tight-lie chip where the handle stays in front of the clubhead through impact. In this instance, the clubhead beats the handle to the ball (above). Loft is your friend. Here’s how to get it. – WITH DAVE ALLEN JASON BIRNBAUM , a Golf Digest Best Teacher in New York, is director of instruction at Manhattan Woods Golf Academy.

and a bunker long, and if you bail out to the right, you might find yourself with a daunting downhill chip, such as the one I have here. In addition to the downhill lie, you must also contend with the rough, and the green slopes hard towards the water on the opposite side. It’s a challenging shot that takes all the nerve and finesse you’ve got but is certainly manageable with the proper setup and swing adjustments.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES FARRELL

GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 27

JUNE 2024

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