Golf commentators don’t just describe golf; sometimes, they learn it. They talk about what a player “did with his hands,” how a swing “changed,” why a chip “checked perfectly,” or how “the jump saved him there.”
And here’s the problem no one talks about.
A surprising amount of that comment is flat out wrong.
I love watching a commentator confidently predict what a Tour player is going to do, only to have the exact opposite happen. They’ll say things like, “He’s going to throw the bounce under this,” and then the player backs up the shaft, grabs it, and snaps a spinning chip with zero increased bloating.
Does this make the commenter feel bad? No. Their job is to fill the air, tell stories, and give casual viewers a sense of what’s going on.
But if you’re taking every beat comment as a guide?
It could be why your chops are erratic, thick, thin, or completely unpredictable.
The problem: It’s copying tour sensations and TV narratives, not reality
This latest Alex Elliott Golf video featuring Justin Rose’s short game coach James Ridyard is the perfect example.
Ridyard tells some hard truths.
- People think the lean shaft is bad around the greens, but every elite chip it works with delivers enough of lean shaft, often 10 to 15 degrees in a stock shot.
- Players of the tournament smelt like “removing axle tilt” or “using more bounce”, but when you measure them, they still have a forward tilt and a fairly steep attack.
- Average players hear the comment and copy it smelt instead of the actual move, so they end
- adding attic
- exposing a lot of swelling
- changing their low point every swing
In the video, Elliott even admits that he spent years trying to “get rid of the weak shaft” because of what he saw and heard watching tournament coverage and YouTube. The more he pursued that soft, floating, “jump-using” feeling, the worse his swing and swing became.
If your mental image of a good chip is built on half-truth reviews and tournament player sentiment, no amount of practice will give you a lasting hit.
Tips you can steal from this short game tutorial
Here are key ideas from Ridyard’s tutorial that you can actually copy into your own shredding.
1. Stop fighting the weak axis (you really need some)
Ridyard says every good chopper he sees gives some shaft. You’ll see five degrees on the low end, 10 degrees normal, and up to 15 on the high side. A solid, fresh spin chip is almost never hit with the shaft completely vertical.
What to do:
- At address, let the butt of the club point somewhere between the grip of the belt and your lead hip.
- Feel like your hands are slightly in front of the ball, not directly on it.
- Maintain this feel through impact rather than trying to “release the club early” to add bounce.
You are not trying to push the axle forward aggressively. Just remember that a forward lean is part of a strong, repeatable stroke.
2. Stand higher and closer to the ball
One big difference Ridyard makes with Elliott is the setup. It makes him stand taller, get closer to the ball and let the shaft sit straighter. If you have problems with unstable low end (thin and fat strokes), this setup can help you be more consistent.
Why it works:
- A longer, closer setup makes the club work more vertically, not around your body.
- This steeper, more focused swing makes it easier to hit the ball first and avoid the club from bouncing too much into the ground early.
- It also helps control the low point and stops those kicks, behind the ball.
3. Shift a little more weight forward (But don’t go crazy)
In the video, Ridyard doesn’t ask for 90 percent of the weight up front—he starts with something very normal and repeatable:
- 60/40 on the front leg as a base.
This small change makes a big difference:
- It helps to move your low point in front of the ball.
- It supports the forward axle tilt you just built.
- He encourages that five- to 10-degree angle-of-attack window, where most good chippers live.
Try this and make sure you keep your chest slightly in front of the ball, not hanging back. You’ll keep that extra pressure on your front foot through the ball and trust that these mechanics (combined with clubhouse loft) will get the ball in the air.
Final thoughts
If you’ve been silently trying to “copy the dance move” you heard on TV, this lesson turns that concept around:
- The weakest axis is not your enemy.
- A longer, closer setup makes clear contact easier.
- A square face and some forward weight give you spin and control.
It’s hard to argue with the technique that a player like Justin Rose uses. Most importantly, be a little more aware of what is being said while watching golf. Some of these are used to improve the transmission, but directly applying it to your golf game can be a mistake.
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