This fun exercise will help you get more creative around the green

Do you find yourself using the same thing? chip shot techniquewith the same club regardless of the shot you face? No matter where you are in your game improvement journey, it’s common to fall into a one-dimensional rut as soon as you cross the green. Sometimes, we just try to execute the same shot with the club we’re most comfortable with – even if it’s not the best choice.

One way to improve this area of ​​your game is to work expanding your creativitysays Heather Angell, director of instruction at Heritage Palms Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, Fla.

“There are so many aspects of golf that don’t allow for creativity,” she said. “With the short game, think outside the box.”

According to Angell, one way to do this is to challenge yourself with a fun drill: try practicing a chip shot with every club in your bag.

“Watch how the ball reacts with each club, then determine which club you feel most confident will get the ball closer to the hole,” she said.

Practicing this way will help you envision multiple scenarios for every shot you face. And you may even find that you prefer a different shot or technique rather than the general use.

“One of my favorite clinics to teach is where I go through my entire bag to make a putt around the green,” Angell said. “I start with my putter, demonstrate the putt and explain how the grass is too high to use the putter consistently to my liking. Then I go through my wedges, 9 iron, 8 iron, 7 iron, 6 iron, even 5 iron, talking about each one and if I like the result and ease of execution with each club.”

There are no limitations with this workout. Angell encourages players to try hitting their shots around the green HYBRID, freeway forests even the driver.

“I encourage using the club that you probably feel you can get closest to the hole, even if it’s not a ‘typical’ club to hit around the green,” Angell said. “One of my favorite shots is to use of my hybrid as an off-green putter, because the hybrid’s added loft allows the ball to bounce over the top of the longer grass and roll along it like a putter on the green to my students, as it is much easier to get this pose closer to the hole than to chip.”

So the next time you find yourself short on practice time in the short game area, try some unexpected clubs. You may be surprised by the quality of the results – and your handicap will thank you.

Editor of Golf.com

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural women’s varsity player class, Jessica can blow away anyone in the masthead. She can also drive them in the office, where she is primarily responsible for producing print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her series The original interview, “A Round With,” debuted in November 2015 and appeared in both magazine and video form on GOLF.com.