Try this tip from Phil next time you need to chip out of rough
Phil Mickelson has become a bit of a social media phenomenon since taking the plunge at the end of 2018. Amid his relentless quest to “hit bombs” and engage in ‘Phireside’ chats with esteemed guests, he drops the odd pearl of wisdom that could help your game.
This time, he’s talking through a chip he hit from thick rough en route to a play-off victory at the 2004 Bob Hope Classic – now the American Express.
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So what can you learn?
As he says, the key is keeping your weight on the front foot. This ensures the leading edge stays down helping you get underneath the ball.
Into the follow through and from the video, you can see both hands and club finish nice and low – something he believes is vital to combat rough that is thick and heavy. Resist the urge to scoop and let the club do the work.
Finally, don’t expect to go to the course and produce this shot at will. We’ve become so accustomed to seeing Phil pull off the impossible that it can appear straightforward, but we should all know it’s not. An enormous amount of practice has made Mickelson the short game master we see on our screens now, so if you want to experience the benefits, make sure you put in the time.
When ‘Lefty’ shares any sort of advice, you’d be a fool not to take note, so give this a go and see if you can learn how to chip like Phil.
Got any other short game tips you want to share? I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or send me a tweet.
Andrew Wright
NCG's instruction editor. Terrible student so trying my hand at passing on some of the best advice I've never listened to. Member of Royal Troon. Favourite golfer is two-time major winner and hall of famer, Retief Goosen.
