Many golfers either chip from just off the green or putt from
just off the green without realizing that you can actually do a
combination of both.
Many golfers either chip from just off the green or putt from just off the green without realizing that you can actually do a combination of both. By putting with a chipping club you can have the best of both worlds. I refer to this method as the Runyon method as it was popularized by Paul Runyon, a short game guru from years past.
The technique is simple. Grip the club with the same grip as you would if you were putting. Stand over the ball just as if you had a putter in your hand and choke down a few inches on the club. Have the club rest on the toe raising the heel off the ground. This lessens the chance to hang the club up as you stroke it. With the heel slightly off the ground take a nice long slow putting stroke keeping the club square to the target all the way through.
The great thing about this shot is it’s easy to control because it ususally comes off the club nice and soft. You can use a 6 through 9 iron depending on how much green you have to work with. This shot will rarely “check up” so it reacts alot like a putt giving it overspin to the hole. For that reason it’s not advised that you do this on sharp downhill chops that require backspin for control.
Through practice, you can have another shot to your arsenal.
Remember when all else fails take a lesson, you’ll be surprised how much we can help.
To schedule a lesson with PGA-certified instructor Don DeLorenzo, call Gilroy Golf Course at 848-0490.
