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    Basic USGA Golf Rules -

    Golf has so many rules and regulations, built over hundreds of years, that a manual was created and is updated yearly, courtesy of the United States Golf Association.

    Below are a few basic rules that concern the golf ball when in play:

    1. Once the ball makes its way to the putting green, the rules state that you are allowed to mark its position. The benefits of marking the ball's spot is so that you can pick it up and clean it thoroughly so that it is perfect for your next shot. Second, if your ball is in the same target line of another player's ball located farther away, picking the ball up will reduce the chance of ruining that player's putt.

    2. Another rule concerning the ball when it hits the putting green is that you must remove the flagstick to avoid a penalty.

    3. You must always play your ball from the correct putting green. There may be times when you hit a shot and the ball lands on another hole's green that is not your own. If this happens, you must pick up the ball and drop it at the nearest location of relief.

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    How To Play A Chip Shot – The Professional Way (2)

    By Foursome | May 28, 2009

    Place Your Weight On The Left Side

    Another thing that helps create a descending blow is having your weight on your left leg. The best way to do this is just to feel like you are leaning slightly toward your target. Any time you think about weight and its placement, it follows naturally to wonder how much of your weight we’re talking about.

    Obviously, we don’t want you leaning so far toward the target that you feel you’re going to fall over. When you have your setup correct, you should feel like you have about sixty percent of so of your weight leaning toward the target.

    Choke Down On The Club

    In the game of baseball they call it “choking up” on the bat, maybe because the bat is pointing toward the sky and you have to slide your hands up to shorten the bat. But in golf, we refer to it as “choking down”, since the club is pointing down and what you are wanting to do is effectively shorten the club.

    You want to do this because when you shorten the club you make it easier to control. You should choke down enough to the point that you feel you have your putter in your hands. By doing this you are gaining more control and you’re not losing anything, since there is no concern with generating power with this shot.Loosen Up Those Arms

    Tension is a shot killer in golf, literally, and to avoid it we always encourage you to have your arms hanging freely from your shoulders when you set up for any shot. You will want to have your arms loose for this shot, but make sure you have enough space between the butt of the club and your body.

    Reach Back For The Ball

    Since the ball is back in your stance, you’ll want to feel that you are reaching back for the ball a little bit with your arms. This is different from having your arms hanging straight down as you would to hit a full 9 iron, for instance.

    We don’t want you to overdo this, but it’s a good sensation to focus in on because it will help you do two things:

    1) Straighten your left arm.
    2) Set your right wrist at the proper angle for executing the shot.

    As it relates to your left arm, you are going to want to keep it straight throughout your chipping stroke, so it’s a good idea to pre-set that position.

    Topics: Short Game, Tips & Practice | No Comments »

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