Kellie Stenzel: Putt Chip
In this video, golf instructor Kellie Stenzel demonstrates a technique called the putt chip. This shot is useful when your golf ball has rolled just over the back of the green and is nestled down into the grass. The challenge is that the green is sloping away from you, making it risky to hit a traditional short-game shot with a wedge. The putt chip offers a safer alternative that can help you get the ball onto the green and rolling toward the hole.
Adjusting Your Setup
To execute the putt chip, you will need to make a few adjustments to your setup. Stenzel recommends the following:
- Lean to the left: Shift your weight to the left side of your body.
- Lean the shaft to the left: Angle the shaft of your putter slightly to the left.
- Lean your shoulders to the left: Lower your left shoulder so that it is lower than your right shoulder.
By making these adjustments, you will bring the putter head in at a steeper angle of attack, which will cause the golf ball to deflect at an opposite angle. This is what gives the putt chip its unique characteristic of popping the ball up in the air.
Executing the Putt Chip
Once you have adjusted your setup, it’s time to make your putt chip stroke. Stenzel recommends taking a few practice strokes to get a feel for the distance and the size of the stroke you will need. Then, with your adjusted setup, make your normal putting stroke.
As you make contact with the ball, you will notice that it jumps up in the air due to the steeper angle of attack. This allows the ball to clear any longer grass or obstacles and land on the green, where it will start rolling towards the hole.
