Comments for How do I correct for skulling the ball?

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How do I correct for skulling the ball?

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Jul 18, 2010
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Stop Skulling The Ball
by: Joe Krarup MD passion-for-golf.com

Hi Brian,

This is a comment fault for high handicappers which can cost you a lot of shots!

You need to perfect your chipping & pitching. The chip shot is used mainly around the greens and from around 10 yards out.

Take up your stance as you would your full swing although you would be closer to the ball, open your stance slightly so you are facing left of the target (right hand golfers).

The ball should be positioned in the middle (or just slightly back) of your stance with your weight more on your front foot (60%).

Grip further down the shaft to give you more 'feel' for the shot, your hands should be just slightly ahead of the ball.

The actual shot should be just back and through keeping your wrist firm, no breaking of the wrist! It's most important to keep your wrist firm through the shot maintaining a triangular shape as with your putting.

When you have played the shot your hands should be in a forward position with the butt end of your club facing forward away from you, if the butt is pointing towards you it means you have broken your wrist which will result in you 'skulling' the ball.

If you are further out, say 30 yards, you would need to pitch the ball into the green. As I mentioned earlier, this shot is very similar to the chip shot except you will be making a longer swing and breaking the wrist.

The pitch shot is like a longer chip shot, or a much shorter full swing. Set up the same as the chip shot, open stance etc. but this time you will be making a fuller back swing so your wrist will naturally break during the back swing allowing you to pitch high shots with a fuller follow through.

Both these shots can be played with either a sand wedge, pitching wedge or gap wedge depending where you are, you can even play these shots with an 8 or 7 iron if you have further to go and don't need to get much hight on the ball.

Practice these shots with the different clubs, adjusting the back swing to judge your distances (back to 7 O clock, 8 O clock, 9 O clock) etc.

Soon you'll be chipping and pitching closer allowing you to make more pars and slash your handicap! You may even hole a few!!

Keep hitting the short stuff!
Best wishes,
Joe Krarup.
Short Game DVD

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