WATCH: The secret of how to execute a chip shot on grainy Bermuda grass
01/01/2025 10:00 AM
The PGA Tour is heading to the Pacific Ocean and the tropical island paradise of Hawaii.
The golf there is windy, spectacular and great fun – but it can also be very tricky.
The Bermuda grass on and around the greens is famously sticky and grainy.
If a golfer cannot fathom how to chip from it, the short game becomes an appalling test.
Fortunately, in this video, Titleist staff member James Sieckmann explains how to make sure that you avoid the dreaded flub.
James kicks off by explaining that they've had an enquiry asking: "How do I execute a chip shot into the grain on Bermuda grass which you know to be super sticky?"
James starts by explaining how to read the grass. "Dark is into the grain – it captures the light," he says. "And shiny is down grain."
"I'm going to hit two completely different shots," he continues. "It looks like I should be playing the same shot but that couldn't be further from the truth.
"Because down grain it's easy. The ball's going to come out low with spin, the club's not going to stick, it's going to skip right off the surface.
"So I'll probably just go with my lob wedge. Lean the shaft forward a little and just play a pretty normal shot.
"Kind of a low skipper in there," he says as he demonstrates. But now it gets tricky.
"Now for into the grain on Bermuda and we have some choices.
"The first would be to putt and I don't like putting with a putter because it gets caught up in the grain.
"You might putt with a 3-wood. I think most of you will have tried that.
"But we want to talk about what to do if we want and need to pop the ball up in the air and fly it on the green.
"Any time you lean the shaft forward like I did for the first shot you're taking bounce off the club and you're sharpening the leading edge which will make it stick more.
"And if you catch before the ball and it sticks you'll hit a chunk right?
"So lob wedge, forward shaft lean is a horrible choice into the grain in my opinion.
"I might take a 54 degree wedge or I might even go pitching wedge.
"And I am going to go pitching wedge and hit a higher than normal shot here.
"What do you think happens to the bounce when I lean the shaft backwards and open the face?
"It lifts the front face off the ground.
"So I'm going open face, ball more forward, and then have a nice shallow delivery.
"The club will just skip off the turf and I hit a higher than normal shot with my pitching wedge.
"But I've given myself the best chance of not interacting the club with the turf negatively."
James concludes by reminding us: "It's tough to play this shot without practice so make sure you give it a try."
READ MORE: Golf in Hawaii – 7 must play golf courses in the Aloha state
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