You Might Not Even Know You Are Doing This... But It's Killing Your Short Game

Allowing this destructive habit to creep into your set-up for chip shots can play havoc with your short game, but PGA pro John Howells has the perfect antidote

John Howells demonstrating a position he described as being 'ball locked' where you hunch over the ball and pay too much attention to it without focusing on landing area
This damaging and destructive position could be halting your short game progress... but our expert John Howells has the remedy
(Image credit: Howard Boylan)
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Learning how to chip in golf is a fundamental component for progress in the sport, leading the way to understanding how to spin the golf ball and how to master different styles of shot like the chip and run.

It's important to give your short game some love and attention, however, as bad habits lurk for those who neglect it. Without the right amount of practice, and time spent on the best chipping drills, it's easy to allow common faults to eek into your short game.

In this article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach John Howells talks us through a chip shot fault that could be killing your short game and offers some expert advice to get you back on track...

The Chip Shot Fault That Could Be Killing Your Short Game

This (image below) is a posture I see a lot, particularly when players start getting nervous about the strike – they become ‘ball locked’. They are so worried about making good contact – mainly not fluffing it just a couple of yards – that they hunch over the ball and focus entirely on the ground, with little or no attention given to the target. Because they’re so focused on the ball, they tend to make contact with the ground and stop, as opposed to turning the hips and chest towards the target.

John Howells demonstrating a position he describes as being 'ball locked'

(Image credit: Howard Boylan)

The great Seve was one of those who talked a lot about staring at the target and glancing at the ball, instead of staring at the ball and glancing at the target – which is what a lot of amateurs do.

In the image below, I’ve gone onto the green to pick my landing spot; I’m building a picture of the shot in my mind. I go back to the ball and take four or five practice swings looking at my landing spot – not the ball.

John Howells walking onto the green to work out his landing position for a chip shot

(Image credit: Howard Boylan)

Yes, you have to have an awareness of the ground, but not to the point that you become so fixated on it that you prevent yourself from turning the hips and chest through to a nice finish.

John Howells demonstrating a chip shot from just off the green

(Image credit: Howard Boylan)

If it helps you to focus more on the target as opposed to the strike, think about how far you want to land the ball towards it. Generally speaking, you could use a lob wedge to carry it 75% of the way, with 25% roll; 50/50 with a pitching wedge; and 25% carry and 75% roll with an 8-iron.

It depends on the speed of the greens and how firm they are, of course, but these percentages would be a good baseline to start from.

John Howells
John Howells
Top 50 Coach

Location: JCB Golf & Country Club

John joined the JCB Golf & Country club after spending seven years as the Senior Instructor at the Butch Harmon School of Golf Dubai. His coaching style is very much holistic in nature and TPI physical screenings are an integral part. John is able to identify physical limitations that may affect your swing and he has worked with the likes of Darren Clarke, Michael Hoey, Steve Webster and Rayhan Thomas.

Biggest influence:

Without a doubt the six years I spent working for Butch Harmon. I worked there from 2012 to 2018 and had the ability to everyday learn from one of the best modern instructors in the world today, Justin Parsons, who was my mentor and boss. We also were very fortunate to meet and learn from Claude Harmon III and Butch. The time spent in Dubai was the most pivotal because being surrounded by excellence was so inspirational for me as an instructor. I was able to frequently watch tour players practicing on site and working with their personal coaches, I was able to shadow coaches such as Sean Foley working with Danny Willet, Alan Thompson working with Tommy Fleetwood. 

Greatest teaching success story: Working with Rayhan Thomas for three years as his putting coach was a pretty special opportunity for me. Seeing him go on to win his first professional tournament at the 2016 Mens Tour Dubai Creek open where he set a world record equalling nine birdies in a row. 

Biggest challenge:

There is a new wave of golfers coming through the Bryson DeChambeau era and I am cautious about how many young golfers will attempt to play the game the same way as he does over the coming 10 years. We could see a lot of young talented golfers fall by the wayside either through injury or not being able to move the same way that Bryson does. I am really supportive of golfers pushing the boundaries of human physical performance so I admire what Bryson has been able to do, however I am apprehensive as to what this might be doing to the way young golfers see the game as a weightlifter/crossed with golfer/crossed with long drive champion.