Arguably one of the best shot game players in golf history, Phil Mickelson continues to impart his short game wisdom to the masses. I like watching his teachings and although I do not always agree with his views, I respect his expertise. There is one short game tip that I whole hardily agree with and that is how to successfully chip from off the green. His chipping tip is definitely in line with my view on how to dramatically improve our short game and lower our golf scores.
Mickelson’s view that we must accelerate through the ball during contact is spot on. His view is to drop the clock method while chipping, I think that there some value to this technique and players should decide for themselves. The main point of Mickelson’s time is to ensure your club head is accelerating through the ball on contact.
This chipping tip encompasses my view of “back 6 forward 12” when putting. By accentuating the follow through, it forces the clubhead to accelerate on contact. My putting tip is exactly the same as Mickelson’s chipping tip. If we are not generating power through the ball on contact, we are setting ourselves up for failure. By not increases clubhead speed through the ball increase the chances to skull the ball, scoop the ball, hit short (especially this one), or hit fat. These and many other shot challenges can be reduced by listening to Mickelson.
Just for fun, I asked about chipping in from off the green. I wonder how many players consistently accelerate through the ball to produce these results:
Eliminating the fear of hitting shots from off the green is important to improving your overall golf score. Using Phil Mickelson’s tip of accelerating through contact is a great place to start. I use this technique all the time and feel that it will improve your game as well. This tip is easy to adopt, repeatable, and proven to provide the results we are all looking for from out short game. If you are not using it, I recommend that you give it a try.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
Jim, Phil’s approach is a soldier in the battle of art vs science. He is obviously an artist. I am trying to become more of an artist around the greens. The clock is a science approach along with pacing off distances of chips and trying to match a backswing. That was a disaster for me. I like his approach. Thanks for sharing.
Brian
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Brian
You are right about Phil being an artist. I do think that a combination of art and science works best for my game. The key, I think, is to keep an open mind and allow what ever process works that day take the lead. I wish there was on definitive answer to golfs questions, but as we with experience know there is more than one way to solve a golf challenge.
Cheers Jim
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Phil makes the point well enough. But I think he confuses things a bit calling it the clock method though maybe I’m the one who has it wrong.
I do use the clock method. But only as it pertains to the back swing. If I cut off a swing to maybe knock it down a little, I’m still trying to make sure I’m accelerating through which is the main point Phil is making.
One other thing about the clock method that works very well for me. I know the 10 o’clock position is my most accurate swing. Dispersion wise, that swing has the smallest numbers left, right, forward, and back. Bar none. And to be sure you understand what I mean as 10 o’clock, I think of 9 o’clock as lead arm/hands coming back shoulder high. Go a notch above to 10. Two notches and I’m maxed. Trying to go farther is asking for trouble.
As for my longest hole out for the past year, I’m not quite sure. I can’t remember. I know I dropped a punchy 7 iron shot well below the hole and watched it run in. That one was 145 yards so I’ll go with that to be sure. I think my double eagle 3 iron shot was 2020. That one was 220 give or take.
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Kevin,
You might be correct about the clock method. I think what Phil was talking about was to make a backswing to 9 o’clock (as an example) and finish at 3 o’clock without increase the speed through the entire swing. The main point is to accelerate through the swing regardless of where you start or finish.
Cheers Jim
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